Exhibition celebrating cultural and creative legacy of the date palm opens in Dhahran
DHAHRAN: “Baseqat: The Palm Tree,” an exhibition exploring the cultural heritage and creative legacy of the date palm, considered a symbol of the history and identity of the Arabian Peninsula, has opened in Dhahran at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra.
Curated by Samer Yamani and Razan Masri, the exhibition features 15 works by 25 artists from Saudi Arabia and beyond. Organizers said visitors can discover the ways in which the date palm has helped shape life across the centuries and civilizations, from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to modern-day Arabia, through its contributions to food, shelter, medicine and crafts.
Saudi Arabia has more than 33 million palm trees, about 27 percent of the world’s total. The UNESCO-recognized Al-Ahsa Oasis alone contains 2.5 million trees, making it the largest date palm oasis in the world.
“Baseqat invites makers, families and young learners to take part in a rooted practice we continue to build together,” said Farah Abushullaih, the head of museum at Ithra.
