Saudi Arabia: 3rd edition of Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2026 to feature an expanded curatorial team
The Diriyah Biennale
Foundation has announced the official opening date and an expanded curatorial
team for the third edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, set to
launch on January 30, 2026.
Led by Artistic
Directors Nora Razian and Sabih Ahmed, the upcoming Biennale reflects an
ambitious vision to further connect Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing cultural
landscape with the global contemporary art scene.
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Biennale Foundation appoints Artistic Directors for 2026 Contemporary Art
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Razian currently serves
as Deputy Director and Head of Exhibitions and Programmes at Art Jameel, while
Ahmed is a curator and educator affiliated with Ishara Art Foundation as
Projects Advisor.
Joining them is a
diverse team of international curators:
- Maan Abu Taleb – novelist, essayist, and co-founder of Arabic music platform Ma3azef, whose work explores the intersections of sound, politics, and identity.
- May Makki – curator and researcher with past roles at MoMA, MoMA PS1, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and Columbia University’s Wallach Art Gallery.
- Kabelo Malatsie – former director of Kunsthalle Bern, with curatorial credits including the Sharjah Biennial and Yokohama Triennale.
- Lantian Xie – multidisciplinary artist known for installations and performances showcased at the Venice Biennale, Dhaka Art Summit, and Centre Pompidou.
Read More Second
edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale inaugurated
Milan-based architect Sammy
Zarka will serve as Associate Architect and Exhibition Designer. A lecturer at
Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Zarka specializes in ephemeral architecture and
socio-spatial memory, with previous collaborations including Fondazione Prada
and Italo Rota.
Expanded vision in the
JAX District
The Biennale will return
to Riyadh’s JAX District in Diriyah, a creative hub west of the capital. The
2026 edition will expand into newly activated venues, continuing to transform
the district’s industrial heritage into vibrant cultural spaces.
This expansion builds on
the success of the 2022 and 2024 editions, which together attracted more than 340,000
visitors, signaling a growing appetite for contemporary art in the Kingdom.
A cross-disciplinary
approach
According to Aya
Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the newly formed curatorial
team represents a deliberate shift toward deeper cross-disciplinary
collaboration.
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Biennale: Showcasing evolving Saudi landscape
“This curatorial team brings together a wide
range of voices shaped by different disciplines,” said Al-Bakree. “Their
experience demonstrates the evolving role of contemporary art as a space of
exchange, and I hope this opens new pathways for artists and audiences in Saudi
Arabia.”
The 2026 Biennale will
feature new commissions and works by artists from Saudi Arabia and around the
world, inviting global dialogue on the place of contemporary art in societies
undergoing rapid transformation.
Source: Saudi Gazette
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