The third edition of the land art exhibition hosts fifteen artists including Giuseppe Penone


Desert X AlUla, the international event held in the 22-square-kilometer desert oasis where the ancient Incense Route passed through, is much more than a mere art exhibition. Firstly, Saudi AlUla has recently gained global attention due to the millennia-old city of Hegra, whose archaeological site, along with Mada'in Salih, has become the nation's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three years ago, archaeological evidence was complemented by the project born from the collaboration between Desert X, the biennial from California's Coachella Valley, and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU): a true journey into art and nature that contributes to bridging human expression and the desert landscape.
Desert X AlUla is thus part of a broader development plan aimed at preserving the eponymous area, which presents itself as a sort of Petra of Saudi Arabia. By 2035, the RCU has planned the area's redevelopment through the creation of an extensive museum complex that will include galleries and outdoor exhibition spaces to promote a sustainable dialogue between history and contemporary art.







The third edition of Desert X AlUla, running from February 9 to March 23, 2024, has chosen the theme of the concept of presence opposed to that of absence, identifying a sort of coexistence between the two summarized by the title "In the Presence of Absence". Fifteen international artists have thus set to work, under the aegis of curators Maya El Khalil and Marcello Dantas. Artistic direction was instead entrusted to Raneem Farsi and Neville Wakefield.
Among the participating creatives, the Italian Giuseppe Penone stands out, who, with his installation "The Logic of the Vegetal – Metamorphosis", investigates the cycle of nature using fossilized tree trunks. Another remarkable work of the 2024 edition is that of the Franco-Algerian artist Kader Attia entitled "Whistleblower": a piece that uses the sound of the wind to stimulate reflection on the future of the planet.







In addition to Penone and Attia, the list of participants includes talents from various parts of the world such as Aseel AlYaqoub, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Bosco Sodi, Caline Aoun, Faisal Samra, Filwa Nazer, Ibrahim Mahama, Karola Braga, Kimsooja, Monira Al Qadiri, Nojoud Alsudairi, Pascal Hachem, Rana Haddad, Rand Abdul Jabbar, and Sara Alissa. Each of them spent time in AlUla precisely to draw inspiration from the desert landscape and create unique works that integrate perfectly with the surrounding environment. Additionally, for the first time since the foundation of Desert X AlUla, a special work was commissioned to an artist: this is the German Tino Sehgal who used dynamic and sound elements to explore the interaction between man and nature.
The installations are distributed in three different locations within the desert area: Wadi AlFann, Harrat Uwayrid, and AlManshiyah Plaza. This arrangement allows visitors to explore different territories, fully immersing themselves in the artistic experience.
In addition to land art, Desert X AlUla offers a rich program of collateral events: talks, conferences, workshops, and concerts that place the event within the broader framework of the Arts Festival, which includes a series of exhibitions and cultural activities. This year, the festival also hosts the sixth edition of the prestigious Ithra Art Award, which was awarded to Saudi artist Obaid Alsafi, an exhibition of portraits of the local community by Hassan Hajjaj, and the project "Oasis of Stories" by Manal AlDowayan. The latter presents drawings made by the population in a series of workshops depicting scenes of daily life and traditions. These will be reproduced on some walls, composing a permanent installation that will be completed by 2026 in Wadi AlFann, a future cultural destination in the AlUla desert.







In conclusion, Saudi Arabia seems once again to confirm its efforts in the artistic field aimed at transforming the country's image and partially diversifying its long-term national revenues. An effort that seems to extend even beyond national borders: the artist Manal AlDowayan will present a work reminiscent of land art at the next edition of the Venice Biennale, opening in April.
Therefore, despite the controversies that arose at the birth of Desert X AlUla, which saw the resignation of some executives from the American Desert X, the event emerges as one of the most important in the sector. Contemporary art blends with nature, aiming to be a lever for a broader historical and landscape enhancement of the territory.