The earliest forms of visual arts in Saudi Arabia emerged 60 years ago when the first-ever exhibition for school-based activities in the history of public education was held in 1953, where renowned artist Abdul Halim Radawi[1] showcased some of his early artworks.
[2] Handicrafts, whose various forms were present in daily-use objects such as ornaments, housewares, decoration, and clothing, were regarded as one of many artistic practices prevalent in Saudi society.
The trailblazing generation also had a strong female presence, with Safeya Binzagr and Mounirah Mosly holding their first joint exhibition on the premises of the Dar Al-Tarbiyyah Al-Hadeethah School in Jeddah in 1968.
They included the Jeddah Center for Fine Arts, founded by Abdul Halim Radawi in 1968 under the umbrella of the Ministry of Knowledge, and the Dar Al-Funoon in Riyadh, which was established by Muhammad Al-Saleem in 1979.
Its faculty included prominent Arab artists such as Shakir Hassan Al Said and Saadi Al-Ka’bi of Iraq.
[13] In addition to the central role of the institute, the Youth Welfare Department also contributed to the Saudi art scene by holding its first exhibitions in 1969.
It later split from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs into an independent entity called The General Presidency for Youth Welfare (GPYW), becoming a key hub for artists’ activities by offering the necessary support, organizing exhibitions, and distributing awards.