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Aiming to change the perception of Saudi Arabia and bring in an influx of new business opportunities, Noor Taher and Swiss Beatz, the founders of the recently launched global creative agency Good Intentions, made it clear they wanted to act as an agent of change in KSA.
Helmed by music, art, and cultural icon, Grammy Award winner Swizz Beatz and his partner Saudi native Noor Taher, who spent 10 years in New York in digital marketing at top advertising agencies, founded Good Intentions with the aim to reshape the creative narrative of the country. And so they did at The Jeddah Art Promenade project, which was curated by Swizz Beatz, and unveiled on December 3rd during Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Noor and Swizz were tasked with the creation of the project that featured over a dozen art installations from four world-renowned artists.
The curatorial strategy aimed to reflect imminent symbols of the majestic town of Jeddah. Gorgeous hues from the corals of the red sea, poetic verses from mystic legends, and the expansive horizon were all sources of inspiration when selecting the art pieces. The visual journey proved to be an experience like no other, in a venue the world has never seen.
The Jeddah promenade saw over a dozen striking, intentionally curated public art installations by four world-renowned artists, STUDIO DRIFT, Janet Echelman, KWEST, and Javid JAH and brought to life by Far Right Productions, and national award-winning curator Umbereen Inayet.
An iconic, custom, larger than life gold falcon titled, ‘Wusul’ (Arrival in Arabic) by artist, KWEST now resides in the Red Sea, as visitors walk from the gorgeous marina weaving between nine custom planetary inspired gem toned sculptures titled ‘World of Spheres’ by artist and designer, Javid JAH.
Billowing in the sky above heads, is artist Janet Echelman’s aerial artwork ‘Earthtime 1.26’, a monumental soft sculpture knotted from 38 miles of vibrantly colored engineered fiber that gives visual form to human interconnectedness with our planet.
Artists, STUDIO DRIFT’s revered kinetic moving sculpture, ‘Amplitude’ is as they describe “a moving installation mimicking birds flying. The movement in this installation is like the pulse that occurs in all organisms” and is being nestled in the destination’s on-site EDITION hotel right by the exquisitely designed Yacht club.
This project came about when Swizz Beatz and his partner and co-founder of Good Intentions, Noor Taher were mapping the agency’s foreseeable influences across the kingdom. With a strong network of relationships, tested, succeeded, and record-breaking IP creations, and inherent insight into the culture of Saudi, the duo knew that to go further they had to collaborate with the best, namely Sela, the Kingdom’s leading sports, entertainment, and events producers whose portfolio of projects in recent years has been integral to the development and progression within the country.
Sela is the project owner of the Jeddah Art Promenade and commissioners of the public art acquired and activated by Good Intentions. The events powerhouse known how to develop and produce incredibly large-scale projects and has become a key player in the market when it comes to building permanent destinations across the Kingdom in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Both Good Intentions and Sela share the same ‘sky is not the limit, it's just a view’ mindset, a mantra Swizz holds sacred when going about any venture he comes across. What is even more special is that both companies are led by women - Swizz’s partner and collaborator of over 10 years Noor Taher and Sela’s Chairwoman and General Counsel to the Public Investment Fund (the largest sovereign fund in the world) Shihana Alazzaz.
“I love seeing women in leadership roles in Saudi, the support and opportunities they have to make a real change is incredible. My partner, Noor is a leader in our company, Good Intentions is a female-led company. You have Shihana who is leading on the Sela side, trailblazing. It’s an incredible time for women in Saudi, they have my unconditional support,” Swizz shares.
As Good Intentions continues to work on ground-breaking projects in the region and around the world, this strategic partnership with Sela will take both company’s projects in the future to the next level. Collaboration at its core is when creativity flourishes, the world awaits what these two companies have in store.
“We are at the cusp of creating unprecedented experiences, the Kingdom’s support for destinations such as the Jeddah Art Promenade will pave a way for the youth to immerse themselves in culture and art. Shaping the future is a large undertaking and we are proud to collaborate with Good Intentions to exceed expectations and set an example of how a genuine partnership should be. We look forward to many more projects in the future,” said Shihana Alazzaz.
“The Falcon installation from artist Kwest is a powerful statement of energy and creativity taking flight. We at Sela are thrilled to be working with Swizz Beatz and the Good Intentions team, headed by homegrown lead Noor Taher, to give vital art a platform. With more than a dozen installations planned, the Jeddah Art Promenade will blaze an iconic trail down our beautiful coast, offering visitors a visceral cultural experience and creating a landmark worthy of our nation’s vision.”
The seaside town of Jeddah is a bustling and vibrant destination with luxury hotels, a new marina, luxury retail restaurants, and coffee shops along the corniche. The coastal city is enriched with some of the world’s most pristine heritage sites, vibrant coral reefs, and scenic views whose people welcome guests with warmth to show them the traditions and culture they value so close to their hearts.
