Third international art exhibition begins

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

From February 9 to March 23, 2024, Desert X AlUla, themed ‘In the Presence of Absence,’ showcases 15 newly commissioned artworks exploring the unseen.

Desert X AlUla, a collaborative effort between Desert X and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), hosts an international open-air art exhibition in the ancient desert region of AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Curated by Maya El Khalil and Marcello Dantas, with artistic direction from Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield, this edition features visionary contemporary pieces by Saudi and international artists.

Positioning AlUla as a global art destination, Desert X AlUla invites artists to engage with the landscape, nature, and heritage, creating works that resonate globally.

The exhibition, part of the AlUla Arts Festival, unfolds across three locations: Wadi AlFann, Harrat Uwayrid, and AlManshiyah Plaza. Artists immerse themselves in AlUla’s landscape to develop their proposals, resulting in thought-provoking installations like Sara Alissa and Nojoud Alsudairi’s “Invisible Possibilities” and Kimsooja’s “To Breathe – AlUla.”

The roster of artists includes Aseel AlYaqoub, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Bosco Sodi, Caline Aoun, Faisal Samra, Filwa Nazer, Giuseppe Penone, Ibrahim Mahama, Kader Attia, Karola Braga, Kimsooja, Monira Al Qadiri, Nojoud Alsudairi, Pascal Hachem, Rana Haddad, Rand Abdul Jabbar, and Sara Alissa.

The exhibition engages visitors with a diverse program of events, including curator talks, workshops, and music performances, enhancing the cultural dialogue initiated by Desert X AlUla.

Notably, a special commission by Tino Sehgal explores the interaction between nature and human intervention, enriching visitors’ sensory experience.

Desert X AlUla contributes to AlUla’s burgeoning arts scene, aligning with RCU’s vision for art in the landscape and fostering cultural enrichment and community engagement.

Moreover, Desert X AlUla plays a pivotal role in the development of Wadi AlFann, a forthcoming global destination for monumental land art, marking a new chapter in art history.

The exhibition also contributes to the artistic heritage of the region, with artworks acquired by RCU and displayed across AlUla.

Desert X AlUla continues to attract local and international audiences, reinforcing its significance in the global art landscape.

Marcello Dantas, Curator, Desert X AlUla 2024, says:
The desert, often perceived as a place of emptiness, gradually unveils its intricate layers of existence as one immerses in it. Desert X AlUla invites artists to create original works with a unique canvas on an unprecedented scale. As visitors explore Desert X AlUla, they’ll discover that in times of uncertainty, when the tangible is elusive, nothing is more real than the presence of the invisible. We invite visitors to encounter the limitless boundaries of imagination and discover the profound forces that silently shape our world.

Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield, Artistic Directors, Desert X AlUla 2024, say:
Taking place across three sites for the first time, this edition of Desert X AlUla will fully immerse visitors in the heritage, nature and landscape of AlUla. A crossroads of trade and culture for centuries, projects like Desert X AlUla continue AlUla’s legacy as a place of cultural exchange and dialogue. The last two editions of Desert X AlUla in 2020 and 2022 proved how AlUla’s landscape and community can inspire artists to create works that resonate with audiences around the world.

Nora Aldabal, Executive Director of Arts AlUla, says:
In AlUla, we are working towards building the next chapter of art history. Through arts initiatives such as Desert X AlUla, artists are invited to collaborate not only with other artists, but with the spectacular landscape and heritage of AlUla itself. This edition of Desert X AlUla with its striking artworks and educational and cultural programming underlines the value of arts and creativity as essential and transformative layers for enriching society, economy and quality of life.

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