Everything we know about Art Week Riyadh
Art Week Riyadh takes place in JAX District.
It's time to paint the town. Art Week Riyadh runs from 6 to 13 April, and takes place in JAX District and across the capital. For 2025, the theme is At The Edge, and it brings together more than 45 different sources, from collections to galleries. So, if you're craving culture, here's what you need to know.
Art Week Riyadh is open to the public, and brings together exhibitions and public talks. Visitors can explore contemporary arts and culture, and hear from the creative community. The flagship exhibition, At The Edge, covers three themes: Everyday Life, Landscapes, and Motifs. A range of talks and workshops will also be available, and they will look at the themes in more detail.
At the Al Mousa Center, more than 15 galleries have come together with exhibitions. The participating galleries include Abstract Art Gallery, Ahlam Gallery, China Saudi Cultural Art Association, ERRM Art Gallery, Frame Art Gallery, Tequin Art Gallery and more.
JAX District will host three exhibitions, which explore the Kingdom's changing identity and the importance of preserving visual culture. The artists featured include Do Ho Suh, Maha Malluh, Mohammad Alfaraj, Hazem Harb, Gregory Mahoney, Sultan bin Fahad and more.
Art Jameel showcases experimental film and video art. This presentation brings together pieces from local as well as regional artists. The artists include Ahaad Alamoudi, Hiwa K, Bouchra Khalili, Basim Magdy, Ahmed Mater and more. Plus, Abstract Horizons: Three Generations of Saudi Art will go on show.
Check in with FACT for the best things to do in Riyadh.
GO: Follow @visualarts_moc on Instagram for more information.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
07-04-2025
- The National
Art Week Riyadh: First city-wide event is proposing a new way of discovering art
In Le grand miroir du monde, or the great mirror of the world, thousands of mirrored shards are arranged in a rectangle spanning several metres. The work by Algerian-French artist Kader Attia captures the fragmented state of the world while also suggesting that something new and beautiful may arise from the broken pieces. The installation is the opening piece of Art Week Riyadh's curated section at the Jax District. The scale and nature of the work effectively and immediately set the tone of the event. It makes it clear from the outset that the inaugural Art Week Riyadh is not an art fair. Rather, the event presents something new – a city-wide initiative that aims to celebrate and bolster the Saudi capital's art scene. 'We thought about ways in which we could create platforms that would allow for connectivity, increased awareness, dialogue, debate, exchange, and at the same time, shed a light on the many actors that play a part in the arts landscape of Saudi Arabia,' Dina Amin, chief executive of the Visual Arts Commission, says. 'We envisioned and envisaged an art week that would be a new model, which would move away from the traditional format of being a commercially inclined event and one that would be culturally focused,' she says. This position is particularly evident in At The Edge, the curated section of Art Week Riyadh and the centrepiece for the event. More than 30 local and international galleries are showcasing works as part of the curated section at the Jax District. By not basing their selections on the priority of sales, galleries are instead all putting their best foot forward. Most of the works presented are grand in scale and teeter towards the conceptual. The exhibition is a bit like an all-star show, featuring several top names from the local and regional arts scenes. Galleria Continua is showcasing a series of works by Ahmed Mater that were produced using plastic toy gun caps, with a series of panels that spell out the words hilm (dream), hurriya (freedom) and salam (peace). Tabari Artspace is presenting Lulwah Al Homoud's 100 Names of Allah, which proposes a universal geometric language that takes cues from Ibn Muqlah's Proportional Cursive Script and the mathematical principles of the Vedic Square. Lawrie Shabibi is showcasing untitled works by Shaikha Al Mazrou that are emblematic of her use of painted metal to explore form, space and abstraction. Perrotin is showing Monira Al Qadiri's hand-blown glass series, which draws from the form of the toxic Portuguese man o' war jellyfish. Lisson Gallery is presenting the mixed media works of Wael Shawky, which reimagines familiar landscapes and forms with a touch of magic realism. Efie Gallery is highlighting the large, intricate textile works of Abdoulaye Konate. Ayyam Gallery is showcasing works by Faisal Samra and Safwan Dahoul. Le Lab is presenting paintings and sculptures by Khaled Zaki. There is an arresting work at every turn. 'We wanted to make it inter-generational, not only the youngest or the oldest, really everybody. This was our mission,' Vittoria Matarrese, artistic director and curator of Art Week Riyadh, says. 'With the gallery, it's important to treat them as partners. Too often, we think galleries are just vendors. But galleries are the closest to the artists. They discover them, let them grow, of course they also sell their works, but they also figure out how to put them in museums and institutions. 'The whole idea was really to talk to them and select works that you don't see usually in fairs,' Matarrese adds. 'For example, if you see the Wael Shawky booth with Lisson, this is a museum piece. Who ships this for an art fair? Nobody.' However, it's one thing to bring thought-provoking works, but ensuring a cohesive curation is another. The scenography was a key part in this. With an open space, and minimal divisions, the exhibition organically moves from one gallery booth to another, while also shifting across its three thematic threads: Everyday Life, Landscapes and Motifs. 'We really tried to connect it between the galleries,' Matarrese says. While At the Edge can perhaps be seen as the nucleus attraction of Art Week Riyadh – its initiatives and exhibitions are far more sprawling. Collections in Dialogue, also taking place at the Jax District, is highlighting important collections of three institutions. These include King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra), which is showcasing works by Maha Malluh, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Mohammad Alfaraj and Hazem Harb. Art Jameel is presenting works from Ahaad Alamoudi, Hiwa K, Yto Barrada and Mater. The Saudi Research and Media Group is highlighting the development of abstraction in Saudi Arabia, exhibiting artists such as Mohammed Al-Saleem, Abdulhalim Radwi, Taha Al-Sabban, Raeda Ashour, Rashed AlShashai and Zaman Jassim. The Al Mousa Centre in central Riyadh is also a major site of Art Week Riyadh. Formerly a commercial complex, the centre has grown to become a cultural attraction with 15 galleries. The institutions will be presenting a mixture of group and solo exhibitions especially put together for Art Week Riyadh. Although several exhibitions and events have been set up, it is Art Week Riyadh's public programming that seeks to animate these different elements. The programming includes a series of talks titled How to Art World? Lessons in Value. The talks, curated by writer Shumon Basar, will delve into subjects relevant to the visual arts scene in Riyadh. Participants will include cultural experts from Christie's, Sotheby's Gagosian and others. 'As a visual arts commission, we're dedicated to knowledge, knowledge awareness, knowledge exchange, transfer,' Amin says. 'It's part of our DNA as an entity.' Mater, Ayman Zedani, Marwah AlMugait and Muhannad Shono will also be opening up their studios at Jax District to the public this week, allowing audiences to discover their creative spaces and learn more about their artistic processes. 'When we talk about the richness and depth and breadth of everything that's happening here, there's no way we can capture it in one exhibition,' Amin says. 'Part of Art Week Riyadh is really asking that everyone open their doors for all of us to be able to discover what's happening. That discovery will vary from studio to studio, entity to entity. Each organisation has a different language and a different focus. That richness is really important for us when understanding what Art Week Riyadh is trying to do.' Art Week Riyadh 2025 runs until April 13
The National
07-04-2025
- The National
Art Week Riyadh: Inaugural city-wide event is proposing a new way of discovering art
In Le grand miroir du monde, or the great mirror of the world, thousands of mirrored shards are arranged in a rectangle spanning several metres. The work by Algerian-French artist Kader Attia captures the fragmented state of the world while also suggesting that something new and beautiful may arise from the broken pieces. The installation is the opening piece of Art Week Riyadh's curated section at the Jax District. The scale and nature of the work effectively and immediately sets the tone of the event. It makes it clear from the outset that the inaugural Art Week Riyadh is not an art fair. Rather, the event presents something new – a city-wide initiative that aims to celebrate and bolster the Saudi capital's art scene. 'We thought about ways in which we could create platforms that would allow for connectivity, increased awareness, dialogue, debate, exchange, and at the same time, shed a light on the many actors that play a part in the arts landscape of Saudi Arabia,' Dina Amin, chief executive of the Visual Arts Commission, says. 'We envisioned and envisaged an art week that would be a new model, which would move away from the traditional format of being a commercially inclined event and one that would be culturally focused,' she says. This position is particularly evident in At The Edge, the curated section of Art Week Riyadh and the centrepiece for the event. More than 30 local and international galleries are showcasing works as part of the curated section at the Jax District. By not basing their selections on the priority of sales, galleries are instead all putting their best foot forward. Most of the works presented are grand in scale and teeter to towards the conceptual. The exhibition is a bit like an all-star show, featuring several top names from the local and regional arts scenes. Galleria Continua is showcasing a series of works by Ahmed Mater that were produced using plastic toy gun caps, with a series of panels that spell out the words hilm (dream), hurriya (freedom) and salam (peace). Tabari Artspace is presenting Lulwah Al Homoud's 100 Names of Allah, which proposes a universal geometric language that takes cues from Ibn Muqlah's Proportional Cursive Script and the mathematical principles of the Vedic Square. Lawrie Shabibi is showcasing untitled works by Shaikha Al Mazrou that are emblematic of her use of painted metal to explore form, space and abstraction. Perrotin is showing Monira Al Qadiri's hand-blown glass series, which draws from the form of the toxic Portuguese man o' war jellyfish. Lisson Gallery is presenting the mixed media works of Wael Shawky, which reimagines familiar landscape and forms with a touch of magic realism. Efie Gallery is highlighting the large intricate textile works of Abdoulaye Konate. Ayyam Gallery is showcasing works by Faisal Samra and Safwan Dahoul. Le Lab is presenting paintings and sculptures by Khaled Zaki. There is an arresting work at every turn. 'We wanted to make it inter-generational, not only the youngest or the oldest, really everybody. This was our mission,' Vittoria Matarrese, artistic director and curator of Art Week Riyadh, says. 'With the gallery, it's important to treat them as partners. Too often, we think galleries are just vendors. But galleries are the closest persons to the artists. They discover them, let them grow, of course they also sell their works, but they also figure out how to put them in museums and institutions. 'The whole idea was really to talk to them and select works that you don't see usually in fairs,' Matarrese adds. 'For example, if you see the Wael Shawky booth with Lisson, this is a museum piece. Who ships this for an art fair? Nobody.' However, it's one thing to bring thought-provoking works, but ensuring a cohesive curation is another. The scenography was a key part in this. With an open space, and minimal divisions, the exhibition organically moves from one gallery booth to another, while also shifting across its three thematic threads: Everyday Life, Landscapes and Motifs. 'We really tried to connect it between the galleries,' Matarrese says. While At the Edge can perhaps be seen as the nucleus attraction of Art Week Riyadh – its initiatives and exhibitions are far more sprawling. Collections in Dialogue, also taking place at the Jax District, is highlighting important collections of three institutions. These include King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra), which is showcasing works by Maha Malluh, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Mohammad Alfaraj and Hazem Harb. Art Jameel is presenting works from Ahaad Alamoudi, Hiwa K, Yto Barrada and Mater. The Saudi Research and Media Group is highlighting the development of abstraction in Saudi Arabia, exhibiting artists such as Mohammed Al-Saleem, Abdulhalim Radwi, Taha Al-Sabban, Raeda Ashour, Rashed AlShashai and Zaman Jassim. The Al Mousa Centre in central Riyadh is also a major site of Art Week Riyadh. Formerly a commercial complex, the centre has grown to become a cultural attraction with 15 galleries. The institutions will be presenting a mixture of group and solo exhibitions especially put together for Art Week Riyadh. Although several exhibitions and events have been set up, it is Art Week Riyadh's public programming that seeks to animate these different elements. The programming includes a series of talks titled How to Art World? Lessons in Value. The talks, curated by writer Shumon Basar, will delve into subjects relevant to the visual arts scene in Riyadh. Participants will include cultural experts from Christie's, Sotheby's Gagosian and others. 'As a visual arts commission, we're dedicated to knowledge, knowledge awareness, knowledge exchange, transfer,' Amin says. 'It's part of our DNA as an entity.' Mater, Ayman Zedani, Marwah AlMugait and Muhannad Shono will also be opening up their studios at Jax District to the public this week, allowing audiences to discover their creative spaces and learn more about their artistic processes. 'When we talk about the richness and depth and breadth of everything that's happening here, there's no way we can capture it in one exhibition,' Amin says. 'Part of Art Week Riyadh is really asking that everyone open their doors for all of us to be able to discover what's happening. That discovery will vary from studio to studio, entity to entity. Each organisation has has a different language and a different focus. That richness is really important for us when understanding what Art Week Riyadh is trying to do.'
The National
03-04-2025
- The National
Art, music and film: 10 cultural festivals in the Mena region worth travelling to
The Middle East and North Africa is not only magnet for tourists, the region also offers a wide range of vibrant and dynamic cultural events for arts enthusiasts. From large music festivals in Morocco and Lebanon, to cutting-edge art fairs in Saudi Arabia, the region's events calendar is packed with experiences to captivate and inspire. Here are 10 events worth travelling to. The region has a new arts festival. The inaugural Art Week Riyadh will showcase works from more than 45 regional and international galleries, alongside a wide-ranging series of public talks. Running under the theme At the Edge, events will be held at various locations in the city. At Al Mousa Centre, 15 galleries will present solo and group exhibitions, while the Jax District will feature three exhibitions exploring Saudi Arabia's evolving cultural identity. The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting Art of the Kingdom, and Adaptability: Ceramics. Running for more than 30 years, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music is one of the most distinctive music gatherings. The festival in the northern Moroccan city showcases traditional and spiritual music from around the globe, while also hosting discussions that promote cross-cultural dialogue. Past events have featured an eclectic mix of artists, including the late Lebanese singer Wadih El Safi, American punk-poet Patti Smith, soul singer Ben Harper, and Qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This year's line-up will be revealed soon. The festival is one of Turkey's premier arts events. Its packed two-day programme includes art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts and philosophical discussions. While this year's line-up is yet to be announced, past guests have included authors Orhan Pamuk and Zadie Smith, artist and activist Ai Weiwei and experimental musician Laurie Anderson. North Africa's biggest music festival returned last year after a five-year hiatus, and it normally packs a bumper line-up of regional and international stars. This year looks no different with Hollywood star and rapper Will Smith announcing he will begin his European tour in Rabat. Held in venues across the Moroccan capital, Mawazine is a perfect opportunity to explore Rabat's neighbourhoods. Best of all, most of the concerts are free. Expect crowds of at least 50,000 for shows on the main stages. Launched in 2020, the festival emerged from the severe disruptions of the pandemic to become one of the region's most vibrant film gatherings. Screenings and discussions are held in venues across the Jordanian capital, ranging from open-air cinemas and cultural centres to independent theatres. While it boasts a strong international programme of feature films, documentaries and shorts, the festival is also a platform for new voices from the Arab world. Past festivals have welcomed acclaimed figures such as filmmaker Nadine Labaki and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman. The festival in the ancient Roman city of Jerash has hosted generations of revered singers in its historic amphitheatre, surrounded by breathtaking archaeological ruins, over almost four decades. Celebrating the Arab world's rich musical heritage, past performers have included Lebanese star Fairouz, Iraqi singer Kadim Al Sahir and Jordan's own Omar Al Abdallat. Come for the sounds, stay for the sights. The Baalbeck International Festival is the crown jewel of Lebanon's cultural calendar and a landmark event in the Arab world, having run for nearly 70 years. Its roster of past performers reads like a who's who of music history, with Umm Kulthum, Fairouz, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald gracing its stage. Audiences can expect another rich line-up spanning classical music, Arabic pop and contemporary dance. While the official programme and dates have yet to be announced, local media reports suggest the festival will begin on July 25, with events typically unfolding over two to three weeks. The El Gouna Film Festival, set against the stunning backdrop of Egypt's Red Sea coast, has become one of the region's most glamorous cinematic gatherings. It may not yet carry the gravitas of Morocco's Marrakesh International Film Festival, but El Gouna more than makes up for it with its star-studded guest list, red-carpet premieres and a strong programme of Arabic cinema and international films. Past attendees include actress Hend Sabry, director Mohamed Diab, and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker. Visa For Music spotlights emerging artists from the Mena region through a dynamic programme of showcases, conferences and networking sessions. Each day features multiple performances across Rabat, covering a broad spectrum of genres from Moroccan Gnawa to the desert blues of Mali. Since its launch in 2014, the festival has helped to launch the careers of acts including the Moroccan-French fusion band Bab L'Bluz and the Sudanese group Alsarah and The Nubatones. Initially conceived as a lead-up to the mammoth Soundstorm music festival in Riyadh a week later, XP Music Futures has since grown into an event in its own right. Blending industry panels, masterclasses and workshops by day with high-energy concerts by night, the festival spans multiple stages and showcases the latest sounds emerging from Saudi Arabia and the wider region. It's an exciting convergence of music, creativity and forward-thinking dialogue that's defining the region's sonic future.
