French actress Camille Razat steps out in Amina Muaddi heels at ‘Emily in Paris’ photocall

JEDDAH: Saudi street artist San Shyn has unveiled a bold and colorful mural in the heart of Mayfair, London, outside the Saudi Embassy.  

The piece, created in collaboration with London-based graffiti artist Cept, is part of an ongoing cultural-exchange initiative between Saudi Arabia and the UK, and follows other embassy commissions such as Rashed Al-Shashai’s luminous sculpture in its garden.  

Commissioned by Khalid Bin Bandar Al-Saud, the Saudi Ambassador to the UK, Shyn’s mural will be on display until mid-February. 

 The opportunity to create such a significant piece came through Stephen Stapleton, founder of Edge of Arabia, a platform known for bridging cultures through art.  

“Stephen connected us and showed some of my work to the ambassador, who was really happy with it,” Shyn tells Arab News. “I’m so happy that he allowed me to express my art as it is, in a very unique location in London.” 

The mural is a major milestone for Shyn, and came as something of a surprise.  

“In the beginning, the plan was to create many art projects and murals inside Saudi Arabia — to be known in different cities in the country. The next step was to create something internationally, but I thought it would take longer,” she says. “I was really happy to be chosen for this project, and I hope in the future to create murals in many cities all around the world and leave a legacy.” 

The creative process for the mural began in December. Shyn worked closely with Edge of Arabia and Cept to define the direction of the piece. “We discussed what kind of look and feel we wanted — something colorful, bold, and creative,” she says. She developed sketches, decided on the color palette, and refined the concept before bringing Cept into the project.  

“It was a very smooth process because Cept is a very professional artist. He implemented my work exactly as I wanted it. I’m really grateful for his participation in this project,” Shyn says. 

The mural is deeply rooted in the values of street culture — a movement Shyn has been drawn to since childhood.  

“I remember seeing someone doing a kickflip (a skateboarding trick) in a movie, and I thought, ‘What kind of sport is this?’ That led me to discover hip-hop, breakdancing, and graffiti,” she says. “Street culture welcomes everyone as they are. It doesn’t care about your background, what language you speak, or whether you’re rich or poor. That’s something I’ve always loved about it.”  

Growing up, Shyn used art as a way to process and express her emotions. She created characters to represent different feelings, a practice she continued into adulthood.  

“Whenever I had difficulty expressing certain emotions, I would create a character for that emotion. One of them, for example, was called ‘Sappy,’ which was a mix of sadness and happiness,” she explains. “When I had a job that didn’t require much creativity, I felt restricted and I realized I needed a way to express myself, and that’s when these characters became part of my art again.” 

The mural outside the Saudi Embassy embodies Shyn’s belief in the universality of street art. “Street art is a universal language. It’s not specific to a certain country or culture — anyone can understand it,” she says. “That was my intention with this mural. I wanted to create something that anyone can see and connect with, (wherever) they’re from. It should tell a story that doesn’t require words.” 

This project is part of a broader initiative by the Saudi Embassy to promote cultural exchange through art. “Saudi Arabia is changing, and the rise of dynamic street artists like San Shyn is a great example of this,” an embassy statement reads. “Art is a bridge between cultures, and this mural demonstrates that Saudi Arabia and the UK have more in common than we might imagine.” 

Stapleton highlighted the importance of such projects in a statement, saying: “This playful, joyful artwork … reflects a new era of cross-cultural collaboration between the UK and Saudi Arabia. The language of art transcends the borders that divide us, and we need that language now more than ever.” 

RIYADH: The internationally acclaimed sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will give a virtuoso performance of the stringed instrument at the Cultural Palace, Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh on Feb. 6, 2025.

The Embassy of India, in collaboration with the Diplomatic Quarter Office at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, is organizing the musical performance of “Three Generations, One Melody,” featuring the renowned Indian sarod quintet led by the acclaimed composer Amjad Ali Khan.

Ambassador of India Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan told Arab News: “The Embassy is honored to co-host the upcoming Sarod quintet concert by the legendary musician Amjad Ali Khan in Riyadh. This unique musical performance being organized for the first time in Saudi Arabia is going to showcase the richness of Indian classical music.”

“The strong interest among Saudi friends toward this concert is a testimony to the popularity of Indian music, arts and cinema in the Kingdom that has only become more profound in recent years,” he said.

A few months ago, Indian artists and cultural troupes performed at the ten-day Indian cultural festival at Suwaidi Park in Riyadh under the Global Harmony Initiative of the Saudi government, he said.

“The event was hugely popular among the Saudi guests. Indian art and music always had a huge fan base in Saudi Arabia, and we are happy to see our Saudi friends showing great interest in attending Indian cultural events. This not only shows the strength of our people-to-people ties, but also the immense potential of cultural exchanges between the two countries.”

Speaking to Arab News from India, Amjad Ali Khan said: “I feel very happy, highly honored, that I got the opportunity to perform in Riyadh, to regale the people of Saudi Arabia. I am grateful to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh who made it possible.

“We are invited to the Western world and get a lot of opportunities to perform. Recently the London Philharmonic Orchestra played my composition. I had a concert at the Royal Festival Hall of London.”

The sarod grand master joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert that spanned continents and cultures.

“A Saudi orchestra can also play my composition, ‘Samaagam,’ but it needs to be planned,” he said.

“To perform with your children and grandchildren is only possible with the blessing of the Almighty Allah, and the prayers of fans. I am lucky to perform with our three generations in the concert in Riyadh.”

The sarod grand master was born to a family steeped in Indian classical music and is regarded as one of the icons of the music world, bringing a new and yet timeless interpretation to the playing of the sarod.

The sarod is a fretless stringed instrument with a teak frame, a goatskin soundtable and a metal fingerboard, with six to eight strings as well as additional sympathetic strings. The instrument lends itself to improvization and graceful expression because of the ability of the musician to slide and glide between notes, much like a human voice.

His sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, are virtuoso performers in their own right, and will accompany the sarod grand master at the concert in Riyadh.