The goal of the exhibition is to commission around 20 to 25 permanent artworks over the course of 10 years. The commissions at Wadi AlFann have also partnered up with Madrasat AdDeera, and will offer educational opportunities for local communities, including practical, skills-based engagement in the process of conceiving and installing the artworks, sessions with art professionals to develop skills, and masterclasses for local creatives. The unveiling of the five artworks will be accompanied by a dynamic, engaging public program that will include performances and tours through the valley. AlDowayan’s work will display a coiled, maze-like structure inspired by the mud homes of AlUla’s ancient old town, and is named ‘The Oasis of Stories’. The artist’s works are expected to be distinctive and intriguing, with physician-turned-artist Mater’s installation for the valley, named ‘Ashab Al-Lal’, aiming to give visitors an optical illusion of seeing a mirage using a subterranean tunnel and mirrors. The site’s large-scale commissions will be overseen by Ywona Blaswick, former director of the Whitechapel Gallery in London, in her new role as Chair of AlUla’s Royal Commission on Public Art.Īll the artworks will be showcased on a plot of 65 sqkm and are expected to be submitted by 2024. The cultural hub in the Kingdom will permanently display installations by three international artists, US artists James Turrell, Agnes Denes, and Michael Heizer, and two Saudi artists, Manal AlDowayan and Ahmed Mater. Photo: Courtesy of of Athr GalleryĬontinuing to expand the cultural and artistic landscape of Saudi Arabia, The Royal Commission of AlUla (RCU), led by chairman HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has announced the plans for Wadi AlFann, meaning ‘Valley of the Arts’, and has announced five international artists who will commence on projects relating to large-scale installations. Render of Ashab Al-Lal by Ahmed Mater at Wadi AlFann.