26 January 2014
The Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives and the Jeddah Municipality are spearheading a project to restore the sculptures that dot the waterfront in a bid to improve the visual ambience of Jeddah's Corniche.
Fadi Jameel, president of ALJ Community Initiatives International, stated that ALJCI International is proud to have been actively involved with the municipality to cooperate in the restoration venture of this rare collection of sculptures and to restore Jeddah to its rightful status as "The bride of the Red Sea."
Jameel said that this was only the first stage of restoration efforts, which would be followed by others aiming to restore sculptures all over Jeddah.
The 320,000 sq. meter waterfront in the middle of the Corniche and Palestine Street now enjoys a 120,000 sq meter green area, five playgrounds, over 1,300 palms and another 1,500 different types of trees, 21 kiosks coming in two sizes, 2x4 and 6x8 meters, public toilets for males and females, facilities for the physically challenged, and a parking with space for around 850 cars.
Taking this development further as part of the waterfront development of the central Jeddah Corniche, Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) commissioned consultants Plowden & Smith, a UK company specializing in the restoration of sculptures, to maintain 27 steel sculptures made by prominent international artists along the Jeddah Central Corniche, and tasked them to restore the sculptures to their original artistic glory.
The sculptures include works of the famous artist Henry Moore (UK), Victor Vazarelly and Cesar Baldicini (France), Joan Miro (Spain), Alexander Calder (US), Jane ARB (Germany), and Arab artists, including Mustafa Sunbul (Egypt) and Rabia Al-Akhras (Syria).
A dedicated workshop, measuring 700 sq. meters, was made available by ALJCI inside the Abdul Latif Jameel Co. premises to facilitate the facelift of the sculptures. The workshop is equipped with the high-tech equipment required for sculpture maintenance.
Moreover, the responsibility of the delicate task of dismantling and reassembling the sculptures was assigned to Mtec. The Mexican Luxpupoli, specialized in lighting, provided the finishing touches to illuminate the sculptures.
Keeping in mind visitors and art lovers who would want to know more details about the sculptures, ALJCI made sure illustrative maps, prepared by Brandsaint, are at hand.
The sculptures were divided into two categories based on their size. The first category included 21 sculptures. They were dismantled and transported to the workshop for maintenance works. The second category included six sculptures. They were maintained on-site. A training program on preventative measures to safeguard sculptures from degrading and restoration was conducted for Saudi artists alongside the maintenance activities to ensure that the sculptures would remain in a good condition in the future.
An agreement was signed with a local contractor to conduct the welding and steel works under the supervision of Plowden and Smith.
Sculptures play a valuable role because of their aesthetic appeal. They also give us a glimpse into the culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia. Hence, the sculptures had been installed along the Corniche since the 1980s. Now a special location has been chosen for their display to the north of the Al-Anani mosque.
The luxuriously designed area will soon open as a museum for Jeddah residents and visitors.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives and the Jeddah Municipality are spearheading a project to restore the sculptures that dot the waterfront in a bid to improve the visual ambience of Jeddah's Corniche.
Fadi Jameel, president of ALJ Community Initiatives International, stated that ALJCI International is proud to have been actively involved with the municipality to cooperate in the restoration venture of this rare collection of sculptures and to restore Jeddah to its rightful status as "The bride of the Red Sea."
Jameel said that this was only the first stage of restoration efforts, which would be followed by others aiming to restore sculptures all over Jeddah.
The 320,000 sq. meter waterfront in the middle of the Corniche and Palestine Street now enjoys a 120,000 sq meter green area, five playgrounds, over 1,300 palms and another 1,500 different types of trees, 21 kiosks coming in two sizes, 2x4 and 6x8 meters, public toilets for males and females, facilities for the physically challenged, and a parking with space for around 850 cars.
Taking this development further as part of the waterfront development of the central Jeddah Corniche, Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) commissioned consultants Plowden & Smith, a UK company specializing in the restoration of sculptures, to maintain 27 steel sculptures made by prominent international artists along the Jeddah Central Corniche, and tasked them to restore the sculptures to their original artistic glory.
The sculptures include works of the famous artist Henry Moore (UK), Victor Vazarelly and Cesar Baldicini (France), Joan Miro (Spain), Alexander Calder (US), Jane ARB (Germany), and Arab artists, including Mustafa Sunbul (Egypt) and Rabia Al-Akhras (Syria).
A dedicated workshop, measuring 700 sq. meters, was made available by ALJCI inside the Abdul Latif Jameel Co. premises to facilitate the facelift of the sculptures. The workshop is equipped with the high-tech equipment required for sculpture maintenance.
Moreover, the responsibility of the delicate task of dismantling and reassembling the sculptures was assigned to Mtec. The Mexican Luxpupoli, specialized in lighting, provided the finishing touches to illuminate the sculptures.
Keeping in mind visitors and art lovers who would want to know more details about the sculptures, ALJCI made sure illustrative maps, prepared by Brandsaint, are at hand.
The sculptures were divided into two categories based on their size. The first category included 21 sculptures. They were dismantled and transported to the workshop for maintenance works. The second category included six sculptures. They were maintained on-site. A training program on preventative measures to safeguard sculptures from degrading and restoration was conducted for Saudi artists alongside the maintenance activities to ensure that the sculptures would remain in a good condition in the future.
An agreement was signed with a local contractor to conduct the welding and steel works under the supervision of Plowden and Smith.
Sculptures play a valuable role because of their aesthetic appeal. They also give us a glimpse into the culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia. Hence, the sculptures had been installed along the Corniche since the 1980s. Now a special location has been chosen for their display to the north of the Al-Anani mosque.
The luxuriously designed area will soon open as a museum for Jeddah residents and visitors.
© Arab News 2014
