Meet the artists

Taghreed Al-Bagshi is a Saudi visual artist born in Al-Ahsa. She holds a master’s degree in art education and works as an art education supervisor. Since 1999 she has held over 15 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 200 national and international group exhibitions. Her distinctive artworks convey personal visions and experiences through colors and shapes. She often paints Saudi women and their resilience and strength.

Taghreed was the first Saudi woman to win the Excellence in Fine Arts award at the Hajar Second Festival and the Arab Gold Oscar award for jewelry design. She has received several awards and honors, reflecting her positive influence on the visual arts in Saudi Arabia and beyond, and she is also a founding member of the Saudi Society for Fine Arts.

Heba Ismail is a fine artist from Jeddah and a dentist by profession. Art has always been more than a hobby; it’s been her lifelong calling. She grew up in an art-inspired family and her art collector father, who took inspiration from Picasso, introduced her to fauvism and cubism.

As a painter, Heba expresses life via her unique art that led her to create the emerging art movement of Hebaism. Through vibrant colors and symbolic imagery, Heba conveys the complexities of life, relationships, and the power of personal growth.

Several international magazines have featured her work. In 2021 she was one of the first Saudi painters to enter the world of non-fungible tokens (NFT) and modern blockchain technology. Art lovers can buy her real-world paintings along with her digital form, highlighting the authenticity of her unique pieces.

In the next decade, Heba strives to be a leader in the Saudi art scene and grow it into an art and culture center. With the introduction of Vision 2030 by HRH Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, there is significant interest in the arts and vast opportunities for Saudi youth.

Discover Vivid Imagination art

The inspiration for the art piece came from nature scenes in full bloom and the artist’s creative vision of listening to ourselves to make everything unique and distinctive. The painting is an expression of emotions and the evolving creative culture in the region’s diverse landscapes. Taghreed highlights the imaginative, innovative Saudi Arabian spirit as an essential part of the creative community.

The painter tells the story of her work as follows, “Humanity gives love in a wide space of nature, creativity. Ffar from the noise, we are in a world that needs to reformulate pure survival with love, while preserving our advanced human nature to look forward to the best.”

Elements of cubism and fauvism influence Shivers while also drawing from Saudi heritage and the curves and colors seen in Kohler’s designs. Heba was also drawn to the futuristic yet classic product styles. The piece shows the delicate, fragile, and colorful connection between people that stems from history and art. The vibrant colors engage the viewer on an intimate scale.

The artist explains the inspiration for the painting as follows, “Shivers represents the complexity of human emotions and how all the colors are hues of feelings. It’s a take on the human soul and mind and depicts life as a journey of ups and downs. The painting speaks of how all feelings are beautiful. We favor some yet forget that all happy and sad emotions are temporary.”

September 17–19, 2024, these art pieces will be displayed at the Kohler booth at INDEX Saudi Arabia.