Abdullah Al Shehri is a pop artist based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Working under the nickname Shaweesh, he remixes historical photos to include pop culture icons. His work briefly became part of official Saudi canon when a textbook recently published his edited image of King Faisal signing the United Nations charter alongside Star Wars sage Yoda.
According to the Associated Press, Education Minister Ahmed al-Eissa said it was an "unintended mistake" for the textbooks to feature the Jedi master. Despite the error, Undersecretary for Curricula and Educational Programs Mohammed al-Harthi was fired over the flub.
Speaking with the New York Times, Shaweesh said he has no idea how his remixed photo wound up in the textbook. "I am the one who designed it, but I am not the one who put it in the book," he said.
Shaweesh added that he paired Yoda with King Faisal because they had similar traits. "He was wise and was always strong in his speeches," Shehri said of the king. "So I found that Yoda was the closest character to the king. And also Yoda and his light saber – it's all green."
The artist's mother is a biology teacher and notified him when she noticed his work republished in a textbook last week. See a photo of the textbook below.
According to the Associated Press, Education Minister Ahmed al-Eissa said it was an "unintended mistake" for the textbooks to feature the Jedi master. Despite the error, Undersecretary for Curricula and Educational Programs Mohammed al-Harthi was fired over the flub.
Speaking with the New York Times, Shaweesh said he has no idea how his remixed photo wound up in the textbook. "I am the one who designed it, but I am not the one who put it in the book," he said.
Shaweesh added that he paired Yoda with King Faisal because they had similar traits. "He was wise and was always strong in his speeches," Shehri said of the king. "So I found that Yoda was the closest character to the king. And also Yoda and his light saber – it's all green."
The artist's mother is a biology teacher and notified him when she noticed his work republished in a textbook last week. See a photo of the textbook below.
A coup for Saudi artist @Shaweesh_: His image of Yoda next to King Faisal was accidentally printed in a new Saudi social studies textbook. pic.twitter.com/oEakCOtGOg
— Ben Hubbard (@NYTBen) September 21, 2017