Desert X AlUla will return to the Saudi Arabian Peninsula in 2024 as a major highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival. The biennial outdoor art exhibition, which will run from 9 February to 23 March 2024, is curated by Maya El Khalil and Marcello Dantas.
Themed In the Presence of Absence, the exhibition challenges the traditional notion of deserts as empty spaces and invites artists to explore the invisible and ineffable forces that shape the landscape. In collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the event features contemporary works by Saudi and international artists, fostering cultural dialogue and seamlessly integrating art with the region’s natural heritage.

Where the Dwellers Lay
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA

Measuring the Physicality of Void
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA

In Blur
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA

Gold Falls
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA

Dark Suns, Bright Waves
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA

Measuring the Physicality of Void
Photography courtesy of DESERT X ALULA
Cover photography of Coral Alchemy I (Dipsastrea Speciosa) by SHEZAD DAWOOD