Which Artists Are Showing at Desert X AlUla 2024?
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Under the theme of 'In the Presence of Absence', Desert X AlUla 2024, a recurring and temporary, site-responsive, international open-air art exhibition taking place in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, has commissioned 15 artworks to explore that which cannot be seen.

This year's exhibition, curated by Maya El Khalil and Marcello Dantas with artistic direction from Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield, unfolds in the desert landscape of Wadi AlFann, among the black lava stone terrain and Harrat Uwayrid, and at the AlManshiyah Plaza, which features the carefully preserved AlUla Railway Station, revealing the many layers of history and cultural confluence in AlUla.

Desert X AlUla takes place as a highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival, which runs from 9 February to 2 March 2024.

'The desert, often perceived as a place of emptiness, gradually unveils its intricate layers of existence as one immerses in it,' Dantas.

'We challenged the artists participating in Desert X AlUla 2024 to adjust their perspective to encounter the unseen aspects of the place with reverence, attuning to the forces, rhythms and processes that shape the landscape in imperceptible ways,' said El Khalil.

'In response to this, the artists have developed innovative and dynamic works that address profound topics such as trade, migration and time that are relevant to the region and connect with the wider world,' she said.

Desert X AlUla has unveiled the names of the artists behind 15 newly commissioned works, that will be on show in the Saudi desert from 9 February to 23 March.

Artist duo Nojoud Alsudairi and Sara Alissa pick up on this year's exhibition title, In the Presence of Absence, with their work Invisible Possibilities: When the Earth Began to Look at Itself.

Harnessing the intangible, Karola Braga (Brazil) will share the scents of frankincense and myrrh, while Whistleblower by Kader Attia (Algeria/France) channels the wind to create a haunting sound that evokes concern for the planet.

Ibrahim Mahama (Ghana) has scattered terracotta pots across the landscape to suggest new ecosystems. Giuseppe Penone (Italy), meanwhile, looks back through time through his use of fossilised tree trunks.

Five sculptural forms by Rand Abdul Jabbar (Iraq) reference Roman goddess Venus. Monira Al Qadiri (Kuwait) draws inspiration from a different myth, told by people in the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula, that pearls originated in outer space.

Playing with colour and shine, Bosco Sodi (Mexico) has wrapped volcanic rocks in gold, Kimsooja (South Korea) has created an iridescent-walled cylinder that visitors can enter, and Aseel AlYaqoub (Kuwait) has made a work inspired by the 'desert varnish', a yellow, orange, red, brown, or black patina that forms on rocks in arid environments.

Ayman Yossri Daydban (Saudi-Palestine) outlined a football pitch with white stones gathered from across the valley for his commission, while Caline Aoun (Lebanon) has polished stones on one side to better reflect the sun for hers.

Also utilising the sun are duo Pascal Hachem and Rana Haddad (Lebanon), whose tower made from rammed earth jars is decorated with geometric cuts that cast light and shadow.

Faisal Samra (Saudi Arabia) traces the history of the Wadi AlFann valley back to an ancient crack in the rock. Lastly, Filwa Nazer (Saudi Arabia) has made an elevated steel mesh walkway that resembles the undulating form of a great black snake.

The exhibition will also include an extensive programme of events for visitors and local communities including curator and artist talks, primary school visits and art workshops on themes ranging from collage and model making to print making and photography.

Music events taking place during Desert X AlUla include traditional Saudi dance, ambient compositions, and live radio broadcasts. This includes a special commission realised by Tino Sehgal, who emphasises the interaction between natural elements of the desert and human intervention through movement and sound.

'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,' said artistic directors Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield. —[O]