Introduction
The Diriyah Biennale is Saudi Arabia's first large-scale international contemporary art exhibition, established as part of the country's expanding cultural landscape. Launched in 2021, the biennale takes place in Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the outskirts of Riyadh that holds profound historical significance as the birthplace of the first Saudi state. This setting creates a distinctive dialogue between contemporary artistic expression and Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage.
Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation (DBF) under the Ministry of Culture, the biennale represents a significant development in Saudi Arabia's cultural sector as part of the Vision 2030 initiative. The exhibition brings together Saudi and international artists, creating a platform for cross-cultural exchange and dialogue. Through its ambitious programming, the Diriyah Biennale aims to position Saudi Arabia as an emerging center for contemporary art in the Middle East while fostering critical engagement with both local and global artistic practices.
Narrative & Themes
The Diriyah Biennale explores themes that connect local contexts with global concerns, examining intersections between tradition and innovation, history and futurity, and individual and collective experiences. Each edition develops around a central curatorial concept that provides a framework for artistic explorations while remaining responsive to the cultural and geographical context of Diriyah.
The inaugural edition in 2021-2022, titled "Feeling the Stones," referenced Deng Xiaoping's famous phrase about "crossing the river by feeling the stones" to explore processes of transformation and adaptation in times of uncertainty and change. This theme reflected Saudi Arabia's own period of rapid social and cultural transformation while addressing universal experiences of navigating transitions and building new frameworks for the future.
A distinctive aspect of the Diriyah Biennale is its engagement with multiple temporalities—connecting Saudi Arabia's rich historical traditions with contemporary global art discourses and speculative futures. Many projects commissioned for the biennale investigate the preservation and reinterpretation of cultural heritage, the impact of technological advancement, environmental sustainability, and evolving social structures, creating a multifaceted conversation about memory, identity, and transformation in the 21st century.
History & Context
The establishment of the Diriyah Biennale in 2021 marks an important milestone in Saudi Arabia's cultural development. As the country's first contemporary art biennale, it emerged within a broader context of cultural expansion under Vision 2030, the national strategy for diversifying the economy and developing public sectors including arts and culture.
The decision to locate the biennale in Diriyah connects contemporary artistic expression with Saudi Arabia's historical and cultural foundations. Located northwest of Riyadh, Diriyah served as the capital of the first Saudi state in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Its mud-brick architecture and historical significance provide a meaningful backdrop for contemporary art that engages with questions of heritage, identity, and cultural evolution.
Diriyah Biennale Foundation established as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 cultural initiatives
Inaugural Contemporary Art Biennale opens with the theme "Feeling the Stones"
First Islamic Arts Biennale launched in Jeddah, alternating with the Contemporary Art Biennale
Expanded educational and community engagement programs developed
Second Contemporary Art Biennale planned with focus on technological and environmental themes
Cultural Heritage Integration
The Diriyah Biennale uniquely connects contemporary artistic practices with Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage. The historic setting of Diriyah, with its traditional mud-brick architecture and historical significance, creates a distinctive context for viewing contemporary art. Many commissioned projects engage directly with this setting, creating site-specific works that respond to the architectural features, historical narratives, and cultural significance of Diriyah.
The biennale's structure reflects Saudi Arabia's cultural strategy of preserving heritage while embracing contemporary expression. This approach creates meaningful dialogue between traditional and modern cultural forms, challenging simplistic binaries of "traditional" versus "contemporary" by highlighting continuities and creative reinterpretations across time.
Artistic Programming
The Diriyah Biennale features a diverse program of artistic presentations and public engagement initiatives. The core exhibition brings together works by established and emerging artists from Saudi Arabia, the broader Middle East, and international contexts. This combination creates opportunities for dialogue between local artistic practices and global contemporary art discourses while highlighting connections and distinctions between different cultural contexts.
In addition to the main exhibition, the biennale encompasses an expansive program of performances, film screenings, workshops, and educational initiatives. These parallel programs expand the biennale's reach beyond traditional exhibition formats, creating multiple points of entry for diverse audiences and fostering a more participatory engagement with contemporary art.
Saudi Artists
Showcasing local talent and perspectives
International Artists
Creating cross-cultural dialogue
New Media
Exploring digital and technological art
Public Art
Engaging with Diriyah's unique context
Exhibition Gallery
Location
The Diriyah Biennale takes place in the historic district of Diriyah, located 20 minutes northwest of downtown Riyadh. The main exhibition is housed in a repurposed industrial building in the JAX district, with additional installations and programming throughout Diriyah's historic areas.
