Desert X AlUla 2020

Desert X AlUla is a recurring, site-responsive, international art exhibition taking place in the ancient landscapes of AlUla.

The first edition of Desert X AlUla was a site- responsive exhibition that ran January 31– March 7, 2020. The exhibition brought together a plurality of voices, co-curated by Saudi curators Raneem Farsi and Aya Alireza with Desert X Artistic Director Neville Wakefield.

As the first site-responsive exhibition of its kind in Saudi Arabia, the exhibition established a cross-cultural dialogue between artists from Saudi Arabia and its surrounding region and artists from previous iterations of Desert X in California, taking its cues from the extraordinary landscape and historical significance of AlUla.

Desert X AlUla, 2020 continues to have a sustained legacy. AlUla works from the 2020 exhibition by Lita Albuquerque, Manal AlDowayan, Shergin Guirguis, Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, Nadim Karam and Superflex remain in place in AlUla for public view.

The first Desert X AlUla was also a launch point of continued engagement for Saudi Arabian artists - Zahrah Alghamdi exhibited her work What Lies Behind the Walls to critical acclaim at Desert X, 2021 in California; and Rashed AlShashai and Muhannad Shono participated in the Oasis Reborn Artists in Residency programme.