‘Afterschool’ in AlUla - memories of childhood across Saudi
As-salamu alaykum - Alhamdulillah ATHR Gallery’s new exhibition in AlUla, “Afterschool,” brings back those after-school hours we all remember. The show gathers works by five Gulf artists - Ahaad Almoudi, Basmah Felemban, Mohammad Alfaraj, Rami Farook, and Sara Abu Abdallah - using photography, video games, painting, textiles, collage and installations to recall routines, games, sights, and small rituals from around Saudi Arabia.
Curated by Rania Majinyan, the exhibition is split into three simple paths: Street, Park, and Home. It’s presented as a walk down memory lane, asking us to think about things we once did freely and others that felt limited, nudging us to pause, look inward, and keep hold of quiet moments despite all the outside noise - may we benefit from that, insha'Allah.
Sara Abu Abdallah’s “Blanket” series appears in the Street path - digital images printed on woven cotton. One piece shows kids gathered around a barrel found in the street of Sanabes, the kind of scene that sparks curious, playful investigation. Another print captures a boy and an older man on the Red Sea shore by the Jeddah corniche, a small escape into nature that feels like a familiar family moment.
Rami Farook’s large painting reproduces a piece of street art spotted in Jeddah: a man in traditional dress with the words “I love you in the name of God.” The work stands in for school walls and the marks youth leave there - graffiti that becomes part of the daily route and only hits you with its meaning when you stop and look.
In the Park section, Mohammad Alfaraj’s “The Last Session” is a series of photos. Some are straightforward snapshots of children playing football or on climbing frames, reminders of life before screens took so much of our time. Others are more abstract, almost ghostly, pointing to how outdoor play has become less common after school in recent years.
In the Home section you’ll find Ahaad Almoudi’s “Winning Eagle,” shown alongside another of Sara Abu Abdallah’s blanket prints. The catalogue notes both prints reference album covers from the late ’90s and early 2000s - little triggers of songs we grew up with that can carry you into an inner, imaginative world. Almoudi, who often uses humor to touch on serious topics, even includes the cover of Rabah Sagar’s 1995 album as part of his collage.
Overall the show felt like a gentle reminder of simple joys and shared routines. May these pieces help us remember and cherish those moments, insha'Allah.
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