RIYADH: Noor Riyadh 2023, the annual festival of light and art, on Tuesday announced dates and a new theme for its third edition: “The Bright Side of the Desert Moon.”
Developed with the aim of nurturing local talent and amplifying Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy, Noor Riyadh is part of Riyadh Art, one of the largest public art initiatives in the world.
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, also a board member of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and chairman of the Steering Committee for the Riyadh Art Program, said in a statement: “Under the guidance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, our dedication to culture and the arts has opened doors for creative expression.”
The Noor Riyadh exhibition, curated by Neville Wakefield and Maya Al-Athel, will run from Nov. 30 to March 2
Noor Riyadh Festival will take place between Nov. 30 and Dec. 16, featuring over 120 works from more than 100 artists displayed across five hubs in the Saudi capital.
The festival will feature local and international artists and offer diverse workshops, thought-provoking seminars, and artistic discussions.
Prince Badr said that the participation of renowned global artists in Noor Riyadh “echoes our united vision.”
He added: “As we approach our third edition, we look forward to continuing Riyadh Art’s mission to turn the city into a dazzling gallery without walls and to ensure that art is for everyone.”
Lead curator of the festival Jerome Sans, co-founder of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, has curated biennials around the world and is the artistic director of prestigious institutions in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Curators Pedro Alonzo, Alaa Tarabzouni, and Fahad Bin Naif brought together dozens of artists from across the world and over 35 artists from the Kingdom alone.
Boston-based Alonzo is currently an adjunct curator at Dallas Contemporary in Texas.
Riyadh-based Tarabzouni and Bin Naif are also artists, with individual practices that use their architectural backgrounds to bring unique perspectives on urbanism and the built environment.
The citywide festival will illuminate Riyadh with large-scale light art installations, building projections, and performances.
The festival’s exhibition “Refracting Identities, Shared Futures” will be held at the JAX District.
Neville Wakefield — formerly of MoMA PS1, Frieze Projects, and Desert X — returns to lead the curation of the show alongside Al-Athel, who served as artistic director of the festival in 2022.
Noor Riyadh 2023 will also feature over 500 community engagement programs for visitors and families alike throughout the duration of the festival and the exhibition.
In 2022, Noor Riyadh celebrated multiple achievements, including welcoming 2.8 million visitors to the festival and winning six Guinness World Records, one of which was the largest celebration of light art in the world.
