The Arabic world tries to embrace the international art world by providing them a golden ticket an exclusive venues to install them in the region. After the magnificent satellite Louvre museum in Abu D’Abi (I was lucky to visit it at the day of the opening in 2019), we now had Desert X Alula. You might know the original Desert X, a site-specific, contemporary art exhibition, held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California for the first time organised in February 2017 with more than 200.000 people visiting the art festival.  

The idea behind Desert X is to produce international contemporary art exhibitions that activate dessert locations through site-specific and temporary installations by acclaimed international artists that address ecological, cultural, spiritual and other themes

The recent Desert X Alula took place in the desert of Alula, an ancient oasis in Saudi Arabia last year and was a cross-cultural dialogue between artists from Saudi Arabia and its surrounding region and artists from previous iterations of Desert X in California, taking its cues from the extraordinary landscape and historical significance of Alula. And, nice to know, it’s free.

Hereby my favourite art installation of this past Desert X Alula. I hope in 2022 I can visit this art event live, in all freedom.

But for the ones who cannot wait until the next one might open in Alula, the original DESERT X 2021 at the Coachella VALLEY, CA is ready to kick off. Unfortunately it was scheduled from FEB. 6 till APR. 11, 2021 but has recently been postponed due to uncertain regulations on travel because of the enduring Corona pandemic.

More news on new dates later on this channel.

Later!

Kate

Image courtesy Rashed alshashai and Desert X_ A Concise Passage, 2020.

Photo: Lance Gerber