The Supplication Sculpture

Many of the sculptures in Jeddah have recurrent themes. Religion and the Islamic culture is probably one of the most dominant themes reflected in the city’s public art. Many of the monuments are based on Arabic calligraphy and highlight verses from the Holy Quran. The Supplication sculpture (called Al-Doaa in Arabic), which features a pair of praying hands, bears an inscription on the pedestal which reads, “O my Lord! Expand me my breast; Ease my task for me.” It was designed by artist Mahmoud Banat is carved from marble and is located on the Corniche which runs along the Red Sea in Jeddah.
I have featured many of Jeddah’s fine works of public art on this blog, and you may recall that much of the art is positioned in the center of large roundabouts of major intersections in the city. With the rapid growth of the city, traffic has increased tremendously and many of the roundabouts have created severe traffic congestion and many accidents. Consequently, some of the famous artwork is in the process of being relocated as the roundabouts are removed to aid in the flow of traffic and for the public’s safety. To read more about this controversial issue, you can read this article that was published recently in the Saudi Gazette.