Abdulhalim Radwi

Abdulhalim Radwi was born in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 1939. One of the first Saudi artists to study abroad, he received his BA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in 1964. He began teaching Fine Arts in Mecca, and later became the director of the Jeddah Centre for Fine Arts (1968-1974) as well as the General Director of Culture and Arts of Jeddah (1980-1992).  During the 70s, Radwi spent time in Madrid, where he was Action Director of the Association for Arab Artists, as well as studying at the Royal Arts Academy from where he graduated in 1979. A painter, sculptor, and poet Radwi’s works mostly portray folkloric scenes of his native country, from desert life to traditional architecture. Even though the artist studied abroad, he was still entrenched in his cultural roots. His brightly colored, partially abstract paintings were often infused with arabesque curves and Arabic letters. At times the artist also painted still lifes. Radwi passed away in 2006.

2022 - Khaleej Modern: Pioneers And Collectives In The Arabian Peninsula, Lawrie Shabibi, Al Quoz, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2017 - MATHAF COLLECTION, SUMMARY, PART 2, Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar.

2016 - Focus: Works from the Mathaf Collection, Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar. The Sea Suspended, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran.

2014 - Al Taliaa, Hafez Gallery, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

2013 - Investigating Modernism in the Arab World 1950a – 70s’, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Affiliations & Memberships

1980 - General Director of Culture and Arts in the City of Jeddah, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

1968 - Director of Jeddah Center for fine Arts, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Collections

Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation, Beirut, Lebanon.

Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar.