On April 6 in Saudi Arabia, the first iteration of Art Week Riyadh descended upon premier cultural locales throughout the dynamic city, including JAX District and Al Mousa Center, on view through April 13. Under the thought-provoking theme of “At The Edge,” more than 45 private and institutional collections, as well as distinguished galleries, showcase innovative artworks. In addition to the international lineup of vibrant art spaces, a captivating public program ensues with vital conversations on the pioneering, local art scene and beyond.
An Enthusiastic Curatorial Team Brings Rarely Accessible Artworks to Riyadh
Galleria Continua at Art Week Riyadh 2025, “At The Edge,” Galleries Curated Selection, Courtesy Visual Arts Commission, Saudi Arabia.
Art Week Riyadh boasts an enthusiastic and dexterous curatorial team with Vittoria Matarrese, Artistic Director and Curator; Basma Harasani, Associate Curator; Victoria Gandit Lelandais, Associate Curator; and Shumon Basar, Curator of the Public Program.
“The invited collections presented at Art Week Riyadh reveal how Saudi collectors and institutions have cultivated diverse narratives that bridge heritage and innovation, assembling works that speak to the complex interplay between personal vision, cultural stewardship, and global exchange,” said Matarrese.
“By bringing together works that are rarely accessible to the public, these presentations invite audiences to engage with Saudi Arabia’s artistic trajectory, from pioneering figures of modern art to the boundary-pushing voices defining its future.”
The Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission Alongside Curated Shows
THE PILL® at Art Week Riyadh 2025, “At The Edge,” Galleries Curated Selection, Courtesy Visual Arts Commission, Saudi Arabia.
Further, the Ministry of Culture’s momentous Visual Arts Commission will beckon all ages into a non-commercial platform which revels in the city’s powerful creative instincts, encourages meaningful and varied dialogues, and champions the contemporary art ecosystem.
“These presentations invite audiences to engage with Saudi Arabia’s artistic trajectory,”
Vittoria Matarrese
With the headquarters of Art Week Riyadh located at JAX District, the skillfully curated show ebbs and flows through three thematic domains: Everyday Life, Landscapes, and Motifs. Rich, cultural explorations abound with Perrotin (China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, USA), Mennour (France, UK), Lisson Gallery (China, UK, USA), Gallery Misr (Egypt), Hewar Art Gallery (Saudi Arabia), Al Markhiya Gallery (Qatar), and more. Solo and group presentations unfold stunningly at Al Mousa Center with China Saudi Cultural Art Association, AMA Art Venue, Abdullah Hammas Studio, Ola Art Gallery, Mahd Alfnon Gallery, Frame Art Gallery, and many more.
Art Week Riyadh Gallery Highlights
Lisson Gallery Brings Wael Shawky
Lisson Gallery at Art Week Riyadh 2025, “At The Edge,” Galleries Curated Selection, Courtesy Visual Arts Commission, Saudi Arabia.
Thanks to Lisson Gallery, behold the masterful Wael Shawky’s The Gulf Project Camp, Carved wood (after ‘Hajj (Panoramic Overview of Mecca)’ by Andreas Magnus Hunglinger, 1803) (2019). This mesmeric work of oil on carved wood juxtaposes historical memory and modern ingenuity for a rapturous pilgrimage through art, environment, and architecture.
Galerie Krinzinger Debuts Maha Malluh
Maha Malluh, “X-Rayed 1,” 2011, Inkjet, on Dibond, diasec, 93 x 70 cm, Ed. 6 + AP, Courtesy of Galerie Krinzinger and the artist.
Take a close look at the subtleties of artist Maha Malluh’s “X-Rayed 1,” (2011) from Galerie Krinzinger. Here, a study of that which we carry with us, both internally and externally, unfolds in riveting fashion. Striking shades of green, fuschia, red and gold further enhance this visceral and vigorous work of art.
The Third Line Embraces Lamya Gargash
Lamya Gargash, “The First-Floor ballroom, The Holburne Museum, Bath, UK,” 2024, Archival pigment print, 90 x 120 cm, Edition of 3, 1AP. Courtesy of the artist and The Third Line, Dubai.
The magnificence of gold takes on new, poetic meaning with artist Lamya Gargash and The Third Line, Dubai. Archival pigment print The Holburne Museum, Bath, UK (2024) and accompanying works carry viewers away on an elegant and emotional journey through gilded, rippling pathways. Where they lead is a profound answer that can only be found within oneself, and Gargash gifts this interior expedition to all who take pause and consider.
