Under the slogan “a window to your senses,” the Jax District in Diriyah has opened its doors to the Saudi public for an immersive experience of art and virtual reality.
Jax Arts Festival is a presentation of works by international artists, encouraging viewers to explore their five senses. Numerous artist studios and regular public events are located in the region.
Jax Arts Festival is a presentation of works by international artists, encouraging viewers to explore their five senses. Numerous artist studios and regular public events are located in the region.
The inaugural arts festival in Saudi Arabia “arouses curiosity” in both locals and visitors by allowing them to interact with, contribute to, or become a part of the artwork. You are enveloped in a fog that gradually reveals the first parts as you enter the Jax Arts Festival’s doors. The first piece that visitors will encounter is Clear Vision – Beginning of the Journey by Emirati artist Alissar Mzayyek.
The piece, which is made up of several dangling rocks holding Saudi Arabian flora, represents the Kingdom’s upward-moving ambition.
The artwork and performances are surrounded by a crowd in the next hall: A giant black LED cube that responds to every movement, a live music experience, an interactive painting where visitors can create a painting using the pendulum technique, and more.
In a sense, the festival seeks to promote a publically accessible art scene. By removing the elitist layers that often make art daunting to general audiences, the festival ultimately creates an environment where art serves as a medium for amusement.
The festival’s local art exhibits focus on the manner of life in the Kingdom. The work of Saudi artist Um Kalthoum Al-Alawi is inspired by the Mashrabiyat neighbourhood of Jeddah, where women used to spend the majority of their time. The work is built on geometric shapes that are created by three primary strokes: straight, slanted, and curved lines, despite the fact that it appears complex from a distance. The repeated forms are assembled to form a cascading image that represents everything.