RIYADH: Riyadh Art, led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, recently announced the continued evolution of its permanent public art collection, with newly installed works unveiled across the capital and additional installations planned through 2026 and beyond.
The expanding program places large-scale artworks across public spaces, enriching the everyday lives of residents while contributing to Riyadh’s development as an international hub for the arts and culture.
As part of one of the most extensive public art programs globally, the Permanent Collection currently includes 75 installed artworks throughout the capital, with an additional 115 installations planned through 2026 and beyond.
The collection brings together 100 international artists from 47 countries, including Alexander Calder, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, Giuseppe Penone, and Ugo Rondinone, alongside 35 Saudi artists such as Zaman Jassim, Mohammed Al-Saleem, and many others, creating world-class public art experiences across the city.
Integrated across streets, neighborhoods, cultural landmarks, and key routes of movement, artworks are experienced through the daily rhythms of the city.
Shaped by local context and informed by dialogue with leading contemporary international and Saudi artists, the collection reflects Riyadh Art’s approach to public art as a civic act that is enduring and accessible.
Major new future installations include 12 site-specific, monumental-in-scale, sculptures and urban interventions positioned along major transport corridors.
These works were commissioned via an international competition process, which received 161 applications, with 72 artists shortlisted and 70 final proposals submitted.
The final selection includes internationally recognized artists such as Manal Al-Dowayan, El Anatsui, Janet Echelman, Anselm Kiefer, Idris Khan, and Ryoji Ikeda. These contributions shape a collection that spans key routes of movement and civic settings across Riyadh.
“Public art has the ability to meet people where they are,” said Bader Shenafi, senior director of Riyadh Art. “Each artwork responds closely to how people move through the city and gradually becomes part of public life rather than an isolated landmark.”
Recent installations include “Janey Waney” by Alexander Calder, which is a monumental standing mobile — constructed from painted sheet metal elements connected by rods — that exemplifies his mature exploration of balance, color, and movement within abstract form.
The “Phase of Nothingness” by Nobuo Sekine at Sports Boulevard, showcases material restraint and balance that engage directly with the sculptures surroundings.
At the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Giuseppe Penone’s “In the Balance” introduces an organic sculptural form reflecting time, nature, and human intervention.
At the King Abdullah Financial District, “Family Tree” by Subodh Gupta uses everyday domestic objects to reflect on memory and collective experience.
Located along a major intersection, “Golden Dune” by Zaman Jassim is experienced through motion, responding to rhythm and flow within the urban landscape, while at Al-Kharj Road and Southern Ring Road, “Untitled” by Ahmed Angawi combines geometric steel forms with a sound element.
Installed over the pedestrian bridge at the intersection of King Abdulaziz Road and Hisham Ibn Abd Al-Malek Road, “Run Beyond” by Angelo Bonello engages directly with a site defined by circulation and connection.
Elevated above the roadway, the artwork transforms a point of crossing into a visual landmark, integrating movement, light, and infrastructure within the urban environment.
In the Diplomatic Quarter, Jeff Koons’ “Diamond (Red)” and Anish Kapoor’s “Sky Mirror, Blue” engage public space through color and reflection.
The collection also includes works by Mohammed Al-Saleem (1939–1997), a foundational figure of Saudi modernism. His sculptural works were recently presented at Desert X AlUla.
Created in the 1980s, these geometric works have been acquired and restored by Riyadh Art and will be permanently installed across the city later this year.
As the Permanent Collection expands, Riyadh Art remains committed to integrating art into the city’s evolving landscape.
Through the sustained installation of permanent public artworks, art becomes a civic presence that grows with the city, shaping how the Riyadh is experienced today and into the future.
