Chapter 1
Abidjan's contemporary renaissance
Chapter 2
Riyadh's desert biennales
Chapter 3
Yogyakarta's collective canvas
Chapter 4
Mexico City's creative explosion
Ch 2 · Riyadh's desert biennales
BETA
andy Place giant sculptures in the sand to discover how Riyadh became a global art capital.
andy Desert X AlUla Land Art
Jump on the desert puddles (bounce, bounce, yeah!) / Glowing in the ancient canyon (oh-oh-oh!)
Glossary
biennale (noun)
A large-scale international exhibition of contemporary art held every two years. Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale was established in Riyadh's JAX District in 2021.
A large-scale international exhibition of contemporary art held every two years. Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale was established in Riyadh's JAX District in 2021.
Fun Fact
Desert art: At the first Desert X AlUla, artist Manal AlDowayan created giant puddle-like trampolines in the sand that visitors could jump on to simulate water.
Quiz
Who served as the Co-Artistic Directors for the 2026 Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale?
Quiz
How many square meters of exhibition space did the Formafantasma-designed 2026 biennale cover?