Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — As part of the waterfront development at the central Jeddah Corniche, Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) has commissioned consultants from Plowden & Smith — the UK company specialized in restoration of sculptures — to maintain 27 steel sculptures made by prominent international artists at the corniche, and to restore the sculptures to their original shapes. Sculptures include works of the famous artist Henry Moore (UK), Victor Vazarelly and Cesar Baldicini (France), the Joan Miro (Spain), Alexander Calder (US), Jane ARB (Germany), and Arab artists including Mustafa Sunbul (Egypt) and Rabi'a Al Akhras (Syria). ALJCI has set up a special workshop of 700 sq. m. inside Abdul Latif Jameel Co. for restoration work. The workshop is equipped with highly advanced equipment. Plowden & Smith will mainten the sculptures, which will be dismantled and reassembled by Mtec. Mexican Luxpupoli will assist in specialized lighting, and Brandsaint will prepare illustrative maps of sculptures for Jeddah visitors. Sculptures have been divided into two categories based on their sizes. The first category, including 21 sculptures was dismantled and carried to the workshop for maintenance works, while the second category, which includes six sculptures were maintained on-site. The maintenance program is accompanied by a training program for Saudi artists on preventive restoration works, to ensure that sculptures remain in a good condition in the future. An agreement was signed with local contractor to conduct welding and steel works under supervision of Plowden & Smith. Due to the increasing importance of sculptures that have been installed along the corniche since 1980s, a special location has been dedicated for it to the north of Al Anani mosque, on an area of 7,000 m2. The luxuriously designed area will be an open museum for Jeddah residents and visitors. Fadi Jameel, President of ALJCI International, stated that the firm is proud to cooperate with the municipality to restore this rare collection of sculptures and to restore to Jeddah its beauty and glory. Jameel added that this is only the first stage, and will be followed by other stages to restore all other sculptures in Jeddah. ALJCI is preparing a special book that is being written by the British writer Edward Booth and assisted by the Saudi researcher Maryam Bloding. In addition, a documentary will be produced to highlight the restoration works. Restoration works and re-installation of the sculptures will be complete within the few upcoming months.
