Riyadh Art has announced its inaugural event Noor Riyadh, the annual festival of light and art, set to take place starting March 18.
Over 60 artists from 20 countries will be exhibiting, with close to 40 percent hailing from Saudi Arabia, in what is the first in a series of art-focused events designed to turn Riyadh into a “gallery without walls,” according to a statement released earlier on Thursday.
Riyadh Art is one of the four major projects under the mandate of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, encompassing more than 1,000 public art installations across ten programs and supported by two annual festivals, one of which is Noor Riyadh.
Nour Riyadh includes over 60 artworks including large scale public installations across Riyadh, a landmark exhibition Light upon Light: Light Art since the 1960s, and a diverse program of special activities including tours, talks, workshops, family activities, film and music, many of which are available online to reach a wider audience.
The event is expected to leave a lasting legacy, inspiring creative expression and nurturing the city’s creative economy, according to the statement.
The project comes to transform the capital of Saudi Arabia into one of the world’s most liveable, environmentally friendly and sustainable cities in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals, stated His Highness Prince Badr bin Farhan Al-Saud, Royal Commission for Riyadh City Board Member and Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Riyadh Art project.
The artists-mix for Noor Riyadh includes renowned international artists such as Daniel Burn and Yayoi Kusama while still highlighting local emerging artists. Among the Saudi artists are Ahmed Mater, Lulwah Al Homoud and Ayman Zedani.
The theme for Noor Riyadh is Under One Sky and alludes to the universal human impulse to gather around light, to look into the flames of a campfire and to gaze at the stars, Noor meaning light in Arabic.
Encompassing all forms of light art, including sculptures, projections, interactive shows, kinetic and immersive pieces, Noor Riyadh brings outdoor citywide installations to the residents of Riyadh.
The citywide installations include more than 30 works of art across multiple locations with two main hubs, the King Abdullah Financial District and the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, and will illuminate the city from March 18 to April.
The Light upon Light exhibition of lights, which also showcases 30 light installation, will stay on until June 12 at the King Abdullah Financial District Conference Center.
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