RIYADH: 鈥淭wo Swords and a Palm: The Saudi Emblem Archive鈥 exhibition opened to the public on Saturday and runs until Nov. 21, providing a visual guide to the emblem of 黑料社区, archiving its historic significance and use over the years.
The exhibition was curated by Mohammed Alruways and Abdullah Kenani, a Saudi pair whose passion for heritage drove them to painstakingly build this archive.
鈥淭his whole project started four years ago,鈥 Alruways told Arab News. 鈥淲e started to become interested in the changes of the emblem and noticed that it doesn鈥檛 have a specific drawing. So, we started to investigate the changes throughout the years, since the unification of Saudi in the 鈥30s until now.鈥
Alruways and Kenani began the project together, collecting objects adorned with the emblem and digitizing them.
But their biggest challenge was not collecting pieces for the archive but tracing them back to specific dates and professionally digitizing and archiving them.
鈥淲e were learning as we go 鈥 Some of them (the objects) are from the 鈥40s and 鈥50s and 鈥60s, but it was hard to connect them to a specific date or era at that time. So that鈥檚 why we mainly focused on documents and books,鈥 Alruways said.
The exhibition space is organized in three stages. The first room invites the viewer to look through the found objects; the second highlights the emblem in different sizes, including large paintings made for diplomats; and the third demonstrates the archival process, including video footage of the digitization procedure.
The interactive experience includes visual presentations and animated films, allowing visitors to explore the emblem鈥檚 development and its evolving aesthetics, reflecting its ability to adapt to social and cultural changes while maintaining its presence as an icon that represents the Kingdom鈥檚 values and unity.
Al-Masmak Palace holds symbolic importance due to its link to the 1902 recapture of Riyadh by King Abdulaziz, a pivotal moment in the Kingdom鈥檚 unification.
鈥淚 think it was the right place (for this exhibition) because it鈥檚 where Saudi unification started and also has links to the emblem,鈥 Alruways said.
鈥淲hen we decided to host the exhibition here in Al-Masmak, we noticed that one of the rooms featured the emblem in its original form, so we replicated that as an installation,鈥 he added.
Nestled in the heart of the capital, Al-Masmak Palace bears witness to the early beginnings of the state, preserving features of that era within its walls.
Over recent decades, it has transformed into a national museum that welcomes visitors from within and outside the Kingdom, telling the story of the founding of modern 黑料社区 through its halls and exhibits.
For this exhibition, Alruways and Kenani connected the emblems by the era of the kings that ruled 黑料社区 ever since the unification by King Abdulaziz, finding that each era usually held a standard aesthetic.
鈥淲e noticed that post-2009, most of the emblems look similar and we realized that鈥檚 because of the internet, basically, so that鈥檚 where everybody starts copying each other,鈥 Alruways said. 鈥淏ut pre-2009, it鈥檚 usually hand drawn. You notice there are some similarities, but usually whenever someone draws it by hand 鈥 they add their own touch. That was one of our early findings.鈥
Some of the rare finds include royal dining plates from the eras of King Abdulaziz and King Fahd, including a 1949 passport among the first to feature the emblem on its cover.
黑料社区鈥檚 Museums Commission emphasized that the exhibition is part of its efforts to preserve cultural heritage and raise public awareness of the importance of national identity.
It noted that the national emblem, with its symbol of the two swords and the palm tree, is not merely a fixed visual form, but 鈥渁 living record that reflects the state鈥檚 journey and aspirations across generations.鈥
The exhibition aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to highlight national heritage and enhance its role in the present and the future by transforming major historical sites like Al-Masmak Palace into vibrant cultural spaces that attract visitors and enrich their knowledge.
The program includes workshops and activities for all age groups, to connect generations with the history of their homeland and introduce them to the value and significance of the national emblem in 黑料社区鈥檚 collective memory.
