The Makkah Room has been a dream of mine for many years and was a chance to present in a very beautiful way, the history of the spiritual cities of Makkah and Madinah plus the journey of a lifetime, the Hajj.

We created three short presentations that are being shown on a continuous loop, throughout the day. We were also able to collate very old prints and photographs including the previously unseen work of Safouh Naamani, one of the early pioneers of colour photography in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I was also very excited about showing Safouh’s beautiful documentary, ‘the Pilgrimage to Makkah’ which is being shown at 12:15 daily in the Makkah Room. This documentary which began in the 1950’s was completed in the early 1960’s and shows a time when the hajj pilgrims still traveled by foot, camels and boat.

I have visited the Makkah room and it has been really great to find young people sitting there quietly watching the films. It was also great to work alongside Chris, Lulwah and the design team, they are a great inspiration!

thank you,

Peter Sanders
www.petersanders.com

Well.. we all know the story of Edge of Arabia (and those of you who don’t should sit with Stephen for 30 minutes, it really is a peice of magic). He often tells of the adventures (and misadventures) in Saudi and reminds us that it was under the glow of a Neon Palm tree that he began the journey to the Edge of Arabia.

Thats why you will find two of the classy-ist orange palm trees stood tall and strong outside the Gallery.

Were you one of the lucky ones? Can you spot yourself? Probably not, it was THAT packed, AND it was the same night as Freize Private View! A night, that I’m sure you will all agree, really will go down in history for what this exhibition has achieved for the Saudi Artist today.

The director of SOAS made a point to say it was the most sucessful opening of any exhibition in the History of the Brunei Gallery!

I salut all those that believed in us and all those that worked days and nights to make it all a success. But it is far from over yet..

This is the sight of of our wonderful and talented team members in the gallery as everything becomes clearer. As they sit together discussing the wonders that will be the Makkah/Madinah room, the camera woman takes note as she films ‘Edge of Arabia The Movie, how it was, how it is and how it will be’.

The Brunei Gallery.. Once a blank canvas, now each wall, perfectly white yerns to hold the precious work of our artists. The room is ful of crates of artwork and bubble wrap, oil paintings, school desks, tissue boxes, X-Rays, photographs and grammes, sculpture and all those other bits and bobs inbetween. Unwrapping them was like Christmas and Eid all rolled into one, I kid you not.. ooo you would have loved it!

5..4..3..2..WE ALMOST HAVE LIFT OFF..