Riyadh’s light festival begins this week

RIYADH (Arabnews): More than 30 light installations will be showcased this weekend across the capital in the new annual Light of Riyadh festival.

The festival will be a platform to display the city’s creativity and talent through intricate installations.

More than 20 international and Saudi artists have created installations for the 17-day event, which also brings together contemporary and modern art.

It starts on March 18 and runs until April 3 in different venues across the city. It features an interactive show with outdoor sculptures, workshops, volunteering opportunities, cinematic shows, and educational talks.

There will also be a music show hosted by MDL Beast Freqways, a streaming platform, with performances from Hats & Klaps, Kayan, and DesertF!sh.

The festival is the first to be organized by the Riyadh Art program as part of Vision 2030 initiatives to promote culture and art.

Its theme is “Under the Sky” and expresses hope for a brighter future as the world recovers from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Many of the installations will be sculptures that shed light on their surroundings, both indoors and out.

The festival seeks to take visitors on an emotional experience that evokes joy, contemplation, and appreciation for culture.

One of the presentations is called “Light Upon Light” and showcases art from the 1960s to the present day. It was put together by Dr. Eiman Elgibreen, a curator of the Saudi National Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale, Pam Toonen, from Light Art Collection, and Vincenzo de Bellis, an international curatorial consultant.

More information about the installations and event locations can be found on the Riyadh Art Program website: https://noorriyadh.sa/en/