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.
This cultural push is a key component of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a $2 trillion plan to diversify the economy beyond oil. The government's Visual Arts Commission is driving research and exhibitions to establish a national art historical narrative. However, this investment in culture is also viewed by critics as an attempt to soften the Kingdom's international image amid human rights concerns, and reports indicate some international cultural partnerships are facing funding challenges.