Saudi Arabia's AlUla opens 2nd site-responsive desert art exhibition

Riyadh, Feb 12: Desert X AlUla, the first site-responsive art exhibition of its kind in Saudi Arabia, has launched its second edition in the kingdom's northwestern ancient city characterised by natural heritage, showcasing creative desert works of 15 artists from around the world.

Under the theme of Sarab (mirage in English), the event runs from February 11 to March 30 and aims to explore ideas of mirage and oasis, where participating artists are invited to address dreams, camouflage, fiction, appearance or disappearance, extraction, illusion and myth, and examine the dichotomy between the natural and manmade worlds, reports Xinhua news agency.

Neville Wakefield, co-artistic director of Desert X AlUla, said the landscape and history of AlUla, which has always been at the crossroads of trade and culture, have and will continue to draw people from across the globe. Nora Aldabal, arts and creative planning director at Royal Commission for AlUla, said the Saudi exhibition allows people to integrate art, nature and history together, hailing the city "a destination built and inspired by artists".

"With initiatives like Desert X AlUla, we are crafting the next chapter in AlUla's history as a cradle of artistic inspiration, transfer and expression," she noted. Building on the legacy of Desert X, produced by a non-profit charity in California, Desert X AlUla draws on principles of land art, offering a profound opportunity to experience art on a monumental scale in dialogue with nature.