Obaid Alsafi Wins 6th Ithra Art Prize with Palm Installation

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has conferred the 6th Ithra Art Prize, themed Art in the Landscape, upon Obaid Alsafi. His acclaimed piece, Palms in Eternal Embrace, features a monumental installation of over 30 palm trunks, inspired by the ancient Rajajil Columns, which date back 6,000 years in Saudi Arabia's Al Jawf region. These trunks are adorned with locally sourced organic or recycled textiles, echoing traditional Leifa-making and rope techniques. The artwork will make its first appearance at the AlUla Arts Festival on 9 February 2024, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla, and will include a live performance focused on the conservation of palm trees. Following a six-week exhibition in the AlUla Oasis, it will become part of Ithra's permanent collection. A jury comprising Farah Abushullaih (Ithra), Nora Aldabal (Royal Commission for AlUla), artist Mohamed Ibrahim, Sophie Makariou (AFALULA), and Aric Chen (Het Nieuwe Instituut) selected Alsafi's work. This iteration of the prize encourages site-specific public art that interacts with AlUla's natural heritage and utilizes materials that bolster local industry, organized in partnership with Arts AlUla.