Saudi Arabia has unveiled a large-scale installation by artist Dana Awartani at the 61st Venice Biennale, held at the Arsenale. Titled "May your tears never dry, you who weep over stones," the work covers the entire floor of the Saudi national pavilion and incorporates over 29,000 sunbaked clay bricks and mosaic patterns inspired by Islamic geometric art. The installation references 23 heritage sites across the Arab world that have been damaged or destroyed by conflict, and was produced over nearly 30,000 artisan hours with 32 craftspeople at a studio outside Riyadh. Curated by Antonia Carver with assistant curator Hafsa Alkhudairi, the piece emphasizes traditional craftsmanship and collective skill-sharing.
This installation matters because it marks Saudi Arabia's fifth participation at the Venice Biennale, signaling the Kingdom's growing investment in international cultural diplomacy and its ambition to become a regional arts hub. By centering endangered Arab heritage and using traditional, chemical-free methods, Awartani's work challenges contemporary art's often Western-centric narratives and highlights the role of cultural memory in the face of geopolitical conflict. The project also underscores the Saudi Visual Arts Commission's strategy of commissioning ambitious, site-specific works that connect local artistic traditions to global conversations.