Aişe Hümeyra Akgün
31 January 2026•Update: 31 January 2026
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia
The third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened Friday in Saudi Arabia, bringing together more than 65 artists from more than 37 countries.
Rakan Al-Touq, assistant minister of culture and vice chairman of the board of trustees of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, said the country has undergone a qualitative transformation in its contemporary art scene in recent years.
“By organizing biennales, launching artist residency programs, developing museums, and offering grants and professional opportunities to artists, our country has contributed to redrawing the regional cultural map,” said Altouq. He added that the efforts align with Saudi Arabia’s position, potential and capacity to become a leading hub for cultural and creative mobility.
Co-artistic director Sabih Ahmed said the biennale aims to open space for asking critical questions on how society and culture can be rethought through new lexicons, images and chantings.
“Developing the curatorial premise of this edition, the question we asked ourselves was not how this place appears to the world, rather how does the world appear from here. One way that it appears is through a dense network of lines that include journeys, winds, birds, modern supply chains, storms and plagues and viruses. Rather than mapping, excavating, archiving or witnessing, the Biennale stages a choreography of the fragments of history.”
Titled "In Interludes and Transitions,” the exhibition is organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. The event is the first biennale ever held in the kingdom.
The exhibit will be open to visitors through May 2.
