Arts AlUla presents the Visual Art Residency Exhibition “The Shadow Over Everything”, and Design Residency Exhibition “Unguessed Kinships”, which will open for the AlUla Arts Festival on 8th February and run until 30th April 2024, emphasising AlUla’s emerging role as focal point for cultural exchange and artistic innovation in the region.
The exhibitions showcase a diverse array of artworks and designs during the AlUla Arts Festival taking place from 9th February to 2nd March 2024. Artistic pieces are created by talented artists and designers who participated in both residency programmes, which are part of the overarching AlUla Artist Residency Programme, founded in partnership with the French Agency for AlUla Development (Afalula). Located in two distinct outdoor venues, the exhibitions will be hosted at Mabiti in The Palm Grove, and Madrasat Addeera, providing the perfect platforms to celebrate the culmination of creative endeavours.
The Visual Art Residency’s exhibition “The Shadow Over Everything”, curated by Maryam Bilal transforms Mabiti’s palm grove into an immersive exhibition. Artworks seamlessly intertwine along the main path and spill over amidst the trees. At the entrance, visitors encounter a floor installation “What we fear and wish to lose, what we love and wish to save”, by Bianca Bondi and Guillaume Bouisset, imagining other-worldly realities through the use of speculative landscapes. Further down, Joel Spring’s video installation, “CLEAN$ED”, tackles AlUla’s economic generation plans, and is accompanied by Maitha Abdalla’s performance and body of sculptures, “If…To be born”. The main path concludes with Hugo Servanin’s monumental “Environment 9 (Object 40 and Giant 44)”, which engages with sand as the principal material of AlUla. Retracing steps along a parallel path, Marlon de Azambuja’s “Nucleo Aldebaran (Aldebaran Core)” and “The Human Condition” multiple interventions await. Returning to the entrance, visitors conclude their journey with Reem Al Nasser’s brilliant steel gates attempting to unearth a forgotten knowledge system, “Alma of the North”, and with an immersive installation at the intersection of AI and landscapes “The Dream of Stones” by Gregory Chatonsky. The exhibition invites contemplation of individual artworks and a holistic experience, turning the palm grove into a canvas for artistic expression.
The Design Residency’s exhibition “Unguessed Kinships”, curated by Ali Ismail Karimi, reshapes Madrasat Addeera, and encourages diverse interactions.” Unguessed Kinships” implies unforeseen connections and relationships within the AlUla Design Residency context. Leo Orta’s “Peculiar Erosions” blends art and design, showcasing sculptural pieces reflecting AlUla’s materials and crafts. Leen Ajlan’s “Takki” offers a playful experience with Saudi folk games, fostering social interaction. Studio Raw Material’s “From Debris” delves into AlUla’s history in a tent scenography. Moving outdoors, the basketball court features two completely modular installations, Hall Haus’ “Haus Dari” and Bahraini-Danish’s “Surface!”. “Surface!” provides a steel half-pipe system that acts as a shade for the Majlis reminiscent seating arrangement “Haus Dari”. The open space invites guests to explore freely, engaging in various activities like playing games, networking, or relaxing. The exhibition concludes with a return to Leo Orta’s work, leaving the visitors with a final touch from AlUla’s version of the desert.
Maryam Bilal, Curator of AlUla Visual Art Residency, explored the idea of a land or a place being the main inspiration behind the art-making process. Bilal emphasised the importance of AlUla as the new frontier of artistic dialogue against opinions doubting its impact during current global tensions and assured that the artwork present there will provide hope for the times to come. She explained that “The Shadow Over Everything” is an exhibition that “resonates between inspiration and intention”, and that AlUla can become a muse to fuel the resident artists. She ended with an abstract description of the hidden forces harboured within AlUla’s material aspects and how they play a role in the presented artworks.
Ali Ismail Karimi, Curator of AlUla Design Residency, expressed his enthusiasm for curating the first iteration of the design residency in AlUla by describing how such a new location can provide the opportunity to explore and expand the bounds of design. Karimi also mentions how AlUla became a convergence point for all the aspects of the Saudi future, from geological structures to human history and production. He displayed interest in how AlUla can pose a challenge for designers in terms of applying their methodologies in such a different context. Lastly, he assures that the designers have taken their prompts with confidence and ambition and are already exploring ways of creating designs at impressive scales. They have also been interacting with the native archaeologists and professionals to learn more about the history of AlUla and gather feedback. Ali ends by stating that the designs will span across a multitude of issues from simple materials to building complex systems.
AlUla Artist Residency Programme exemplifies AlUla’s commitment to becoming a global hub for creative minds, offering diverse programmes this year in visual arts, design, botanical landscaping, heritage, and innovation.