The Edge of Arabia exhibition at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS

The much-anticipated Edge of Arabia exhibition was successfully opened with a press conference and a private view at the Brunei Gallery at SOAS on the evening of the 15th of October.

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is proud to be one of the major sponsors of this pioneering exhibition organised by Offscreen Education. Edge of Arabia features the work of 17 contemporary artists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, male and female, who explore the complex and diverse identities of 21st century life in the Middle East through their art.  These artists are participating in the first comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Saudi art shown in the UK and a unique look inside contemporary culture in the Kingdom.

The issues addressed are as much personal or domestic as they are global. The artists have chosen not to focus on negative perceptions of the Middle East or artistic and intellectual clichés associated with the region and instead present a contemporary world view that is as unpredictable as it is beautiful.

Posters advertising the exhibition have been displayed in London Underground stations since the beginning of October. These posters, along with the distribution of leaflets and flyers, have provided publicity for the project to ensure a good and broad-based attendance throughout the exhibition.

Edge of Arabia will run from the 16th of October 2008 to the 13th of December 2008.

The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, 16th October and an Education Day is being held on Saturday, 18th October, with  relevant schools, colleges and universities across the UK participating.

For further information and a complete showcase of the artworks, please visit http://www.edgeofarabia.com/