Art of Heritage, Riyadh, KSA
6 – 12 June 2023
This exhibition of traditional embroidered garments was drawn from the extensive archives of the Art of Heritage Collection, Riyadh. They included textile samples from all five regions of the kingdom spread today over 13 provinces. Their distinct aesthetic is a culmination of design development over millennia of tradition and adaptation to regional climatic conditions, religious needs, functionality and changing aesthetic mores. They showed a clear change in style as one travels across the kingdom, with variations not just coming by way of color, cut, fabric and embroidery but also in the visuality of clearly evolved wearing styles.
Garments are also visibly different when worn in urban and or rural settings. Their forms are further dictated by the activities women engaged. This alongside with a desire to embellish everyday clothes has resulted in a kaleidoscope of colors, stitches, silhouettes, and styles of garments nation-wide. The display included ensembles made up of individual garments worn together, some displayed separately while others are shown together. Do note, these would have typically included varied traditional forms of headgear, veils, jewelry, and other accessories not featured here.
The exhibition was showcased during the first Saudi International Handicrafts Week.
Design Studio – Christophe Martin Architectes, Paris
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