A new photography exhibition showcasing the desert landscapes and rich cultural history and heritage of Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region has opened on the Promenade du Larvotto. Monaco Life headed down to the open-air exhibit to meet with some of the eight artists involved in ‘AlUla: A Tapestry of Creativity’.
Between 3rd August and 3rd September, the free outside exhibition on the Promenade du Larvotto will be presenting the works of eight artists either from or connected to the region of AlUla, including Moath Alofi, Huda Beydoun, Lance Gerber, Catherine Gfeller, M’hammed Kilito, Matthieu Paley, Robert Polidori and Prince Michel de Yougoslavie.
Curated by Arts AlUla in collaboration with Experience AlUla, the exhibition consists of 23 huge, blown-up photographs that are displayed on 3m x 2m panels. The images portray the geological, archaeological and artistic elements of AlUla, a region in Saudi Arabia known for its rich cultural heritage and striking landscapes.
Speaking to Monaco Life at the opening of the exhibition, Nora Aldabal, Executive Director of AlUla’s Arts and Creative Industries, said, “AlUla is an infinite source of inspiration for artists from different eras and cultures that today once again establishes itself as an international benchmark in the world of art and culture.”
When asked about how the artists were chosen, Aldabal explained, “A lot of the artists have engaged in previous programmes or came on individual trips of exploration to AlUla, so the selections were made by a curatorial team that put together the selection of artists, but also the selection of artworks and how they would converse with the environment of AlUla.”
A glimpse into AlUla
Many of the artists attended the launch event, including Moath Alofi, who is known for capturing cultural artefacts and hidden treasures within Madinah, a historically significant city in Saudi Arabia revered as the second holiest city in Islam.
“My aim was to document the artefacts and the archaeological side of AlUla and create a sort of sense of nostalgia,” Alofi shared with Monaco Life.
Huda Beydoun, whose works feature prominently in the exhibition, has made a name for herself in Jeddah as a visual artist and fashion photographer.
She said, “I love to mesh things that might not seem like they can mix well and make a cohesive story.”
Lance Gerber, based in Southern California, focuses on the transformative effects of desert landscapes, while Catherine Gfeller, a French-Swiss artist, brings her fascination with urban environments to AlUla. M’hammed Kilito, a National Geographic Explorer from Casablanca, documents communities in geopolitically sensitive areas, and French photographer Matthieu Paley has exported his experiences documenting isolated Himalayan communities and overlain them on the Saudi Arabian region. Finally, Robert Polidori, known for his architectural photography, has captured the intersection of history and modernity in AlUla.
The exhibition aims to attract a diverse audience and draw attention to the region’s heritage and the talents of the participating artists.
“It’s really about reaching an audience that might know little about AlUla so they can learn more about it and hopefully come visit,” said Aldabal. “It’s also an opportunity to share the artistic and cultural exchange between Monaco and AlUla.”
Visitors can learn more about the art and artists through an official English, Arabic and French brochure, which is available by scanning the QR code on the back of the first panel, or by clicking here.
To see more of the exhibition, watch the Monaco Life Instagram reel below:
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Photos by Monaco Life