Lucy + Jorge Orta: From Root to Rain

LUCY + JORGE ORTA: FROM ROOT TO RAIN

Lucy and Jorge Orta present their third solo exhibition at Jane Lombard Gallery in New York, titled "From Root to Rain." The show features a diverse range of media, including paintings, embroideries, tapestries, and film, all stemming from over three decades of collaborative research into ecological instability. The works bridge disparate geographic regions, from the Amazon rainforest to the Saudi Arabian desert, translating scientific data and field research into poetic visual forms that address climate change, migration, and environmental resilience.

Dana Awartani on Representing Saudi Arabia at the 61st Venice Biennale

Dana Awartani, an artist based in Jeddah, will represent Saudi Arabia at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, with her pavilion located in the Arsenale under the theme 'Celebrating Visions.' In an interview with ArtReview, Awartani discusses her exhibition, which builds on her practice of foregrounding Arab cultural histories and preserving the region's material heritage. She connects her work to the Biennale's theme 'In Minor Keys' by focusing on repair, healing, and the quiet consequences of conflict, emphasizing craft as a form of quiet resistance against mechanization. The pavilion, she says, reflects the diversity of voices within Saudi Arabia's artistic community rather than a single national narrative.

Marcello Dantas Named Curator of 2027–29 Vancouver Biennale

The Vancouver Biennale has appointed Brazilian artist and documentary filmmaker Marcello Dantas as senior curator for its 2027–29 edition. Dantas, currently art director at the immersive museum Ster Ik in Tulum, Mexico, recently cocurated the 2024 iteration of Saudi Arabia's Desert X AlUla with Maya El Khalil. He has previously organized exhibitions for artists including Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, Shirin Neshat, and Bill Viola, and curated a project by Vik Muniz for the 2013–15 Vancouver Biennale. Dantas plans to shape the event by addressing the city's corporate real estate development alongside its First Nations and colonial history, exploring themes of displacement and belonging.

"One of the most dramatic Biennales": 11 unmissable art shows to see at Venice

Theo Christelis reports from the opening week of the 2024 Venice Biennale, describing it as one of the most dramatic editions in recent memory. Key events include the death of main curator Koyo Kouoh and German Pavilion artist Henrike Naumann, the resignation of the prize jury over the participation of Israel and Russia, a protest by Pussy Riot, and a boycott by half the participating artists. Amid the turmoil, Christelis highlights unmissable shows including the Indian Pavilion (returning after seven years), Jenny Saville at Ca' Pesaro, Michael Armitage at Palazzo Grassi, and presentations at the British, Japanese, and Saudi Arabian Pavilions.

‘An institution where you delve into works’: details of AlUla Contemporary Art Museum announced

The Royal Commission for AlUla has announced further details about the forthcoming AlUla Contemporary Art Museum, designed by architect Lina Ghotmeh. The museum's curatorial vision, centered on heritage, environment, and community, was unveiled alongside the opening of a preview exhibition, 'Arduna,' co-curated with the Centre Pompidou. The institution plans to build deep, long-term relationships with artists, acquiring comprehensive bodies of work, archives, and unrealized projects to be digitized and made accessible.

In the bag: Sotheby’s inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week finds success with Birkins and bling

Sotheby’s inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi (2-5 December) achieved a total of $133.4m across five live auctions held on a beachfront stage. The sale featured luxury items including a Hermès Birkin Voyageur owned by Jane Birkin ($2.9m), a 31.68-carat pink diamond called The Desert Rose ($8.8m), and a Patek Philippe watch set that became the second most valuable watch sold in Sotheby’s history ($11.9m). No art was offered, but the auction house sold 50 items privately, including the world’s largest fancy deep green diamond. The sell-through rate was strong, with only one piece of real estate and a couple of cars unsold, outperforming Sotheby’s earlier Saudi Arabia sale.

Star drawing from world’s largest private Rembrandt collection could bring $15m at auction

Billionaire entrepreneur Thomas S. Kaplan and his wife Daphne Recanati Kaplan are selling Rembrandt's drawing *Young Lion Resting* (circa 1638-42) from their Leiden Collection, one of the world's largest private holdings of 17th-century Dutch art. Sotheby's announced on November 3 that the work will be auctioned during its Old Masters sales in New York on February 4, 2026, with a pre-sale estimate of $15 million to $20 million. Proceeds from the sale will benefit Panthera, a wild-cat conservation organization co-founded by Kaplan and philanthropist Jonathan Ayers, marking the 20th anniversary of the organization's founding.

North America's 1st large-scale manga exhibit opens at San Francisco's De Young Museum

San Francisco's De Young Museum has opened North America's first large-scale exhibition of manga art, featuring over 600 works spanning comic books, fine art, and animated features. Curated by Nicole Rousmaniere, the show includes pieces by artist Mari Yamazaki, who blends classical painting with manga storytelling, and highlights globally popular titles like "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure." The exhibition runs through January.

Christie’s celebrates the late Syrian artist Marwan with non-selling London show

Christie’s is presenting a non-selling exhibition titled "Marwan: A Soul in Exile" at its London headquarters this summer, featuring over 150 works by the late Syrian artist Marwan (1934-2016). The show draws from major private and institutional collections including the Barjeel Art Foundation, the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation, the Pinault Collection, and the Berlinische Galerie. This marks Christie’s third such non-selling exhibition of Arab art in London over the past three summers, following shows focused on Arab artists from the Barjeel collection and Saudi artist Ahmed Mater. The exhibition coincides with Christie’s 25th anniversary in the UAE and a broader surge in the Middle Eastern art market, including a recent white-glove sale for its online Modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art auction in Dubai.

Ahead of new fair in 2026, Qatar takes centre stage at Art Basel

Qatar is making a major push at Art Basel this week, highlighted by the announcement of Art Basel Qatar, a new fair launching in February 2026. Models of upcoming cultural venues, including the Herzog & de Meuron-designed Lusail Museum, are on display in the Collectors Lounge, while Qatar Airways has announced a global partnership with Art Basel. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani made a rare public appearance, speaking on a panel about the country's cultural ambitions and the role of art in addressing post-colonial identity and conflict.

Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art and Saudi Arabia strike deal to collaborate on exhibitions, conservation and more

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) has signed a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia's Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) to collaborate on exhibitions, conservation, research, and staff exchanges. The deal, signed on May 14 by NMAA director Chase Robinson and RCU CEO Abeer AlAkel, focuses on the ancient site of Dadan, a capital of the Lihyanite and Dadanite civilizations. The partnership covers joint conservation and research projects, exhibition loans, and professional development over four years.

Why is the art market turning Gulf-wards?

The art market is shifting its focus toward the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, following a sharp decline in Chinese luxury goods sales (18–20% drop in 2024) and a 31% slump in Chinese art sales. Auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s have established outposts in Saudi Arabia, with Sotheby’s first auction in Diriyah generating $17.3 million and attracting 35% new buyers. The UAE’s tax-haven status and lack of sanctions on Russians have drawn wealthy residents, while Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 campaign, led by Mohammed bin Salman, is pouring money into cultural projects such as AlUla, Art Week Riyadh, the Islamic Arts Biennale, and a new teamLab Borderless museum in Jeddah.

bonhams first saudi arabia exhibition

Bonhams, the New York-based auction house, will hold its first exhibition in Saudi Arabia next month. Titled "Judhoor / Roots: The Origins of Saudi Modernism," the three-day show opens October 8 at the LIFT Gallery in Riyadh's JAX District, followed by a London auction on November 25. The exhibition surveys Saudi modern art from early pioneers like Abdulrahman Al Soliman, Safeya Binzagr, and Mohammed Al Saleem to later generations, highlighting works such as Al Saleem's horizon paintings and Al Soliman's 1981 depiction of Al-Ahsa oasis made with local soil. It also features archival material from Dar Al-Funoon, Saudi Arabia's first modern art space, and foregrounds female voices, including Binzagr, the first woman to stage a solo exhibition in the kingdom. A panel discussion will accompany the show, cohosted by collectors Taha Al Kuwaiz and Muneera Al Touq.

Why the inaugural Art Week Riyadh was a fair in everything but name

The inaugural Art Week Riyadh (AWR), organized by Saudi Arabia's Visual Arts Commission, took place from April 6-13 in the Jax district of Diriyah. Though officially billed as a non-commercial curated exhibition, the event functioned much like an art fair, with 32 galleries displaying available works, price lists visible on stands, and sales conducted throughout the week. The main exhibition, titled "At The Edge," was curated by Vittoria Matarrese with associate curators Basma Harasani and Victoria Gandit Lelandais, featuring galleries from Saudi Arabia and the wider region. Standout presentations included works by Ayesha Sultana, Mohamed Bourouissa, Mohammed Al Resayes, and Miramar Al Nayyar, alongside a moving image section and a satellite program of open studios and gallery shows.

Riyadh continues to bet big on public art: over 100 new works to be installed in the Saudi capital in the coming years

Riyadh continua a scommettere forte sull’arte pubblica: nei prossimi anni oltre 100 nuove opere installate nella capitale saudita

Saudi Arabia is significantly expanding its Riyadh Art public art initiative, with plans to install over 100 new monumental works across the capital city in the coming years. Following the recent Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 event, which added 25 stone and metal sculptures to the permanent collection, the city has announced 12 new site-specific installations by high-profile international artists including Anselm Kiefer, El Anatsui, and Manal AlDowayan. The project aims to reach a total of 115 new commissions, building upon a collection that already features masters like Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and Giuseppe Penone.

Choreography Instead of Cartography

Choreografie statt Kartografie

The third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, titled "In Interludes and Transitions," has opened in the JAX District of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Featuring works by approximately 70 artists across five converted warehouses, the exhibition is curated by Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed with a scenography designed by Formafantasma. Despite regional geopolitical tensions, the event showcases major installations by international artists such as Petrit Halilaj and Thao Nguyen Phan, emphasizing a "choreographic" rather than cartographic approach to global art.

Château-Chinon unveils the astonishing gifts of President François Mitterrand

Château-Chinon déballe les étonnants cadeaux du président François Mitterrand

The Cité des présents-François Mitterrand, formerly the Musée du Septennat, has reopened in Château-Chinon, France, after a renovation. The museum displays thousands of diplomatic gifts received by President François Mitterrand during his 14-year tenure (1981–1995), including a portrait of Prince Charles, a vermeil oasis from the king of Saudi Arabia, and taxidermy lions from the Central African Republic. The collection of 4,800 objects spans 80 countries, with one-third donated by French citizens. The site also houses a fashion museum featuring 5,000 pieces from the 17th century to contemporary designers like Alexis Mabille and Yves Saint Laurent.

« Le monde entier semble s’être mis en mouvement, animé par une soif d’expériences culturelles »

The article explores the transformation of cultural travel for artists and art lovers, contrasting the arduous, unknown journeys of historical figures like Eugène Delacroix, Paul Gauguin, and Ella Maillart with today's accessible, curated experiences. It describes how contemporary artists such as Ólafur Elíasson, JR, and Marina Abramović now use travel itself as a medium, creating works that engage with climate change, social issues, and presence. Destinations like the Venice Biennale, AlUla in Saudi Arabia, Naoshima in Japan, and Le Voyage à Nantes are highlighted as hubs where art and travel merge into immersive, sensory experiences.

With Nearly 30,000 Clay Earth Bricks, Dana Awartani Remakes History in the Saudi Arabia Pavilion

Dana Awartani, a Jeddah- and New York-based artist of mixed Palestinian, Saudi, Jordanian, and Syrian descent, has created the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale using nearly 30,000 clay earth bricks. The installation, titled "May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones," replicates traditional mosaic motifs sourced from over 20 cultural heritage sites across the Arab world that have been destroyed by human conflict. Awartani emphasizes collaboration, crediting numerous skilled craftsmen—economic migrants to Saudi Arabia—who worked alongside her, and her practice blends formal training at Central St. Martins with Islamic geometry and illumination studies in Turkey.

saudi arabia commission mural domingo zapata

Saudi Arabia has commissioned New York-based artist Domingo Zapata to create what is being billed as the world's largest mural, spanning 540,000 square feet. The project, part of the $63 billion Diriyah cultural zone development in Riyadh, is backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and will involve a team of about 100 artists working over four to six years, with Zapata describing it as having "a blank check" for creative freedom.

tuwaiq sculpture returns to riyadh with monumental new works

The seventh edition of the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium has opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Titled "Traces of What Will Be," the month-long event features 25 international artists creating large-scale, site-specific sculptures in a public, live-sculpting phase. The open-air exhibition showcases works made from local stone and reclaimed materials, responding to themes of memory, sustainability, and the relationship between humans and their environment.

israel pavilion venice biennale belu simion fainaru protest

Israel will officially participate in the 2026 Venice Biennale, two years after its pavilion closed amid protests. The pavilion will be located in the Arsenale rather than its usual Giardini site, which is under construction. Representing Israel is sculptor Belu-Simion Fainaru, a Haifa-based artist and Israel Prize winner, who previously represented Romania at the 2019 Biennale. His pavilion, titled "Rose of Nothingness," will feature an installation about water inspired by poet Paul Celan's concept of black milk, with 16 pipes dripping black water into a pool. The pavilion is curated by Sorin Heller and Avital Bar-Shay. However, the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) has renewed its protest, calling the pavilion the "Genocide Pavilion" on Instagram and demanding Israel's exclusion from the Biennale.

riyadh art tuwaiq sculpture 2026 launches open call

Riyadh Art has launched an open call for the seventh edition of Tuwaiq Sculpture, scheduled for January and February 2026 under the theme 'Traces of What Will Be.' The open call runs from August 27 to October 1, 2025, inviting sculptors worldwide to submit proposals for a live sculpting experience in Riyadh. Twenty-five artists will be selected to create original works that will be permanently installed across the city. An international curatorial team has been announced: U.K.-based Sarah Staton, German-born Rut Blees Luxemburg, and Saudi artist Lulwah Al Homoud. The edition introduces two new sculpting categories—Granite + Stainless Steel Integration and Reclaimed Metal—and selected artists receive an honorarium plus travel and accommodation support.

Saudi Arabia looks to its Modern art history as the art world eyes up the Gulf

Saudi Arabia is actively showcasing its Modern art history through major exhibitions and sales. The 'Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement' at the National Museum in Riyadh features over 250 works by 73 artists from the 1960s-1980s, highlighting pioneering figures like Mounirah Mosly and Safeya Binzagr. Simultaneously, the Desert X AlUla exhibition is displaying monumental, long-unseen sculptures by Modernist artist Mohammed AlSaleem.

Lina Ghotmeh: ‘Museums should go beyond conservation to foster exchange, reflection and critical thinking’

In February 2025, Beirut-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh won the competition to oversee the remodelling of the Western Range of the British Museum, a series of galleries comprising one-third of the historic London institution. Her project team includes conservation specialists Purcell and engineers Arup. Ghotmeh, known for her human-centred, sustainable approach and her 'archaeology of the future' methodology, has previously designed the Stone Garden tower in Beirut and the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion in London. She also holds commissions for a contemporary art museum in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, a Venice Biennale pavilion for Qatar, and the Bahrain Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka.

Pompidou to launch outpost near Unesco heritage site of Iguaçu falls in Brazil

The Centre Pompidou has signed a five-year partnership with Brazil to open its first South American outpost near the Iguaçu falls, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the city of Foz do Iguaçu. Scheduled to launch in November 2027, the 10,000 sq. m. museum will be designed by Paraguayan architect Solano Benitez, with a construction budget of R$200 million ($36 million). The venue will host exhibitions, live performances, festivals, film screenings, lectures, and artist residencies focused on the cultures of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.

New Flagship Space for SAMoCA Announced As Part of Saudi Vision 2030

The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA) will receive a new flagship space as part of the government-backed Diriyah Company's Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. The museum, financed by a $490 million grant from the Diriyah Company (owned by the Public Investment Fund), will be designed by British architecture firm Godwin Austen Johnson and built by Albawani Company and Hassan Allam Construction – Saudi Arabia. Spanning 77,000 square meters, the project is part of the $63.2 billion Diriyah giga-project aimed at transforming the city into a premier cultural destination.

unesco launches museum looted cultural objects

UNESCO has launched the world's first virtual museum of stolen cultural objects, featuring thousands of artifacts viewable in 3D. The initiative was announced at UNESCO's World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development in Barcelona, designed by architect Francis Kéré in collaboration with Interpol, with funding from Saudi Arabia. The museum is organized by geographic region and includes sections like the "stolen cultural objects gallery" and a "return and restitution room" that highlights recovered items, such as a bronze Buddha statue from China's Ming Dynasty and a Syrian gold pendant looted from the Palmyra Museum.

From oil to canvas: Saudi Arabia’s emerging art economy

Saudi Arabia's art market reached a significant milestone with Sotheby’s second "Origins" auction in Riyadh, headlined by the $2.1 million sale of Safeya Binzagr’s painting "Coffee Shop in Madina Road." This record-breaking event, which nearly doubled its high estimate, underscores the rapid growth of the Kingdom’s art economy under the Vision 2030 plan. The auction saw a mix of local and international buyers, signaling that Saudi artists are increasingly being integrated into the global contemporary art dialogue.

The Procession as a Form of World: Latin American Artists at the Diriyah Biennale

LA PROCESIÓN COMO FORMA DE MUNDO: ARTISTAS LATINOAMERICANOS EN LA BIENAL DE DIRIYAH

The third Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, titled 'In Interludes and Transitions,' is open until May 2nd in Saudi Arabia's historic Diriyah district. Curated by Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed, the exhibition features 68 artists from over 37 countries and frames the world as a multitude of processions, using movement as its central theme and methodology. The exhibition design by Formafantasma encourages a fluid, nomadic journey through four thematic movements and site-specific 'arenas' within the repurposed industrial halls of the JAX creative district.