Currently, at Hayy Jameel, visitors can admire Messages From the Road (2025), a striking public artwork that stretches across the building’s 25-metre front. This colourful piece was created by Ashraf Abdullah, an artist and designer of Afghan origin based in Saudi Arabia, as part of the annual Hayy Jameel Façade Commission. Abdullah was chosen for the 2024–2025 commission by a distinguished jury panel, which featured curator and visual artist Muhannad Shono; Nora Razian, Deputy Director (Arts) at Art Jameel; Sumayya Vally, Founder of Counterspace and Artistic Director of the Islamic Arts Biennale; and Clare Davies, Associate Curator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Messages From the Road is Abdullah’s first institutional commission, and it was developed in collaboration with Asmatullah Khan, Ghulam Yaseen, and Fida Mohammad. Drawing on his background as a graffiti artist, Abdullah channels the aesthetic and spirit of regional truck art, a vibrant form of visual expression that transforms commercial trucks into moving canvases. Through this piece, he explores the truck as a cultural space where stories of resilience, movement, and artisanal skill intersect. The commission engages directly with truck-art communities across Saudi Arabia, who contributed to the research and the painting process, honouring a disappearing art form.
Truck art, widely practised across the region, is rooted in the desire to infuse daily labour with beauty and to share messages with fellow travellers. These messages, often rendered in calligraphy, Islamic invocations, and prayers, draw parallels between physical and spiritual journeys. For Abdullah, these roadside reflections, which promote patience, hope, and success, are a key source of inspiration.
The Façade Commission jury also awarded a Special Mention to one of the shortlisted artists, Jameelah Mater, recognising her bold and original vision. Mater, who began her artistic journey in Al Muftaha Art Village in Abha (Saudi Arabia), is known for her work in Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a traditional form of geometric wall painting typically created by women to decorate the entrances of homes. Also called nagash or majlis painting, this style is characterised by its bright patterns and cultural symbolism.
To get more information about the 2024-2025 Hayy Jameel Façade Commission, please go to the official website of Hayy Jameel.
Additionally, you might be interested in visiting Crafts in Conversation: A Convergence Between Traditional and Contemporary Art, an exhibition at Ithra, and exploring the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 at the King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah).
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