MISSION
A pluralistic vision
The mission behind Basma Al Sulaiman’s collection is manifold.
As an international contemporary art collection with a strong focus on Saudi artists it aims at establishing intellectual and artistic links between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.
Along some of the most iconic works by Saudi contemporary artists, the collection includes prime examples of artists from all continents including beautiful examples by Chinese and African contemporary artists from El Anatsui to Kaloki Nyamai.
Kaloki Nyamai - Two vaa twetele, 2022 (Detail)
Bridging the local with the global
Fostering a dialogue between the local and the global art scene has always remained a priority for Basma and over the years it became the common thread behind the collection’s mission.
Basma has worked on creating a bridge between her country and the rest of the world both culturally and virtually. Her international and Saudi collection now evolve in parallel while BASMOCA continues to defy geographical and physical boundaries.
Today the Basma Al Sulaiman collection is considered among the pioneering collections to have sparked and steered the Kingdom’s relationship with the arts, paving the way for the local flourishing cultural sector.
Abdulnasser Gharem - Al Siraat (The Path), 2007 (Detail)
Merging the physical and virtual worlds
One of the aims behind Basma Al Sulaiman’s collection is enabling people to access it for educational and informative purposes.
As a physical collection which remains available virtually via BASMOCA, the idea is for people to access the works in the collection via a virtual immersive experience akin to walking through a museum or a foundation.
Having always been deeply invested in the idea of bringing people together in an inclusive arts arena, Basma kept looking at ways she could share her collection without any geographic or cultural boundaries. This was how the idea behind BASMOCA came together. The concept was always to explore the virtual space with the knowledge that everything one sees also exists in real life, as part of an ever-growing collection.
Gerhard Richter - Abstraktes Bild, 1994 (Detail)
Strategic Cultural partnerships
The Basma Al Sulaiman collection regularly loans artworks to various institutions around the world and has done important collaborations to date such as with Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 2015 as well as more recently with the Royal Commission of AlUla with the milestone exhibition “What Lies Within: Works from the Basma Al Sulaiman Collection” at the iconic Maraya hall.
The latter was announced as a tribute to Basma’s invaluable work in supporting Saudi artistic production and talent. Patronage, particularly when it comes to Saudi art and artists, remains a key mission for Basma and the collection alongside education. During the time the exhibition was on view it had a record number of visitors including local and international visitors and a special program for schools and children was set up by RCU which made the partnership additionally meaningful.
Manal Al Dowayan - I am an Educator, 2005 (Detail)
Patronage around the world
Basma strongly believes in the power of art and culture. She believes Art changes the way we see the world, that it opens our minds and our ways of thinking towards new perspectives. For this reason, she has supported several museum acquisitions over the years. Thanks to her patronage key works by Saudi artists have been donated to various institutions around the world including to the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Smithsonian in Washington DC, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the British Museum in London and the MAK in Vienna.
In addition to being a long-standing patron of the arts, Basma is also a founding member of the Saudi Art Council and has spearheaded the Jeddah Sculpture Park in Saudi Arabia. In 2014, she received an award from the Saudi Government as the first Saudi woman to be honored for her contribution to arts and culture in Saudi Arabia.
Maha Malluh - Food for Thoughts Almuallaqat 3, 2015 (Detail)
Building a tribute
One of the key facets behind the collection’s mission as well as all its initiatives is preserving the memory of Basma Al Sulaiman’s son, the late Mohammed Juffali (1988-2012).
The loans, donations, partnerships and all other initiatives, including the collection itself will continue to be dedicated to him. Basma believes in turning his memory into a positive legacy committed to social and educational impact.
Zhang Xiaogang - Remember, Diptych, 2002 (Detail)