{"id":52806,"date":"2025-02-13T05:02:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T05:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/chef-michael-mina-opens-his-first-restaurant-in-saudi-arabia\/"},"modified":"2025-02-13T05:02:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T05:02:00","slug":"chef-michael-mina-opens-his-first-restaurant-in-saudi-arabia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=52806","title":{"rendered":"Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tRIYADH: Three artists have brought an exhibition of bronze sculptures showcasing the history and culture of Iraq to Riyadh.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tFrom Feb. 3 to 12, the Mahd Alfnon Gallery, located in the Al-Mousa Center in Riyadh and owned by the visual artist and sculptor Mahdia Al-Taleb, hosted the exhibition, titled \u201c7&#215;3 Experiences in Iraqi Sculpture.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tIt featured the sculptures of three prominent Iraqi artists \u2014 Redha Farhan, Haythem Hassan and Najm Al-Qaysi \u2014 who each presented seven bronze sculptures.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe exhibition showcased the innovative and expressive aspects of contemporary Iraqi sculpture, uncovering the cultural narratives that influence their art.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tEach artist brought a distinctive perspective to their work, reflecting both personal and shared experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tRedha Farhan, from Baghdad, combines animal forms with human figures in his striking sculptures.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tHis sculptures depict ducks, giraffes and camels, intricately woven into narratives that highlight his meticulous attention to detail.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cMy work is deeply rooted in Iraq\u2019s rich history, inspired by ancient artifacts and the stories they tell,\u201d Farhan told Arab News.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe textured bronze pieces evoke authenticity and emotional depth, inviting viewers to connect with his homeland.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe second artist, Haythem Hassan, adds another layer of depth to the exhibition with his playful yet meaningful sculptures.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tGraduating with a diploma in sculpture from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, Hassan\u2019s work includes elements such as flowers, birds and imaginative figures that highlight a blend of imagination and reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cArt should reflect the myriad experiences of life; it\u2019s a dialogue between the work and the viewer,\u201d he said. \u201cThrough my sculptures, I aim to provoke emotions and encourage viewers to reflect on their own journeys.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThis focus on connection and interpretation is key to Hassan\u2019s artistic philosophy, aimed at sparking conversations about the human experience.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tNajm Al-Qaysi, known for his creative use of both bronze and stainless steel, displayed lively sculptures that incorporate balloon-like shapes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThis playful quality, combined with bronze\u2019s heaviness, results in pieces that feel both solid and light.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cI want my work to challenge perceptions of reality,\u201d Al-Qaysi said. \u201cBy blending playful colors and forms, I invite viewers to experience a sense of wonder and introspection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tHe believes that sculpture should evoke strong feelings, encouraging audiences to engage emotionally with each piece.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tAl-Taleb, inspired by the connections among artists in the digital age, said: \u201cThe idea emerged through social media channels.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cSince artists around the world have had constant communication through these mediums, it feels as if the world has become a small village.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tShe emphasized the importance of showcasing Iraqi art in creating new links between cultures.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cThis exhibition is about connection,\u201d she said. \u201cIt honors the strength of our cultural heritage while fostering dialogue about the challenges and triumphs we navigate as artists.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tAl-Taleb saw the event as a chance to improve the appreciation of sculpture as a prominent art form in Saudi Arabia and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThe exhibition offered a chance for artists to interact with their audience, improving the understanding of their work.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\u201cArt should not exist in a vacuum; it is part of a larger narrative,\u201d Farhan added, emphasizing the exhibition\u2019s goal of community engagement.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\tThrough their creative expressions in bronze, the artists told stories of resilience, creativity and discovery. As the exhibition concluded, it inspired a deeper appreciation of Iraqi sculpture.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/2590043\/lifestyle\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; RIYADH: Three artists have brought an exhibition of bronze sculptures showcasing the history and culture&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.0 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia\u00a0 - Gulf Times | News by the minute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gulf Times: Latest news across the GCC from UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/2590043\/lifestyle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gulf News| UAE&#039;s Largest News aggregator site\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/2590043\/lifestyle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gulf Times | News by the minute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/100084981843786\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-13T05:02:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4573303-1330855112.avif\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"660\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"371\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"gulftimes\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Gulftimesuae\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Gulftimesuae\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"gulftimes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia\u00a0 - 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