Saudi Artist Conveys Diverse Environment of AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla is working to make AlUla a leading global destination for arts, heritage, culture, and nature, reported Saudi Press Agency. This effort aligns with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Therefore, the Commission is forming partnerships with various institutions and artists worldwide to deepen cultural connections. Among these partnerships, Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan has contributed several art pieces.

AlDowayan’s Art Resembles AlUla

These works convey the local society’s details in AlUla and its diverse environment. Titled “Oasis of Stories,” they are set to be displayed in 2026 at the Art Valley.

AlDowayan’s artworks also represent the participants’ homes, neighborhoods, memories, and family histories. They extend to the local flora and fauna, cooking traditions, and abstract creative expressions. Each piece mirrors the life, culture, and identity of AlUla’s inhabitants.

Manal AlDowayan explained that her participation in this project is like a library of stories. It includes an archive of narratives and identities carved by various civilizations in its rocks over centuries. It also reflects the contemporary impressions of AlUla’s residents, telling their stories in the Art Valley.

Moreover, Nora AlDabal, Executive Director of Arts and Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla, noted that AlDowayan’s works, having a long association with AlUla, explore themes of cultural and social transformation. These include collective narratives, craft traditions, and nature.

This influence is evident in her ongoing work in the 2020 AlUla Desert X exhibition and her new project in Art Valley. Finally, the new project, years in the making, will span an area of 65 square kilometers.

Manal AlDowayan‘s art varies in mediums, including photography, installations, sculpture, and sound.

Art Valley

It is noteworthy that Art Valley immerses visitors in contemporary visual art, design, selected cinema, art tours, and artist residencies. The festival, which opened in 2022 as part of the rich AlUla Moments program, will become an annual event on the global art scene.

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