'Diriyah Biennale' Supports New Work by Fatma Abdulhadi, Presented at 14th Taipei Biennial 2025

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced that Fatma Abdulhadi will present a new work at the 14th Taipei Biennial 2025. (SPA)
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced that Fatma Abdulhadi will present a new work at the 14th Taipei Biennial 2025. (SPA)
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'Diriyah Biennale' Supports New Work by Fatma Abdulhadi, Presented at 14th Taipei Biennial 2025

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced that Fatma Abdulhadi will present a new work at the 14th Taipei Biennial 2025. (SPA)
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced that Fatma Abdulhadi will present a new work at the 14th Taipei Biennial 2025. (SPA)

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced that Fatma Abdulhadi will present a new work at the 14th Taipei Biennial 2025. The production of the work was partly funded by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, as part of a continued commitment to supporting Saudi and Saudi-based artists in being well represented on the international stage. Other contributions came from the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

In a statement on Monday, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation said Abdulhadi’s work, called “What Remains: Stay as Long as You Can,” is an immersive installation that transcends the idea of a physical garden. The work is an evolution of a previous work, titled “I Wish You in Heaven,” which was commissioned by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation for the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025.

Through layered silkscreen prints, a craft central to the artist’s practice, and the scent of basil, the work evokes cultural and ritual symbolism, guiding the soul on a path toward healing. It becomes a shared, universal space for reflection, inviting visitors to linger, find solace, and rediscover peace after grief.

Fatma Abdulhadi stated: “What Remains: Stay as Long as You Can is, to me, a continuous and universal conversation - an invitation to slow down and recycle memory. In Taipei, the work unfolds as a quiet space for reflection, healing, and connection, where time stretches and stories find new shape.”

CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation Aya Al-Bakree said: “Supporting artists is central to our ambition at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. We are committed to nurturing Saudi talent and enabling them to engage meaningfully with the international art community."

The 14th edition of the Taipei Biennial 2025, titled “Whispers on the Horizon,” is curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath. It will be on view from November 1, 2025, to March 29, 2026, at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.



Louvre Museum Says Shutting for the Day Due to Strike

People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
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Louvre Museum Says Shutting for the Day Due to Strike

People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)
People walk next to the Louvre Museum covered in snow in Paris, France, 07 January 2026. (EPA)

The Louvre Museum was forced to close on Monday due to strike action from staff in the latest disruption at the world's most-visited museum, management said.

"Due to public strikes, the Musee du Louvre is closed today," the museum said in a message posted on its website, informing disappointed tourists and art lovers that their entry tickets would be automatically reimbursed.

The museum closed for a full day last month and has been only partially open on several other days since.

Nearly three months after an embarrassing daylight heist, which has heaped pressure on Louvre bosses, staff are calling for more recruitment and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace.

Questions continue to swirl since the October 19 break-in over whether it was avoidable and why thieves were able to steal crown jewels worth more than $100 million.

Two intruders used a truck-mounted extendable platform to access a gallery containing the jewels, slicing through a glass door with disk-cutters in front of startled visitors before stealing eight priceless items.

As well as the robbery, two other recent incidents have highlighted maintenance problems inside the building, which chief architect Francois Chatillon has described as "not in a good state".

A water leak in November damaged hundreds of books and manuscripts in the Egyptian department, while management had to shut a gallery housing ancient Greek ceramics in October because ceiling beams above it risked giving way.


20-Year-Olds Gathering in Kimonos for Coming of Age Day Ceremony in Japan

Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
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20-Year-Olds Gathering in Kimonos for Coming of Age Day Ceremony in Japan

Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON
Kimono-clad Japanese young women take pictures after attending a Coming-of-Age Day ceremony in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Japan, 12 January 2026. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

Young women in brightly colored long-sleeved kimonos and young men in formal suits or traditional hakama and haori gathered Monday at Yokohama Arena to mark Coming-of-Age Day, an annual celebration for those who have turned 20.

The ceremonies, which are a widely observed public rite of passage in Japan, lasted less than an hour. Before and after the events, young adults gathered near the arena entrance, sidewalks and nearby train stations, greeting friends they had not seen for a long time. Smartphones were raised repeatedly as participants took pictures of each other and themselves.

Among the many participants wearing black and navy suits, a large number of young men chose traditional hakama trousers and haori jackets.

Legally, adulthood in Japan now begins at 18, following a revision of the Civil Code in April 2022. Even so, most local governments continue to hold Coming-of-Age ceremonies for 20-year-olds.

Inside Yokohama Arena, participants stood for the national anthem, then sang Yokohama’s city song together. Many then switched on the lights of their mobile phones, illuminating the hall.


Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture
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Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

Saudi Pavilion at Makkah's Global Village Showcases the Kingdom’s Culture

The Saudi pavilion at Global Village in Makkah, part of the Makkah winter season, reflects the richness and uniqueness of the Kingdom's culture and heritage.

It features interactive and engaging sections that introduce visitors to the Kingdom’s cultural heritage, including live demonstrations of traditional handicrafts and artwork inspired by the local environment, SPA reported.

The pavilion’s presence at Global Village reflects ongoing efforts to highlight the nation’s cultural heritage, promote its civilizational legacy, and strengthen its cultural presence at major events.