RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Visual Arts Commission of Saudi Arabia announces the curatorial team for the inaugural edition of Art Week Riyadh, taking place from 6 to 13 April 2025 at JAX District, with activations across the city: Vittoria Matarrese, Artistic Director and Curator; Basma Harasani, Associate Curator; Victoria Gandit Lelandais, Associate Curator; and Shumon Basar, Curator – Public Programme.
Held under the theme At The Edge, Art Week Riyadh will feature a curated selection of works from over 30 local, regional, and international galleries, collections, and a public programme of talks, performances, and more. At The Edge will delve into the dynamic essence of Riyadh, highlighting its evolving cultural landscape and growing presence on the international stage.
Matarrese, formerly the Director of the Bally Foundation in Switzerland and of the performing arts department at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris says: “Art Week Riyadh represents an extraordinary opportunity to engage with a city and region undergoing profound cultural transformation. The inaugural edition, At the Edge, is a platform to explore these shifts and reveal how tradition and acceleration coexist and evolve.”
Saudi curator and art advisor Harasani says: “Being the first of its kind, Art Week Riyadh is a testament to the remarkable progress the country has made in establishing itself within the global cultural narrative, while still preserving its authenticity and showcasing the very best the Kingdom has to offer.”
Gandit Lelandais, a specialist in contemporary art from the Arab world, says: “The very fact that Art Week Riyadh exists demonstrates the intentional development of a thriving art ecosystem, with a clear vision to foster a healthy environment for growth among all the key players—galleries, artists, institutions, scholars, collectors, and more. This initiative is invaluable, offering a city-wide platform for critical discussions, dialogue, and reflection under one roof.”
Writer, curator and cultural convenor in the Gulf, Basar says: “Art Week Riyadh offers a moment to frame everything that has happened arts-wise in Riyadh, in the Kingdom, and in the region over the last years and decades, and to dialogue that with global scaled conversations in an increasingly multipolar world.”
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10b6d48a-a5d4-47c3-bdc4-3541e52e85e0
