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.
The commission signals Saudi Arabia's massive investment in cultural infrastructure as part of its Vision 2030 diversification plans, using monumental public art to shape its global image. The project highlights the kingdom's strategy of leveraging high-profile, spectacle-driven art to attract international attention, while also raising questions about the art world's engagement with such state-backed initiatives and the profile of an artist known more for celebrity connections than critical acclaim.