Monuments & Sculptures, Jeddah

Forgotten masterpieces tend to be found, a little worse for wear, in attics and basements rather than the windswept streets of Saudi Arabia. But lining Jeddah's corniche are sculptures by some of the most famous names in modern European art. Works by Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Jean Arp, Joan Miro and others were brought to the city between 1973 and 1986.

There's a sinewy cube by Arnaldo Pomodoro, a bronze monolith by César and a selection by regional artists with sculptures of boats and entwined metal. But years of sea salt and sandy winds, and the extreme humidities of the city, have left these great works in need of a little love.

Restoration by the municipality has taken place over the past 30 years, somewhat haphazardly. But the Jeddah-born patron Fady Jameel has stepped in to initiate a project that will restore these works to their former glory under expert hands. The Jameels are key figures in arts patronage within the region. Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives sponsors Edge of Arabia, which promotes contemporary art from the kingdom and hosted Jeddah's largest ever exhibition of new Saudi art in January. The family is also patrons of the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art in London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

There are now five restoration specialists working on-site from Plowden and Smith, a British company with a CV that ranges from dusting off Gulf War-era US planes to schooling staff at the National Museum of Qatar on good conservation practice. As new Saudi art continues to attract global interest, it's a fitting moment to look at the abundant heritage on Jeddah's doorstep. These sculptures show the longevity that Jeddah has of arts initiatives.They show how it really was a pioneering city in that field.