Experience the Illusion of Sarab at Desert X AlUla - Where Mirage and Oasis Meet

Desert X AlUla, a recurring site-responsive international art exhibition, has returned for its second edition until March 30th, 2022. The exhibition is hosted in the globally significant ancient desert region of AlUla, located in northwest Saudi Arabia. The exhibition places visionary contemporary artworks by 15 Saudi and international artists amidst the extraordinary desert landscape of AlUla, a majestic region steeped in natural and creative heritage, and a legacy of cross-cultural exchange.

This year's exhibition theme is Sarab, exploring ideas of mirages and oases that are intrinsic to desert history and culture and have taken on complex worldwide significance over time. Participating artists have responded to these ancient concepts with new works that address dreams, camouflage, fiction, dis/appearance, extraction, illusion and myth, while also examining the dichotomy between the natural and man-made worlds.

The exhibiting artists, hailing from Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Palestine, Poland and the United Arab Emirates, have produced thought-provoking works that reflect on AlUla's cultural and natural landscape.

One of the artists, Dana Awartani, created a concave geometric sculpture that draws inspiration from the vernacular architecture of AlUla. The sculpture mimics the shapes of surrounding mountains, gorges, caverns and rock formations, referencing the Nabataean tombs.

Serge Attukwei Clottey's installation addresses the experience of globalisation, migration and water equity by shrouding slabs of rock in meticulously crafted tapestries made from yellow Kufuor gallons, plastic containers used in Ghana for storing and transporting water.

Claudia Comte's work features a progression of walls imposing their architectural presence within the natural order of the AlUla canyons, each carrying a section of a larger algorithmic pattern relating to the waveforms that shape the sound and surface of the desert.

Land artist Jim Denevan creates ephemeral drawings whose interlocking patterns speak to the shifts in magnitude and scale that so often shape our experience of the desert and our attempts to position ourselves within the vastness of unbounded space.

Alicja Kwade's architectural structures reflect and frame the natural artefacts she encountered on the desert floor, which she rearranged and supplemented to create constantly changing perspectives that strike the fine line between reality and illusion.

Desert X AlUla is a collaboration between Desert X and the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), established to advance new cultural dialogue through art. The exhibition fosters dialogue and exchange between artists, curators, and international and local communities, shaped by a curatorial vision that takes the desert as its inspiration.

This year's exhibition takes place in a different location in AlUla to the previous edition, situated in the Al Mutadil valley. Visitors are invited to wander through and experience spectacular landscapes as they weave their journey between the works. Drawing on principles of land art, Desert X AlUla offers a profound opportunity to experience art on a monumental scale in dialogue with nature.

In conclusion, Desert X AlUla's second edition is a must-see for those interested in contemporary art and cultural heritage. The artworks, created by a diverse group of artists from around the world, offer a thought-provoking and immersive experience that engages with the natural landscape of AlUla. The exhibition fosters dialogue and exchange between local and international communities, contributing to the development of new cultural dialogues through art.

 

Photos ©Lance Gerber