Saudi desert art expo has been drawing crowds from around the work with it’s stunning exhibits that are merged with and take advantage of the natural and historic surroundings.
Desert X AlUla is a partnership between Desert X, a California-based art biennial that had staged two previous exhibitions in the Coachella Valley, and the Saudi government, which has contracted Desert X to curate and launch the ambitious art show at the Saudi government’s expense.
Desert X AlUla
The ambitious expo is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s drive to open Saudi society and draw in non-oil related investments and grow its tourism industry.
The exhibition will include a resort designed by Jean Nouvel, a nature reserve and an effort to repopulate such species as the Arabian leopard. Al Ula will host a permanent arts district moving forward, with Desert X being it’s first significant expo.
Al Ula’s history makes it a perfect location for the arts expo, it was built by successive civilizations spanning thousands of years, and was a place of cultural interchange due to its location at the joining point of three continents – it served as a melting pot of cultures from both the East and West. The Saudi Royal Family are looking revive this cultural heritage with Desert X AlUla.
The CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla, Amr Al-Madani, said “Desert X AlUla has become a new element of AlUla’s heritage through the use of art’s trans-formative power. Through it, we can promote the link between different points of view and find new fruitful cultural exchange opportunities to enhance friendliness and understanding among people. The exhibition represents AlUla’s cultural spirit as we continue to preserve and promote its natural and historical marvels. Culture and heritage are of big importance and we are proud to have a royal commission that supports creativity and unleashes new forms of interaction between society and the world.”
