Khaberni - Last evening, Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi artist Mona Abdullah Al-Qasabi passed away, after a long career spanning several decades during which she left a clear impact in the Saudi Arabian artistic scene, through both her artworks and her foundational role in supporting and developing the artistic movement.
The deceased was born in the city of Jeddah in 1959, and graduated from King Abdulaziz University with a degree in English Language, before fully turning to fine arts, where she developed a unique visual style and participated in numerous local and international exhibitions. Al-Qasabi was known as one of the early names that contributed to establishing the presence of women in the Saudi art scene during its formative stage.
In terms of institutional contributions, her founding of the Saudi Center for Fine Arts in 1987 stands out as one of the highlights of her career, playing a significant role in supporting artists, hosting exhibitions and workshops, and providing an interactive space among different artistic generations. Over the years of its activity, the center hosted hundreds of exhibitions, and opened the door to Arab and international artistic experiments that enriched the local artistic movement and expanded its horizons.
Al-Qasabi participated in more than a hundred group exhibitions within the Kingdom and abroad, in addition to a number of solo exhibitions that reflected the evolution of her artistic experience. She represented Saudi Arabia in multiple international events and exhibitions in Europe and the Arab world, including the Cairo Biennale, exhibitions in Paris and Rome, and participations in Morocco, Bahrain, and Yemen. Throughout her career, she received a number of awards and honors from cultural and artistic entities both within the Kingdom and internationally, in recognition of her contributions to the development of the artistic scene and support of artistic initiatives. Her name was also linked to numerous artistic and educational projects focused on training young talents and organizing specialized workshops and exhibitions.
