Renowned artists Manal AlDowayan, Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer, Ahmed Mater, and James Turrell will create permanent and era-defining new works for Wadi AlFann, an iconic new cultural destination set to open by 2024 in the ancient desert of AlUla, in the Arabian Peninsula.
Wadi AlFann – meaning ‘Valley of the Arts’ – spans 65 square kilometers in northwest Saudi Arabia. This awe-inspiring display of contemporary art will see large-scale, site-specific works by some of the world’s most compelling artists placed permanently in the monumental landscape of AlUla, an extraordinary region steeped in thousands of years of natural, historical, and cultural heritage.
Historically lying on the incense trade route, AlUla is home to the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dadan. Today, it is a living museum of heritage, arts, and nature, rekindling its legacy as a vital cultural destination.
Wadi AlFann will welcome art lovers, adventurers, and globetrotters from across the world on a transformative cultural journey to a unique place of creative and geographical wonder, continuing AlUla’s history as a place of cross-cultural exchange. This new destination will provide unparalleled opportunities for local communities and visitors to experience art as a source of education and enrichment.
Created by renowned pioneers of land art and artists at the forefront of contemporary practice, the concepts, vision, and scale of Wadi AlFann’s commissions will mark a new chapter in AlUla’s rich history. The first five works will explore themes like collective memory, folklore, civilization, achievement, form, scale, myth, mirage, perception, and the materiality of light. They will mark the start of a continued program of commissions, with more artists to be announced.
This unprecedented, ambitious, and visionary showcase will offer a profound opportunity to experience art in dialogue with nature. Learning from the desert, the commissioned artists will take inspiration from its dramatic topography, undulating vistas, remarkable geology, and complex ecosystem.
From late 2022, Wadi AlFann’s pre-opening program will feature temporary exhibitions, artist residencies, and public symposia. A dynamic public program will accompany the unveiling of the first five artworks, including performances and tours through the valley, along with educational opportunities for local communities.
