Selma Roth Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The French Consulate invited young, talented Saudi artist Fatimah Al Nemer to display her work at an exhibition currently held at the consulate's premises. The collection on display, “Peché et Rémission (Sin and Forgiveness)” shows the first sin ever made, when Eve ate an apple from the tree she was told not to eat from. “I get my inspiration from our culture and the difficulties that women in Saudi Arabia face,” the 22-year-old painter told Saudi Gazette during the opening of the exhibition on Monday, explaining that in the Kingdom, rules for women are often different from Islamic rules. “We all make mistakes in our lives,” she said, and Eve eating the apple was just the first. With her works, she tries to express that we need to give people a second chance when they err. Al Nemer, who was born and lives in Qatif and started painting at the young age of 10, frequently depicts women's issues in her paintings. She thinks it is very important to constantly ask questions about life, which helps her to keep growing as an artist. While Al Nemer, who also works in jewelry design, mostly paints with acrylic on canvas, the current exhibition also sees the incorporation of collages in her paintings. “We try to promote Saudi art, and especially art from young, Saudi ladies,” Sébastien Lafragette, cultural attaché at the French Consulate, commented when asked why the consulate had opted for Al Nemer to display her work. He added that the consulate regularly organizes exhibitions showing the work of young artists. “Fatimah Al Nemer is starting to become famous in the world of art in the Gulf countries, and she had several exhibitions in [the Kingdom] before.” Lafragette said the consulate liked how she tackled social and cultural issues in her work. “Her art is very mature, and we like what she represents, so we're very happy to have her tonight.” He explained that the paintings would be on display for the public on weekdays during office hours for at least one week. Al Nemer already won prizes in various competitions, including first prize in the Modern Saudi Art competition 2010 and in the Saudi Calligraphy Art competition 2011. While dreaming of having her work displayed in Paris one day, Al Nemer participated over the last few years in exhibitions in Jordan, Scandinavia, India, Japan, Kuwait, and Kazakhstan, among many other countries.
