RIYADH: A Saudi artist is following in her pioneering father’s footsteps by adopting the painting technique that he developed and used in his own creations and adding her own touches to it.

Najla Mohammed Al-Saleem is the daughter of the late Mohammad Al-Saleem, one of the founders of the Saudi modern art scene.

His art explored the content and form of the desert, using tones and techniques that conveyed the force of the sun and its effects on nature.  

Najla specializes in the horizonism style of painting which, she said, embodied horizontal lines and desert elements combined with Arabic words. The result is smooth lines that show off an elegant and three-dimensional visual aesthetic.

Al-Saleem recently opened a solo exhibition called “Origin of a Homeland” in Riyadh’s Turaif district, and was invited to display her work by the Royal Commission of Riyadh and Diriyah Gate Development Authority. The pieces reflect the Kingdom’s cultural and historical buildings.

“My father is my first master, the first to influence everything in my life, mostly art,” she told Arab News. “His style was very interesting to me.”

There were tributes to her father recently for his donations to the King Fahd National Library, and she received an invitation to showcase one of his pieces at the Noor Riyadh Festival. She said that nobody knew about the chosen artwork until the festival.  She said she hoped to see more museums everywhere, and encouraged local artists to read about talent as well as practice their own.

“We should revive the valuable artistic treasures at museums so that everyone can see them, especially the new generation.”

People had a responsibility to provide artwork that met international standards, she added.