Tell me about Arabia, I'm insanely interested

A place where modern technology borders on thousands of years of hot sand. The largest and most ambiguous state on the Arabian Peninsula. It's all about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What do we know about this state? Most will name only three words: oil, sand and Mecca. Well, the millennial lack of rights for women.

But things are changing. It's the 21st century, and it's a time of change for the Arab world. Traditions are being replaced by progress. Do you want to look at the contemporary art of Saudi Arabia, which exposes all the overdue changes? Well, at the same time visit Mecca and see with your own eyes the main shrine of Muslims? Welcome to the exhibition as part of the Saudi Culture Week.

And since June 24, 2018, women in Saudi Arabia will be able to drive a car. Yes, you heard right, now it is forbidden to them, just as before they were forbidden to have their name and passport. And this is what the composition is dedicated to, where women's names are written on each grain of the rosary.

Painted school desks as a symbol of accessibility of education for the population. In the 1970s, only 2% of women and 15% of men were literate in the country. Now these figures have increased to 81 and 92%.

And no matter how much the country tries to follow the traditions, modern trends and brands are still becoming part of the lives of ordinary people.

It seems to be the usual post-impressonism, but the picture is not painted with paints, but a collage of candy labels of various brands is assembled.

In clothing, women must follow certain rules: only the hands and the oval of the face should be open. But in many places, this is also prohibited, and women wear a niqab every day, covering the entire face, leaving only a narrow strip for the eyes.

The gap between the social strata of the population, which has recently begun to decrease.

One of the symbols of Saudi Arabia is a dismantled gas station. And this is not surprising, 95% of the country's exports are oil.

Kaaba. The main mosque of Muslims in Mecca, where they go from all over the world during the Hajj. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, after Shahada, prayer (namaz), tax and fasting.

Prayer mat as the embodiment of modern art.

There are two variations, from fuses or from bicycle chains.

But only Muslims can get to Mecca. What should the others do? Modern technologies come to the rescue. Thanks to VR (virtual reality), you can visit Mecca, Medina, and just walk in the desert without leaving Moscow.

To be at arm's length from the shrine, walk through the streets of the old city and stand among the faithful in the al-Haram mosque. Do you want to try it? You have two more days to come to the New Arena and feel the modern trends of the Eastern world!