Fatima Museum

Fatima Faye Al-Almaai, a well-known artist in the field of Asiri art engraving, opened a small museum with traditional clothing displaying historical inscriptions to conserve the cultural heritage of the pattern in the Asir region. Her passionate interest in the topic served as the motivation for the concept, and is regarded as a pioneer in Al-Almaai engraving and has received accolades.

Highlights:

• Pattern play: The Al-Almaai (cat) inscription comprises numerous lines, inscriptions, and creative creations made by local women artists. Instead of being taught in art schools or other specialized institutions, this folk art is passed down through the generations. Each form signifies a human touch that has permeated every aspect of our being, and each color stands for a particular sensory organ.
• Diversity in its forms: The museum features more than 300 pieces of clothing and silver jewelry in addition to Asiri wall sculptures, tableware, ''Altakhtat'' chairs, paintings, shutters, and boxes. Among the names depicted by the art's inscriptions are Al-Khatmah, Al-Batrah, Al-Hadheyah, Al-Bansalah, Al-Amri, Al-Sakrooni, Aryash, Banat, and Omri. Each inscription has unique aesthetic and formal characteristics. The subjects are largely taken from Asir's daily life, and there are no images of people or animals.
• Art objectified: The wonderful paintings embellished with forms and colors that blend talent, artistic sense, and correctness in their design, as well as using instruments from the surrounding environment, highlight the aesthetic and geometrical sense of Asiri women. This art is reflected in the Asir region's culture and tradition, and it must be preserved and contribute significantly to its immortalization by educating several ladies.
• Eco-conscious and environment-conscious art: The most distinguishing aspect of Al-Almaai engraving is natural hues and colors like blue, orange, green, white, and black. Black, one of the main colors, is taken from coal and ground into a powder before being mixed with glue to give it a glossy finish. The red pigments (Al-Hosan) are extracted from the nearby red stones and combined with some murr and roasted rice to provide them with a deep, rich texture. The yellows, blues, and greens are delivered to Rijal Almaa by the dealers who buy them.
• Prospects of vocational training: In collaboration with the Society of Arts and Culture and the Association of Parents, the museum has already signed 150 trainees for Rijal Almaa. The paintings are currently being developed to be sold on canvas, whereas before, they were only engraved on the interior walls of residences.