THE GREETING
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Essential Report
This section collects the main concepts of the proposal, and has the main views of the proposal.
Additional Information
Here you may find technical aspects of the project and visualizations of the process.
ESSENTIAL REPORT
Introduction
In the first half of the 21st century, a new era is brewing. During this time, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia will write its role in history as a reference for the future for the rest of the world. What began as great ideas, almost dreams just a few years prior, are now becoming a reality: Neom, The Line, Coral Bloom, Oasis Eco Resort, are just some of the incredible projects that will transform the kingdom.
As part of this process, the Riyadh Art program is proposing the Gateways contest, in which the renowned international artist, Lorenzo Quinn, has the honor of being invited to participate.
Throughout the history of mankind, different civilizations have been able to erect great monuments which have become milestones throughout the centuries, dividing history into a before and an after. The desire for magnificence and grandeur, to be part of history, the power of symbols, and the beliefs of these civilizations have made it possible to materialize enduring works such as the pyramids of Egypt, the gardens of Babylon or the Great Wall of China.
Just as an empire is forged, these great works that are born from the dreams of men surpassing themselves are forged, creating the immeasurable, spaces where time stops, to be admired forever. Yearning to overcome the limits of our imagination and making our dreams come true, just as a country believes in itself, this project we’re presenting now is born.
Concept Philosophy
Humanity is losing its connection with nature and also with itself. We may be aware of the beauty that surrounds us, but we fail to understand how it all works and interconnects. The more we relate to each other digitally, the less we “perceive” our planet, and we lose a bit of that part of humanity. Ancestral values such as personal contact, hospitality and being welcoming have always been so important in all cultures, but especially in Arab culture.
In order to reawaken the instinct to protect nature and ourselves, we need to pay attention to the feelings that make us “better humans”. The greeting is an opportunity to recall that feeling of welcoming that has been part of the Arab culture since the beginning of time.
Receiving and welcoming someone without any personal interest, solely for the love of God and for the love of humanity, is a commendable act in Islam.
Hospitality and generosity are signs of identity of the Arab culture. These are known throughout the world as a characteristic that is still very present, despite the current pace of life.
Such hospitality would have its origin in the Bedouins of the desert, for whom it was a sacred duty: When they hosted someone, they had to offer them a roof, and if needed, security against adversaries. They could only ask him for an explanation about his identity and why he was there after the third day. If necessary, they would give up their food to feed him and could even expose themselves to danger to defend him. The origin of this hospitality was probably due to the imperative needs of life in the desert, since it provided security for travelers and expanded the network of contacts necessary in an inhospitable context.
Expressions in the Arabic language such as:
Al bait, baitukum - البيت بيتكم - “My house is your house”
Ahlan wa sahlan - أهلاً وسهلاً - “Welcome”, which literally means “You have found a neighbor and he welcomes you in the plain” “, that is, far from the danger of the mountain.
They reflect on the importance of hospitality for the Arabs in a poetic way. This spirit of hospitality is still here today, and this monument is intended to remind the whole world that this spirit is not only still alive, but more alive than ever.
For the Arabs, this virtue is also a refined principle, and a characteristic of the Prophets and Messengers; it is a trait of the generous and the noble. Anyone known for their hospitality is considered a person of sublime rank, as it’s a trait for which people respect them. In both the pre-Islamic era and in Islam, there is glory in giving food and being hospitable, which denotes the perfection of greatness.
The Prophet, sal-lal-lahu ‘alaihi wa sal-lam, urged us to be hospitable. It has been narrated under the authority of Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sal-lal-lahu ‘alaihi wa sal-lam, said: “He who believes in Allah and the End Day must be hospitable to his guests.” [Al Bujari, Muslim].
This main virtue of hospitality is an achievement in itself, because only someone who is aware of the oneness of humanity can behave so openly with their fellow man, and only unlimited trust in God allows them to act so generously.
In some Islamic countries, the arrival of a guest is honored by welcoming them with water and dates, in the same way that the inhabitants of some islands welcome a newcomer with necklaces
of flowers. In our western world, which unfortunately tends to get increasingly dehumanized, it is more than ever necessary to preserve the virtue of hospitality, which is so important in all revealed religions. To be fully aware of this reality, Muslims remind each other that the guest is sent by God Himself and that he is His guest.
Expressions in the Arabic language such as:
Salam alaykum - “Peace be with you” (This is the most common greeting between two people.)
Wa alaykum as-salam - “And on you”
Marh’aba - “I openly welcome you”
Ahlan wa sahlan - “Feel at home”
On the other hand, and in a global context in which the environment is increasingly important, The Greeting will also represent the symbol of Saudi Arabia’s effort to create a new and more diverse growth model that will make this country and the world a greener, more sustainable and ultimately more welcoming place for the rest of the world. It is imperative that humanity becomes aware of the extent of its power to change things, as Saudi Arabia is doing, having triggered the lever of change for this great transformation. Aligned with “Vision 2030”, the ambitious and historic program of unprecedented sustainable projects being carried out by the Kingdom, The Greeting will be the most visible symbol of that change: a welcome call based on a human gesture, a greeting to the rest of the countries and cultures, represented in two hands that receive visitors, in a sculptural structure of monumental proportions, whose powerful message of hospitality will be the legacy of this generation to those to come.
Located at the western gateway to the nation’s capital, The Greeting emerges from the same megalithic mountain structure that is thousands of years old. Two protective human hands carved into the rock are unveiled like a seed of life in the desert. The Greeting claims its space in it, and makes its way through hands that symbolize welcoming and hospitality. Colossal hands with arms flooded with green life, invite you to enter the city after a desert journey, like an oasis in the desert, whose mission is to maintain life, quenching the thirst of those who come to it.
It is in our hands to create that welcoming oasis from which future generations will drink. Thus, the western gateway to Riyadh is not only the entrance to the capital of the kingdom, but also the entrance to the awareness and knowledge of one of the future missions of humanity, which is to become kinder and more hospitable beings in order to live in peace with each other and with nature.
Considered a universal symbol that implies a transition from one place, one state or one level to another, the gate is the point of access to a different reality, which in this case transitions from an inhospitable place like the desert to another full of life, such as the capital, Riyadh, which means “garden”. The gate also symbolizes a rite of passage, from the past to the future. In an obligatory place of passage, people who pass through The Greeting will experience a moment full of potential: Overwhelmed by the immense size of the sculpted hands, they will then observe the meaning of welcome, in its arms, in a moment of reflection full of expectation, with a sense of awe and wonder of life, in which they will become aware that, despite their humble size, human beings, with their collective effort, can positively change the course of history. A discovery that will be revealed to us as we enter and leave Riyadh, through inspiring words with indelible universal messages written on the rock.
A gate is also linked to the idea of refuge. The metaphor is complete with human hands of formidable size as refuge and guardian of that space and its mission. The Greeting reminds us, as we go from the desert to the city, of the privilege of being welcomed and protected by a society that looks to the future in a more friendly way.
Perceived as a stony extension of the mountain at night, its structure will glow with a dim light, with an unreal aspect reminiscent of Bedouin bonfires, as an invitation to visit it under its protective light.
The Arabian Desert is a place to listen, observe, and connect with its rich history and tradition of stargazing. This ancestral knowledge, one of the great contributions of the Arab world to history that has connected generations of sages, is revealed in the arms of the sculpture.
The Greeting will invite us to walk in its arms, at night, under a field of stars, and perceive that ancestral knowledge, being aware that the cycle of life continues thanks to our good will to sustain a future where people and nature will be able to thrive together.
In the ungovernable beauty of the desert, The Greeting thus becomes an unprecedented artistic, conceptual, and constructive challenge, which may be inscribed in the future as one of the wonders of the contemporary world, taking a place in the history of this country and the world.
Like a seed of life in the desert, The Greeting claims its space in it and makes its way, through hands that symbolize our duty to protect the base of life.
Local Culture
In the first half of the 21st century, Riyadh is becoming an increasingly modern and attractive city for a new generation of Saudi citizens, with innovation, creative thinking, and admiration for culture as its hallmarks. The Greeting responds to this call from the city’s inhabitants as a symbol of current and future cultural and social strength.
What has for centuries been a small oasis settlement along the Wadi Hanifah, has now become the center of forward-thinking and sustainable strategy for the entire planet.
The city gate as a symbolic reminder of the unification of the Kingdom and sense of identity, shelter and protection for its inhabitants.
The Greeting is an inspiring work of art that promotes the values of this innovative and proud city and its inhabitants. It greets visitors in and out of the city, contributing to its image of modernity, innovation and at the same time tradition and art, personified by its local craftsmen and artists.
A unique location for the creation of a unique artwork, inspired by the ancient tradition of stonework, as its predecessors did elsewhere in the country, providing a connection between the past and the future that revives an ancestral culture and elevates it further, giving it an extraordinary dimension.
The Greeting establishes a cultural, scientific and technological meeting point for city inhabitants, and an access point for travelers entering and leaving the city on this route. As significant as it is symbolic, it links Mecca with the capital, and was once part of the trade routes of this country.
The Greeting goes beyond the mere decoration of the entrance to Riyadh by giving it a purpose that transcends the aesthetics. It is an oasis of human sensitivity and prosperity.
Piece description - ART-chitecture & Landscape
The coming decades will be decisive in addressing a new model of sustainable living that makes it possible to meet people’s food, water, and energy needs while protecting ecosystems and our planet, and consequently us as human beings. This artwork is intended to be a reflection to inspire the global community on the path towards a greater sense of humanity, a common effort to protect the future of the planet to make it more welcoming for all. In short, it symbolizes the promise of a kinder future.
The Greeting is presented as a project that will unite sculpture and landscape, past and future. Sculpted entirely in the mountain, it will become a mandatory stop on pilgrimages to Mecca, and an example of how art and landscape can coexist in perfect harmony in this new era in which we are living.
Two gigantic stone hands, a symbol of generosity and greeting, are born from the mountain itself, and will be integrated into it forever.
The Greeting is presented as a linear oasis, a new valley in the middle of the desert of Riyadh, thanks to the garden of native species that will extend into the arms of the sculpture and that will bring even more meaning to this greeting, going from an arid environment to a more benevolent one.
As the inhabitants of Al-Hijr (“place of the rock”) of the Nabataean period did in the past, this modern sculpture of the 21st century is created on the enormous rock formations, directly excavated in the rock, generating a magical and breathtaking journey, an unprecedented and indescribable landscape.
ART-chitecture & landscape. Past & future.
Exterior
The Greeting, beyond its figurative aspect, is a valley created by the hand of man, in which the two stone hands and forearms, which give rise to it, greet in a gesture of welcome and protection to visitors to the city.
A large garden of native species will be created in the outer spaces of the forearms, which will extend linearly on both sides of the road for two kilometers, including cool and quiet places for strolling, where you can feel protected in the sunlight or under the stars.
Materials, details and special features
The limestone, once extracted, will be used to smooth the edges of some of the retaining walls and slabs to make the architecture of the arms and the landscape indissoluble.
The use of materials such as printed and dyed concrete for the pathways, pressed earth, and the planting of native ground cover species will facilitate the construction of the whole complex from an environmental point of view.
Dimensions - Architecture
Impact / Conclusions
Human development based on the practices we use today is not prepared for a world that will reach ten billion people in a few decades. In order to conserve our planet, we have to think about acting differently.
The Greeting is the public symbol of a Saudi Arabia that thinks not only of the future of its kingdom, but of the future of the entire planet, together with a promise of achieving a sustainable future that can repair the damage we have done to this wonderful world we inherited.
The Greeting thus becomes a call to the rest of the nations to return to being a species in balance with nature, but also to find that balance within ourselves, recovering the ancestral values of hospitality and solidarity among human beings.
Arabia, the cradle and crossroads of civilizations, which has seen a very important part of man's ancient history cross its lands, is now the protagonist of a new cultural forum, based on an awakening of ecological awareness and the memory of that peaceful exchange of cultures from the past.
The contemplation of this majestic monument, which represents the power of humans to create a better world, as one of the secrets that this desert holds, will enliven our instinct for renewal and hope for a safer future of our own making.
Like a ship in the desert sea, transporting us to that new destination, The Greeting is conceived as a gateway to the future. An exciting artistic experience that will immerse us in a world where man and nature coexist in harmony with each other and with ourselves.
Ahlan wa sahlan = "Feel at home"….
Reinventing our history to rewrite it, with our own hands, in an extraordinary way. A new era where everything is possible...
Mandatory viewpoints
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Sculpting evolution
