Grey Borders / Grey Frontiers, Edge of Arabia’s premier exhibition of contemporary Saudi art in Berlin, has been deemed an overriding success by those who attended.

With a densely packed room of collectors, ambassadors, journalists and art critics, as well as the 17 artists exhibiting, the atmosphere was on the opening night on Wednesday 9th June was unparalleled. According to the Edge of Arabia Twitter, Safia Dikersbach, attending, noted, “Edge of Arabia’s standard of the production is even higher than in the Berlin art scene.”

The following Saturday played host to a series of talks and seminars with the artists and some of the world’s most respected academics on Middle Eastern art at the celebrated Galerie Der Kunst at the heart of Berlin. Click here for more photos of the Symposium.

Edge of Arabia is pleased to announce Grey Borders / Grey Frontiers, the first ever show of contemporary Saudi art in Berlin.

At its core, the show explores the transgression of borders, inviting a league of artists from Saudi Arabia to one of Europe’s powerhouses for art. At once overtly positive and somewhat provocative, the title invites audiences to consider a space in which boundaries can be crossed, but not without a reminder of the risks involved.

The exhibited works explore both the cultural context in which each artist is working as well as the actual medium itself. Ahmed Mater’s ‘Boundary’ (2010) is an ornately carved Islamic prayer arch that the audience is encouraged to walk under, which, as they do, activates a automated bip akin to a metal detector. A similar theme can be traced in Maha Malluh’s photograms from the ‘Traditions and Modernity’ series (2010), which feature objects collected from her studio, displayed as if on a screen of an airport x-ray machine. It is the paradoxically the medium itself that transforms the commonplace into something much more mysterious and potentially threatening.

“With borders becoming undefined and frontiers wide open, these works take us through the way that societies and their individuals perceive and comment,” explains curator Rami Farook, founder and director of Dubai’s project space Traffic. “It will become clear upon seeing the work that the issues at stake aren’t only relevant to Saudi society but to the world at large.”

Instead of offering of any kind of resolution, the exhibition rather seeks to examine the risks involved with making art in a relative young society whose art history has still yet to be written. Complimenting the show will be a series of talks and seminars attended by some of the world’s most respected figures in contemporary Middle Eastern art.

Grey Borders/Grey Frontiers opens at Torstrasse 1, Berlin on 9th June.

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Edge of Arabia artists Faisal Samra, Ayman Yossri, Abdulnasser Gharem and Manal Al-Dowayan were on hand to meet visitors and sign the exhibition catalogue on Thursday 18th March at Virgin Megastore in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

Virgin Megastores are the exclusive distributor of the Edge of Arabia fine art catalogue in the UAE.

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Edge of Arabia was delighted to have a strong presence at this year’s Art Dubai with a showcase of contemporary Saudi art as well as a panel discussion and seminars by selected artists.

Director Stephen Stapleton said “our approach to Art Dubai is one of conversation; sharing ideas and engaging with the international art world as well as the local arts community.”

Internationally renowned artists Faisal Samra and Abdulnasser Gharem discussed their creative practice and screen some of their video art, while leading Saudi female artist Manal Al-Dowayan spoke on art as a vocation in the Gulf.

Panel discussion Saudi Art Now explored investigate the regions emerging contemporary art scene, opportunities available to arts communities and the challenges for artists based out of the Kingdom. Panellists include Sarah Al-Faour (Chief of Arts and Culture, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority), Abdullah Al-Turki (Creative Director, Edge of Arabia), Bashar Al-Shroogi (Founder, Cuadro Fine Art Gallery) and Hamza Serafi (Founder, Athr Gallery).

Abdullah Al-Turki, Creative Director, said Edge of Arabia’s presence at Art Dubai will “cultivate a deeper understanding of Saudi Arabia, so often misrepresented, by showcasing its rich culture and unique talents.”

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Edge of Arabia Launches World Tour in Riyadh

The start of 2010 was marked by the inaugural exhibition of Edge of Arabia’s World Tour at SAGIA’s Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) held in Riyadh’s iconic Kingdom Tower under the patronage of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

The ground-breaking group show, comprising of leading artists from Saudi Arabia – one of the world’s youngest cultures for contemporary fine art – was one of the surprise hits at the 53rd Venice Biennale and has now relaunched as a touring exhibition due to show in Dubai, Berlin and Istanbul this year with more locations to be confirmed for 2011-14.

The opening, sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd, was attended by Saudi dignitaries, political leaders and cultural figureheads including the Director of MoMA New York, the director of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, His Excellency Amr Al-Dabbagh, the Governor of SAGIA and HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal.

This significant moment opens a fresh chapter for the project that aims to empower a new generation of creative voices to deepen understanding of the Kingdom’s cultural achievements, while celebrating artistic practice and achievement at the centre of the Islamic world. Edge of Arabia acknowledges the support of both Fady Jameel from Abdul Latif Jameel and Sarah Al-Faour from SAGIA, without whom this event would not have been possible.

Edge of Arabia will participate at Art Dubai from 17-20 March 2010.