Dive Into a Kaleidoscope of Colour at Saudi’s AlUla Arts Festival

An amalgamation of colour, concept and culture, AlUla’s Arts Festival in Saudi Arabia is a fluorescent outpour of the MENA region’s most prolific creations. Returning for its second instalment from February 16th to the 28th, the festival places AlUla’s rich heritage as the centrepiece from which all subsequent experiences unfold.A polychromatic ode to Saudi Arabia’s flourishing arts scene, the paintings, installations and exhibitions are set to line the outskirts of AlUla’s golden dunes; enshrouding visitors in a blanket of regal narratives and visual storytelling.

As late artist Andy Warhol’s exhibition, ‘FAME’, weaves together the scintillating stories of Hollywood starlets, a robust program of live performances, talks, workshops and projections of his silent films will prompt introspective dives into art’s complexities. Guided tours around AlUla’s Wadi El Fann - a tribute to art’s biomimic relationship with nature - will walk visitors through the works of renowned artists, James Turrell, Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer, Manal Al Dowayan and Ahmed Mater.

In close proximity lies AlJadidah, a village intertwining culturally enriching endeavours and upscale dining experiences. Boasting a wide range of interactive events - ones capturing the complexities of the Arab world - AlJadidah’s roster of exhibitions will examine the ineffable ways in which art shapes our ethical landscapes and opens us to the interior lives of others. That said, an installation titled ‘Resonant Shell’ by artists Nathalie Harb and Youmna Saba will serve as a meditative experience with acoustically isolating architectures that bring visitor’s focus to soundscapes drawn from AlUla’s desert.