Ramadan Begins - Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan is the annual monthlong Islamic observance of fasting during daylight hours.  It's a time for families eating together, especially for Iftar, the meal that breaks the fast at the end of each day. 

As the month of Ramadan begins, I wish you all peace, love, and a Happy Ramadan - Ramadan Mubarak!

Our World - Jeddah Street Scene

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Jeddah Sculpture - Balance in the Air

Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely is responsible for several works of art within the city of Jeddah.  He is known as one of the pioneers of Optical Art (Op Art) for his use of abstract geometric shapes and colors which together created optical illusions.  Vasarely believed that art should be seen everywhere in every day life.   

Jeddah Palace Gate

Saudi Arabia Interior Store Sign

Well, they managed to spell the word "section" correctly 2 out of 3 times on this sign inside a big department store in Jeddah...

Jeddah Sculpture Food for Thought "Abraj"

Amazingly enough, this artwork called "Food for Though 'Abraj'" is the first work of art installed in Jeddah (the city of art) by a Saudi artist from Jeddah - and it didn't happen until 2015.  Even more interesting is that the artist is a Saudi female sculptor named Maha Malluh.

This artwork consists of cooking pots for rice that are stacked together to form this whimsical sculpture.   There is a nice video showing the process of how this artwork was created - see it by CLICKING HERE.

Jeddah Sculpture Personage II

This work of modern art by Spanish sculptor Joan Miro weighs 3 tons and is cast bronze.  It has been called Personage II as well as Project for a Monument.  Miro also is credited with another modern bronze sculpture called Oiseau in the Middle Corniche open air sculpture park. He was a contemporary and friend of Pablo Picasso.  To see snother photo of this sculpture that I posted several years ago, CLICK HERE.

Our World - Sphere and Cube Sculptures

The two sculptures featured in this post are the work of Arnaldo Pomodoro, an Italian sculptor.  Above is the work entitled "Rotating First Section No. 3" or "Circular Mass."  Pomodoro used negative space to create voids in his geometric forms, giving his pieces interest and detail. 

"Cube IV" is the name of the sculpture below in which Pomodoro again uses negative space in the design.  Now 91 years old, Pomodoro still works and currently lives in Milan, Italy.  An interesting tidbit is that his brother Gio was also a sculptor and some of his work is owned by the city of Jeddah as well.

These two works by Pomodoro are also now relocated in the beautiful grounds of the Middle Corniche Sculpture Park, after being cleaned and refinished a few years ago.  You can see this artwork in a previously featured post of mine by CLICKING HERE.  And you won't want to miss this stunning photo of the Cube IV at night in THIS POST from 2014.




Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Jeddah Half Moon Sculpture

Pietro Cascella is the Italian sculptor responsible for this half moon shaped sculpture made of local stone.  It is a very modern representation of the Islamic crescent moon.  Cascella passed away about 10 years ago. His art is featured in many cities around the world.  To see another photo of this sculpture taken from the other side that I published several years ago, CLICK HERE.  

Jeddah Sculptures Modern Art

Both of these sculptures are the work of famed artist Henry Moore (1898-1986), who is the creator of many pieces purchased by the city of Jeddah.  The one above is called "Large Spindle Piece" and the one below is called "Oval with Points."  Both of these sculptures, along with another one called "Three Piece Reclining Figure Number 1," were all purchased together in 1975 at a cost of $675,000 US.  Like dozens of other famous sculptures in Jeddah, these were all refurbished and refinished a few years ago and were moved from their original locations into the Middle Corniche Sculpture Park right on the Red Sea. 

You can see other photos of these sculptures in previous posts of mine -  Jeddah Art Week - Henry Moore  and  Large Spindle Piece.

Jeddah Sculpture A Step Forward

"A Step Forward" is the name of this copper alloy sculpture by the German French sculptor Jean "Hans" Arp (1886 – 1966).  He used either Jean or Hans depending on whether he was speaking French or German.  In addition to being an avant-garde sculptor, Arp was also a poet, writer, and abstract painter.  He was one of the original founders of the Dada movement and was a featured artist in the Surrealist exhibition in Paris in 1925.

This sculpture was restored and refinished a few years ago and was relocated to the Middle Corniche Sculpture Park along the Red Sea, along with a couple dozen other priceless works of art by world renowned artists.  

To see another photo of this work before it was relocated, CLICK HERE to see a previous post I made featuring this piece several years ago.

SkyWatch - Jeddah Beach Tower

On the other side of the towers featured here lies the vast Red Sea.  The tower on the left is unique because of the enormous pass through hole in the building.  These are residential and commercial properties in Jeddah.  The buildings offer spectacular views of the surrounding area, as you can imagine.  Eight years ago I posted a photo of the left tower under construction.  You can CLICK HERE to see it.


To  visit MORE friendly skies around the world, fly on over to SKYWATCH  where you’ll find beautiful skies posted by bloggers all over the world.

Saudi Arabia Sign Graphics for Segregation

I just love noticing the different gender segregation graphics found here in Saudi Arabia used for separate entrances in restaurants and sometimes other businesses.

I also find the toilet sign graphics really cool and interesting too.

Jeddah Caffe Concerto Restaurant

The beautiful British chain restaurant called Caffe Concerto opened in November 2017 at the Mall of Arabia.  The decor is elegant and classy, with an old rich European ambience. 

Besides being a restaurant, it is also a magnificent bakery with delectable sweets that will make your mouth water.  Eclairs, tarts, macaroons, and so many other goodies are offered that make the perfect treat to bring to any gathering. 

Adding to the establishment's old world charm is a gorgeous shiny black grand piano that is the centerpiece of the restaurant.  I was told that customers are allowed to play the piano if they know how. 

The teal blue and gold decor and rich dark wood seem to accentuate the crystal chandeliers and the beautiful landscape artwork adorning the walls.  When the restaurant first opened, the artwork was very art deco and featured shapely and scantily clad women (see below).  A few short months later I noticed that the artwork had been exchanged for the pretty landscapes, causing me to wonder if possibly the restaurant was asked to remove the risque paintings.  

I actually can't decide which artwork I prefer.  They both go with the restaurant decor extremely well, but I guess the landscapes go along with the classic European theme better.

There is also another branch in Riyadh at the Al Nakheel Mall and there are locations in Qatar and the UAE in addition to many locations in the UK. 

The menu of Caffe Concerto offers a nice variety of dishes.  On a recent outing we ordered the gourmet pizzas which were very good. 

This is me and my favorite guy enjoying a relaxing time at the beautiful setting of Caffe Concerto. 

On another visit below...

Laugh

Sometimes I'm still taken aback by the odd things I see here in Saudi Arabia after being here for 10 years already.  I had to do a double take when I saw this black and white striped pre-teen jumpsuit in a big department store - but if you look closely, the pretty red rose patch on the top actually says "Love Kills."  Why on earth would someone make a garment for tweens that says "Love Kills"?  I definitely thought it was a pretty good laugh.

City Daily Photo is an online community of photo bloggers that share images of life in their cities around the world.  The first of every month is Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers.  This month's theme is "Laugh."

Please visit the City Daily Photo portal to view other participants' entries for today's theme day.