Works by Mohammed Al Saleem throughout the exhibition are on loan courtesy of Riyadh Art collection, The Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
AlUla, Saudi Arabia, Jan 30: This week marked the official opening of Desert X AlUla 2026, the landmark fourth edition of the international, open-air biennial exhibition. Arts AlUla, in collaboration with Desert X, welcomes visitors to experience a stellar line-up of Saudi and international multi-generational artists whose site-responsive earthworks, sculptures, and installations will engage in a powerful dialogue with the awe-inspiring landscapes and layered heritage of AlUla.
As a premier destination rich in ancient history and breathtaking nature, AlUla, located in Northwest Saudi Arabia, solidifies its position on the global stage as a dynamic, emerging land art destination with Desert X AlUla, the region’s first public art biennale, and a key highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival.
The 2026 edition of Desert X AlUla brings together 11 acclaimed artists whose diverse works reflect a wide spectrum of ideas, materials, and traditions. From monumental kinetic sculpture to sound-based explorations above and below ground, each commission is deeply rooted in relationships to AlUla’s distinctive environment, further cementing Desert X AlUla’s reputation as a globally significant platform for site-responsive land art.
Desert X AlUla runs until February 28, 2026, as a cornerstone of the annual AlUla Arts Festival. Curated by Wejdan Reda, Zoé Whitley, with artistic direction by Neville Wakefield, and Raneem Farsi, its fourth edition explores ‘Space Without Measure.’ Inspired by Kahlil Gibran, the theme fosters contemplation of imagination within AlUla’s natural settings. The exhibition, set in the desert canyons of AlUla, serves as a pre-opening programme for Wadi AlFann, offering a pivotal glimpse into AlUla’s plans to create a permanent land art ‘Valley of the Arts’.
Hamad Alhomiedan, Director of Arts & Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), said: “At Desert X AlUla 2026, audiences will engage with art that deeply converses with AlUla’s unique landscapes and rich heritage. These compelling commissions highlight AlUla’s dynamic transformation into a major global destination, where ancient and contemporary expressions converge. This exhibition is part of our broader revitalisation of AlUla as a culturally rich destination to live, work and visit and integral to positioning AlUla in the global dialogue of contemporary art and as a precursor to monumental projects like Wadi AlFann.”
Participating artist/artworks are:
· Sara Abdu, A Kingdom Where No One Dies: Contours of Resonance
· Mohammad Alfaraj, What was the Question Again?
· Mohammed AlSaleem, The Thorn, AlShuruf Unit, The Triangles, Flower Bud, and Al Ahilla (courtesy of Royal Commission for Riyadh City)
· Tarek Atoui , The Water Song
· Bahraini-Danish, Bloom
· Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Imole Red
· Agnes Denes, The Living Pyramid
· Ibrahim El-Salahi, Haraza Tree
· Basmah Felemban, Murmur of Pebbles
· Vibha Galhotra , Future Fables
· Héctor Zamora, Tar HyPar
