RIYADH: What if traditional crafts were blueprints for the future rather than artefacts from the past? Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer turns conventional materials into modern stories by fusing palm fronds, clay, and wool with ideas and meaning. Her work is on display at Riyadh’s Naila Art Gallery.
In Al-Nemer’s opinion, heritage cannot be preserved behind glass. You may touch, modify, and retell it. Furthermore, traditional crafts are living archives that encompass much more than just physical abilities. “People in the Arabian Peninsula adapted to their surroundings by transforming materials like clay, palm fronds, and wool into survival tools and then into timeless beauty,” she told Arab News.
Al-Nemer uses modern art to reimagine the story that these crafts, which have been fashioned over centuries, hold. Al-Kar, her initiative, is a prime example of this strategy. The artwork, which was made in partnership with Saudi craftswomen, was named after the traditional climbing gear used by date harvesters.
Al-Nemer elevated basic materials into a conceptual artwork by turning ordinary palm fibres into a three-meter-long rug. Her work transcends ornamental craft; she uses fabrics, clay, and palm fibre to weave stories while using traditional processes as conceptual frameworks.
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