A Long-Forgotten Sculpture By A Renowned Saudi Artist Was Discovered At A Construction Site In Old Jeddah

If you haven’t noticed, a huge restoration project is underway in Jeddah’s ancient Balad district, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A fish sculpture was uncovered during what was intended to be routine works part of the beautifying project.

Workers at the site painstakingly excavated the sculpture, and Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan tweeted a photo of it in remarkably fine condition.

بعد إزالة مبنى تجاري وأكشاك ضمن تطوير جدة التاريخية، ظهر عمل للفنان الكبير عبدالحليم رضوي والذي يعود إلى 1981. pic.twitter.com/6xpVPQAMIF

— بدر بن عبدالله بن فرحان آل سعود (@BadrFAlSaud) November 1, 2021

The sculpture was made in 1981 by renowned Saudi artist Abdel Halim Radwi (1939-2006). Radwi was a Jeddah-based painter, poet, and sculptor who was a pioneer of Saudi Arabia’s modern arts.

According to his daughter Maha, who spoke to a news website, this sculpture represents the Hijaz region’s monuments and culture. She also said that her father was the first Saudi artist to hold an art exhibition outside of the country.