- The curatorial team includes local, regional and international contemporary art specialists Vittoria Matarrese, Basma Harasani, Victoria Gandit Lelandais and Shumon Basar
- Art Week Riyadh’s inaugural edition takes place from 6 to 13 April 2025, under the theme At The Edge
- An initiative of the Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission, the event is a platform for celebrating and amplifying Saudi Arabia’s dynamic art scene, by fostering exchange and supporting the arts as a cornerstone of the country’s future
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: Vittoria Matarrese, Artistic Director and Curator; Basma Harasani, Associate Curator; Victoria Gandit Lelandais, Associate Curator; and Shumon Basar, Curator – Public Programme.
The week-long event will be headquartered at the JAX District with activations across the city and will bring together leading local, regional, and international galleries, cultural institutions, artists, patrons, collectors, and art enthusiasts, celebrating and amplifying Saudi Arabia’s role as a center of global cultural engagement.
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. The curatorial team expanded on the concept, emphasizing that, through its programme, Art Week Riyadh unites major cultural institutions, galleries, prominent collections, and independent spaces. Together, they spotlight the local and regional art scenes alongside international connections.
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.”
Art Week Riyadh, which runs from 6 to 13 April 2025, is an initiative of Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission — one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture, leading the
development of the visual arts sector in Saudi Arabia.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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About Art Week Riyadh
Art Week Riyadh, a new initiative by the Visual Arts Commission, is a city-wide platform for showcasing and celebrating the dynamic Saudi art landscape. Rooted in the country’s thriving art scene, it will spotlight Riyadh’s position as a key art world destination, uniting leading local and international institutions, galleries, patrons and practitioners. This distinctive weeklong event will feature curated selections presented by galleries, highlights from prominent collections, and an engaging public program – all of which aim to become an inclusive platform for artistic dialogue and exchange, nurturing a culture of art collecting and patronage, and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s creative community. The website page can be found here. #ArtWeekRiyadh #ArtWeekRiyadh2025
About the Visual Arts Commission
The Visual Arts Commission is one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture. Founded in 2020, it is leading the development of the visual arts sector in Saudi Arabia. The Commission is working to nurture the talent of art enthusiasts, practitioners, and professionals in the country, and support the production and exhibition of artwork in all its forms, locally and internationally. To learn more about the Visual Arts Commission, please visit https://visualarts.moc.gov.sa/en and the commission’s page on X: @MOCVisualArts.
About the Ministry of Culture
Saudi Arabia has a vast history of arts and culture. The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the Ministry works towards the support of and preservation of a vibrant culture that is true to its past and looks to the future by cherishing heritage and unleashing new and inspiring forms of expression for all. Find the Ministry of Culture on social media: X @MOCSaudi (Arabic); @MOCSaudi_En (English) | Instagram @mocsaudi
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6554b30c-4209-449b-864a-ff8a39c9d183
