From anonymous murals to fine art designs, colors shine brilliantly.
Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa – Special
In recent years, the streets of Saudi Arabia have been adorned with an increasing number of artistic murals. Mural art, or graffiti, has emerged as a vibrant form of fine art, bringing vivid colors to the walls of streets, villages, and cities across the Kingdom. It is also an ancient art form and an important branch of visual art that has enjoyed widespread presence throughout both ancient and modern history.
Since ancient times, murals have reflected the realities and inner emotions of human beings, evolving alongside their lives
and changing needs throughout the ages. Artists have used various wall surfaces to depict religious, historical, mythological, social, and other themes.
Mural art is among the oldest forms of artistic expression known to humanity. Indeed, it can be regarded as one of the earliest forms of communication, predating the development of spoken and written language. It is one of the oldest forms of human expression, with the walls of rocky caves serving as some of the earliest surfaces on which ancient artists created their works. These early drawings were not intended primarily as decoration. Rather, they served as a means of expressing the fears and ideas of early humans, as well as movements and scenes they observed in the natural world around them, long before the emergence of writing and calligraphy.
As a result, mural art possesses a profound cultural and artistic heritage that spans civilizations and historical periods, clearly reflecting human cultures and transformations.
Anonymous Murals:
Among the most well-known mural artists whose works appear on walls in various parts of the Kingdom is an anonymous artist who goes by the name "Ibn Kallakh," a name derived from a small village in Taif.
As described by Independent Arabia, he is the creator of some of the most famous murals in Saudi Arabia. His real name is unknown, and there is no confirmed photograph of him. Only images of different individuals have circulated in connection with his works, while the artist himself has chosen simply to follow the debate surrounding his identity without confirming or denying any of the speculation.
The artist's "ghost-like" existence extends beyond his identity to his artwork. More difficult than identifying the person behind the works is locating his creations, despite the fact that some of them occupy street walls more than five meters high. He prefers to paint in abandoned places that are rarely visited, allowing him to remain anonymous while his art speaks for him.
His first murals appeared in his home village, after which he began creating works in major cities across the Kingdom. Among his works is a large-scale portrait of Saudi visual artist Safeya Binzagr. He has also created a portrait on a street in Riyadh, as well as a mural more than six meters high depicting another female artist.
Visual Masterpieces:
Prominent artists in mural and graffiti art include Nawaf Al-Abalan, Abdulilah Al-Sabhan, and Ibn Kallakh. Among the leading female visual artists working in mural art are Nora Binsaedan, Basma Filmban, Zainab Al-Mahouzi, Huda Baidoun, Hanan Kamal, and Aisha Asiri.
Saudi artist Nora Binsaedan, one of the Kingdom's leading and most creative mural artists, was awarded the rank of Knight in the French Order of Arts and Letters by the French president, becoming the first Saudi female artist to receive this prestigious French honor. Among her notable artistic achievements were the murals she created to enhance the visual experience of visitors to Riyadh Season 2021. She produced 16 murals as part of the Boulevard Riyadh City mural project, portraying some of the most famous figures, singers, and writers from across the Middle East.
Artist Basma Filmban created a series of murals during the 2023 Rush Festival, a mural art event organized by the Visual Arts Commission. Graffiti artist Zainab Al-Mahouzi is known for her distinctive style and individual approach to street and mural art. She also participated with a mural in the first initiative to decorate historic neighborhoods through graffiti art, the "Art Is Eastern" initiative in Al-Bayouniyah district in Al Khobar.
Artist Huda Baidoun was among the artists who participated in the inaugural edition of the "Sheft 22" mural art festival, where she presented a creative mural exploring society's immersion in the digital world. Baidoun has also established an international presence through participation in exhibitions in AlUla and London, as well as the Venice Biennale.
Artist Hanan Kamal has created numerous murals across Saudi Arabia and has achieved high rankings in several local competitions, including the "Red Bull Doodle Art" competition. She also left her mark in Dubai as one of the artists who contributed to creating what was recorded by Guinness World Records in 2014 as the world's longest graffiti mural.
Monumental Murals:
The murals of artist Aisha Asiri can be found throughout the Asir region and in several other Saudi cities. She has represented the Kingdom at international cultural events across the Gulf states, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and elsewhere. She has created around 60 murals throughout the Kingdom, including a prominent mural on Jada Street in Muhayil Asir Governorate, a mural in Bariq, two murals in Khamis Al Bahr in the same region, murals in Al-Birk, and murals at King Khalid University in Tihama. Her first mural covered an area of 75 square meters.
The walls along the road leading to the Grand Mosque in Makkah are decorated with a large collection of murals featuring diverse forms of Arabic calligraphy. The Holy Makkah Municipality has focused on creating what it describes as the world's longest calligraphic mural. The mural provides a visually rich space that reflects the heritage, ideas, and history of peoples across the ages.
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