Christie’s Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds auction highlights rare finds in London

JEDDAH: Saudi street artist San Shyn has unveiled a bold and colorful mural in the heart of Mayfair, London, outside the Saudi Embassy.  

The piece, created in collaboration with London-based graffiti artist Cept, is part of an ongoing cultural-exchange initiative between Saudi Arabia and the UK, and follows other embassy commissions such as Rashed Al-Shashai’s luminous sculpture in its garden.  

Commissioned by Khalid Bin Bandar Al-Saud, the Saudi Ambassador to the UK, Shyn’s mural will be on display until mid-February. 

 The opportunity to create such a significant piece came through Stephen Stapleton, founder of Edge of Arabia, a platform known for bridging cultures through art.  

“Stephen connected us and showed some of my work to the ambassador, who was really happy with it,” Shyn tells Arab News. “I’m so happy that he allowed me to express my art as it is, in a very unique location in London.” 

The mural is a major milestone for Shyn, and came as something of a surprise.  

“In the beginning, the plan was to create many art projects and murals inside Saudi Arabia — to be known in different cities in the country. The next step was to create something internationally, but I thought it would take longer,” she says. “I was really happy to be chosen for this project, and I hope in the future to create murals in many cities all around the world and leave a legacy.” 

The creative process for the mural began in December. Shyn worked closely with Edge of Arabia and Cept to define the direction of the piece. “We discussed what kind of look and feel we wanted — something colorful, bold, and creative,” she says. She developed sketches, decided on the color palette, and refined the concept before bringing Cept into the project.  

“It was a very smooth process because Cept is a very professional artist. He implemented my work exactly as I wanted it. I’m really grateful for his participation in this project,” Shyn says. 

The mural is deeply rooted in the values of street culture — a movement Shyn has been drawn to since childhood.  

“I remember seeing someone doing a kickflip (a skateboarding trick) in a movie, and I thought, ‘What kind of sport is this?’ That led me to discover hip-hop, breakdancing, and graffiti,” she says. “Street culture welcomes everyone as they are. It doesn’t care about your background, what language you speak, or whether you’re rich or poor. That’s something I’ve always loved about it.”  

Growing up, Shyn used art as a way to process and express her emotions. She created characters to represent different feelings, a practice she continued into adulthood.  

“Whenever I had difficulty expressing certain emotions, I would create a character for that emotion. One of them, for example, was called ‘Sappy,’ which was a mix of sadness and happiness,” she explains. “When I had a job that didn’t require much creativity, I felt restricted and I realized I needed a way to express myself, and that’s when these characters became part of my art again.” 

The mural outside the Saudi Embassy embodies Shyn’s belief in the universality of street art. “Street art is a universal language. It’s not specific to a certain country or culture — anyone can understand it,” she says. “That was my intention with this mural. I wanted to create something that anyone can see and connect with, (wherever) they’re from. It should tell a story that doesn’t require words.” 

This project is part of a broader initiative by the Saudi Embassy to promote cultural exchange through art. “Saudi Arabia is changing, and the rise of dynamic street artists like San Shyn is a great example of this,” an embassy statement reads. “Art is a bridge between cultures, and this mural demonstrates that Saudi Arabia and the UK have more in common than we might imagine.” 

Stapleton highlighted the importance of such projects in a statement, saying: “This playful, joyful artwork … reflects a new era of cross-cultural collaboration between the UK and Saudi Arabia. The language of art transcends the borders that divide us, and we need that language now more than ever.” 

DHAHRAN: Drum Tao, the internationally acclaimed Japanese drumming ensemble, delivered a heart-pounding performance at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture’s theater on Wednesday night.

Their show at Ithra, titled “The Dream,” is running nightly until Feb. 1, with two performances on Jan. 31.

For over an hour, the audience regularly clapped in unison. With no lyrics, the performance relied entirely on sight and sound to tell its story.

The stage lighting shifted throughout, intending to evoke a range of emotions. The interplay of flute and drums created a soundscape that was at once soft and powerful, gentle yet aggressive.

The energy was serene and melancholic, tender and intense, seamlessly blending contrasts. The seemingly chaotic performance was expertly synchronized and at times humorous.

Known for their fusion of traditional wadaiko drumming, modern choreography, and dynamic storytelling, Drum Tao was founded in 1993 in Oita, Japan.

They have performed in more than 500 cities for more than 9 million spectators worldwide.

They made their off-Broadway debut in New York to a sold-out audience in 2016 before bringing their performances to Tokyo and Osaka’s most popular nightclubs in 2022 as a part of Club Tao.

Directed by Drum Tao founder Ikuo Fujitaka, the evening at Ithra fused the thunderous beats of taiko drums with the delicate melodies of Japanese flutes and harps.

The choreography — an athletic feat in itself — added another layer of spectacle, making it a true crowd pleaser.

For the audience, the evening was more than just a performance — it was a vivid exploration of Japanese culture.

The shows are part of a 17-day cultural exchange, “Ithra Cultural Days Japan,” which concludes on Feb. 8.

Other Japanese musicians and artists also traveled to Ithra to showcase their talents.

One of them, Kohei Matsumoto, whose performances can be seen at Ithra’s Lush Garden, spoke to Arab News about how Japanese music is fostering cultural exchange and understanding.

“I’m really happy to see (Saudi) Arabian people enjoying Japanese culture through music — people can experience authentic Japanese traditions here (at Ithra’s Japan cultural days),” Matsumoto said.