Art Week Riyadh 2025

Lawrie Shabibi is pleased to participate in the inaugural edition of Art Week Riyadh, with the overall curatorial theme being At The Edge, a selection of works by pioneering artists whose practices interrogate themes of materiality, structure, and abstraction. This exhibition reflects on the interplay between physical and conceptual systems, offering diverse perspectives on how we perceive and interact with the evolving material world.  

 

Mounir Fatmi (b. 1970, Morocco) merges tradition and modernity in his Calligraphy of the Unknown series, juxtaposing Arabic script with the chaotic lines of stock market graphs. Using unconventional materials such as coaxial cables, Fatmi challenges the boundaries of communication in a digitized age, probing the intersections of language, technology, and societal flux.  

 

Dima Srouji (b. 1990, Palestine) reimagines abstraction through layered histories in The Rule of Superpositions 2. Her work overlays real mapped surfaces of Jerusalem—including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock—with speculative archaeological futures and subterranean remnants. This interplay of past, present, and imagined geographies invites viewers to reconsider the fluidity of spatial and temporal narratives.  

 

Hamra Abbas (b. 1976, Pakistan) redefines spatial perception in Aerial Studies, inspired by aerial views of the Karakoram mountain range. Employing the Renaissance-era technique of marble inlay, refined in Mughal India, Abbas blurs distinctions between natural topography and human craftsmanship, creating intricate compositions that oscillate between abstraction and representation.  

 

Shaikha Al Mazrou (b. 1988, UAE) transforms fragility into permanence through her folded steel sculptures. Beginning with delicately creased paper prototypes, Al Mazrou scales these forms into vivid stainless-steel structures, produced in collaboration with UAE industrial workshops. Her process—a balance of precision and serendipity—bridges organic gestures with industrial rigour, reflecting on material metamorphosis.  

 

At The Edge examines Riyadh’s dynamic cultural evolution, positioning the city as a nexus where tradition and innovation converge. The exhibition frames the “edge” not as a boundary but as a generative space where past, present, and future coexist. Through diverse artistic practices, it highlights Riyadh’s emergence as a global cultural hub, exploring how art interrogates adaptation, multiplicity, and the narratives shaping tomorrow.  

 

Art Week Riyadh, a groundbreaking initiative by Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission, celebrates the Kingdom’s vibrant art ecosystem. Designed to honour heritage, amplify contemporary voices, and invest in future creativity, the platform fosters collaboration, innovation, and cultural dialogue. As a non-commercial initiative, it prioritizes inclusivity, education, and patronage, cultivating a sustainable framework for Saudi artists and audiences alike. The Visual Arts Commission, part of the Ministry of Culture, spearheads the development of the nation’s visual arts sector, positioning Saudi Arabia as a pivotal contributor to global cultural discourse.