Young duo creates digital art platform.
Who are the folks behind Artistry Connect?
Omar Abdulrahman Al Mutlaq, an accountant who recently graduated in May from Prince Sultan University. Maram Khalid Al Nemer, an emerging artist, a senior student at Prince Sultan University studying Interior Design, College of Engineering.
What’s the inspiration behind this project? What do you plan to achieve or impact with this website?
Our main inspiration is simply art. And we aim to create an elite platform for all artists. Artistry Connect focuses on connecting art collectors with their favorite artists and art pieces. The platform is also concerned with connecting people and informing them about upcoming events in all the regions. We also plan to create a close worldwide network of artists, art collectors, and art.
What do you think of the art community in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Riyadh?
The art scene is currently expanding with a lot of new emerging artists and world renowned artists. Saudi Arabia, Riyadh in particular, is beginning to acknowledge artists and give them a chance to display their work in multiple growing galleries. Art, in our opinion, is slowly gaining the fame and acknowledgement that it deserves and we, as supporters of art, want to spread it even wider to reach all kinds of people.
Where do you see yourselves taking this project to in the years to come?
We are aiming to connect our artistic platform with the GCC starting with Saudi Arabia, no doubt. All artists in that region will be recognized and supported. Artistry Connect will help people know about any upcoming art events happening in the country. We, hopefully, plan on expanding to include many other countries. We aspire to create one platform that houses art pieces and artists where they all can be connected worldwide.
How do you plan to sustain the initiative?
We plan on sustaining it by arranging exhibitions, workshops, art galleries, studio visits, talks, auctions, and many other events for those who enjoy art, create it, or collect it. Our platform will not only be “online based” we plan to reach out to all the talented people, their art, and the people who appreciate it, where they can be connected and reach out to one another in person as well.
What do you think are the challenges art and artists face in Saudi Arabia and what can be done to solve them?
Many people in Saudi Arabia appreciate art, but simultaneously a lot don’t. The art community is small compared to other communities. Not a lot of people understand the importance and significance of art, and so this can be challenging for many artists. Reaching out to the part of society that doesn’t care much for art isn’t easy. But we hope that this will change over time.
“Art must be recognized an appreciated, because it holds the great power of expression.” – Omar Abdulrahman Al Mutlaq
Web: artistryconnect.co
Email: info@artistryconnect.co