‘Art of The Kingdom’ Exhibition to Debut in Rio on November 13th

Between November 13th and January 12th, Rio de Janeiro's old imperial palace will host a unique collection of Saudi contemporary art. The exhibition will mark the inaugural stop of the ‘Art of the Kingdom’ traveling exhibition, an initiative by the Kingdom’s Museums Commission to introduce international audiences to Saudi Arabia’s evolving art scene.

Curated by Argentine art critic and historian Diana Weschler under the theme ‘Poetic Illuminations’, this exhibition is the first to showcase a group of contemporary Saudi artists abroad. The exhibition includes works across various media, from painting and installation to video art, by 17 prominent Saudi artists, including multidisciplinary artists Sara Abuabdallah and  Ahmed Mater, as well as installation artist Manal Al-Dowayan, who is this year’s representative for the Kingdom at the prestigious Venice Art Biennale

Though eclectic, the exhibition is united by central themes: the desert as a symbol of infinity and depth, the role of visual art in expressing Saudi cultural identity, and the evolution of the Kingdom’s art scene. The exhibition also aims to create a space for cross-cultural dialogue. Reflecting this spirit, the exhibition opens and closes with a neon light installation titled ‘Arabi/Gharbi’ (‘Arab/Foreigner’) by contemporary Saudi calligrapher Nasser Al-Salem, inviting audiences to explore the interplay between these distinct yet interconnected identities.

After its debut in Rio timed to coincide with the upcoming G20 summit, the exhibition will travel to Riyadh in early 2025, where the exhibition will be displayed at the Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art in JAX District, before concluding at the National Museum of China in Beijing at the end of the year.