Everywhere one goes in Jeddah, one finds monumental pieces of public art. This is just a very small sampling of the sculptures -- photographing all that we saw would have been difficult without our own car, but I took what I could from our transport and occasionally was able to get the driver to pull over so I could take a picture. What is missing here is the enormous number of sculptures we didn't see -- one more reason to go back to this beautiful city.

Some information on Jeddah's amazing collection of public art:

“The monumental public sculpture one finds throughout Jeddah, mostly along the Corniche, is one of the city’s most remarkable features. Featuring works by Henri Moore, Jean Arp, Joan Miró and Jacques Lipchitz, among others, the collection was established by the former mayor of Jeddah, Dr. Mohamed Said Farsi, in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was part of a beautification (tajmil) project the mayor launched, not only to improve the city’s aesthetics but also to acquaint the inhabitants with contemporary art and give the city an international look.

"Many of the sculptures suffered over the years from the harsh climate and neglect, and also through inconsiderate treatment by the public, often not aware of the artistic value of the sculptures. … Although many of the larger sculptures are scattered throughout the city’s roundabouts, the smaller and more valuable works were brought together in an open air museum alongside the seashore in Al Hamra. This collection is currently being restored, and might be relocated to a nearby public venue. As to the rest of the public artworks, they are best seen driving around the city – which is the inhabitants’ favorite pastime.” http://gulfartguide.com/jeddah/public-art-in-jeddah/

“The first sculptures to crop up around the city were inspired by traditional and familiar ordinary objects, such as Arabian coffee pots, water vessels and incense burners. The next wave of sculptures was developed from Quranic verses using artistic Arabic calligraphy. From that point, the influences diversified and snowballed; great care was taken, however, to avoid using the human form, to sidestep religious conflicts.

“Newcomers to the city are awed by the sheer number and immense size of these world-class sculptures, and residents are indulged daily with a feast for the eyes. The art is categorized into a variety of intentional themes, such as religious, historical, whimsical, geometrical, science and so on. The sculptures are fashioned out of everything from bronze and steel, to marble, concrete and local stone, and even scrap iron and recycled machinery.

“Many of the municipality’s estimated 350 sculptures are easily accessible, whether they stand in center islands dividing the roadways, in the middle of huge traffic circles, or in the world’s largest public open-air art museum, Al Hamra.

“Unfortunately, years of neglect, graffiti, indifference and vandalism have all taken their toll. Compounded by exposure to Jeddah’s intolerable heat, stinging winds, inescapable sandstorms and salty sea air, more than 125 of the original 526 sculptures have been lost to the elements. Well-meaning attempts to fix some of the broken or damaged works were crude patchwork at best.
“The Jeddah Restoration Project is now underway to restore, repair and reposition many of these marvelous but weather-beaten masterpieces. Restoration funds are being raised through private donations and corporate sponsors.” http://selamtamagazine.com/stories/amazing-sculptures-jeddah