Saudi Arabia's Art Biennale Celebrates Desert Nomad Rhythms

Ancient nomadic rhythms are shaping one of the world's newest major art exhibitions, proving that cultural heritage can fuel radical innovation.

The Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened its third edition in Saudi Arabia's historic Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site northwest of Riyadh. More than 65 artists from 37 nations created works inspired by centuries-old Bedouin traditions of movement and storytelling.

The exhibition's title, "In Interludes and Transitions," references the rhythms of nomadic communities crossing the Arabian Peninsula. But artistic directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed aren't interested in nostalgia.

Instead, they've reimagined these ancient patterns as a lens for understanding our modern world. Arabic poetry, which emerged from the rhythm of camels walking through the desert, became their creative guide.

"These long journeys actually created cultural form," Razian explained. The specific meter of traditional Arabic poetry syncs to animal footsteps during desert crossings.

The team commissioned 22 new artworks displayed across repurposed warehouses in the JAX District creative quarter. Italian design studio Formafantasma created scenography that feels intentionally light and fragile, letting conversations flow between pieces.

Ahmed and Razian abandoned traditional curatorial approaches for what they call "sonic methodology." Rather than organizing art like a map or archaeological dig, they arranged works to echo and reverberate off each other like sound waves.

"We wanted to convey this idea of a levitating scenography," Ahmed said. The approach keeps visual continuity while honoring how stories transmit through bodies and time.

The Ripple Effect

The Diriyah Biennale represents something bigger than another art fair. By launching Saudi Arabia's contemporary art scene with a biennale focused on cultural exchange rather than commerce, organizers chose connection over transactions.

The curators "think outwards from here," asking which histories pass through their region rather than trying to represent the entire world. Their approach moves past outdated conversations about local versus global to explore deeper connections through ecology, solidarity, and shared human experience.

This isn't about preserving the past in amber. It's about letting ancient wisdom illuminate new pathways forward, showing how the rhythm of footsteps across sand thousands of years ago still resonates in how we create meaning today.