JEDDAH: The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts in Jeddah honored the winners of the ninth Dia Aziz Dia Portrait Award on Tuesday, held under the theme “King Salman: The Man and His Achievements†this year.
The event brought together artists, cultural figures and officials to celebrate portraiture as a medium for documenting national identity and honoring the legacy of leaders through visual storytelling.
A total of 787 artists from 42 cities and governorates across Saudi Arabia participated in the competition. Of those submissions, 61 artworks advanced to the final round, with 10 artists receiving awards and cash prizes.
Artist Eman Mansour Al-Luwaimi won first place and received SR50,000 ($13,300), Fayez Al-Almaei secured second place and received SR30,000, while Ghaida Abdullah Al-Dahri took third place and received SR20,000.
Artists ranked from fourth to 10th place each received SR10,000.
The award has become one of the Middle East's leading portrait-art competitions. Over its nine-year history, it has attracted 3,925 submissions and recognized 90 artists.
Al-Luwaimi told Arab News that her winning work was the result of extensive research into the life and achievements of King Salman.
“As soon as I heard the title of the competition, I began researching the life journey of King Salman, what it means to be both a king and a humanitarian, and what his achievements have been,†she said.
“I found that he entered the world of leadership at the age of 19, serving in an acting capacity in 1954. I then researched Riyadh as it was when he assumed leadership and depicted it in the background of the painting in black and white.â€
The artist said she wanted the portrait to capture both the historical and modern dimensions of the King's journey.
“My usual style is formal and executed in charcoal, but in this winning portrait I combined charcoal with color,†she said.
“The drawing was divided into two sections: one representing King Salman in the past, surrounded by Diriyah and its historic heritage buildings, and the other representing the present and how Riyadh has flourished during his era. I wanted to express and summarize the journey of his life.â€
With more than 15 years of experience, Al-Luwaimi has been deeply involved in portrait drawing and is known for emphasizing artistic fundamentals in her work.
During the ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Saud addressed attendees and reflected on his personal relationship with King Salman, describing him as a father figure, mentor and elder brother.
The prince also reaffirmed Dar Layan's commitment to supporting the award and thanked the University of Business and Technology and the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts for their continued partnership.
Speaking about the Saudi art scene, Prince Faisal told Arab News that artistic expression continues to flourish across the Kingdom.
“Art has no limits,†he said and praised Dia Aziz Dia's contribution to portrait art. “We are very proud to have him as part of us and to celebrate the work of young artists and the quality of their creations.â€
The prince said he had witnessed significant growth in the quality of artworks submitted to the competition over the years.
“I can see the progress in their work through the remarkable development that takes place every year,†he said. “I see much greater depth in their art, and I believe we are on the right track. I hope we will continue in this direction.â€
In a gesture marking the occasion, Prince Faisal unveiled one of his favorite portraits of King Salman during the ceremony.
The artwork, painted exclusively for the prince by Dia Aziz Dia, was presented to the audience before the prince announced that he would gift the portrait to the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts.
The portrait will remain on display at the association's headquarters for one month in celebration of the award ceremony and as a tribute to King Salman's legacy.
The evening also featured a patriotic poem by Jasser Al-Ahmadi, a qanun performance by famous Saudi musician Madani Abadi, and the Saudi operetta “Medley of Saudi Arts,†directed by Khaled Al-Baz, which showcased folkloric performance from across the Kingdom.
