AL-Monitor Riyadh: Explore Saudi tradition at Fanajil Exhibit
As Ramadan comes to a close, we spotlight a must-see art installation at Riyadh’s premier luxury destination, Solitaire, curated by MAJAZ ART Curators. Explore the launch of the first Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency cohort at Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh’s newest creative hub. Discover the latest branch of the homegrown favorite, Somewhere, which blends Arabic and Mediterranean flavors at Solitaire Riyadh.
Leading the week: Solitaire Riyadh displays Saudi art
Solitaire, Riyadh’s new luxury lifestyle retail destination, has become a popular shopping spot for premium products since opening earlier this year. Spanning 60,000 square meters, it offers high-end boutiques, restaurants, a spa and a cinema. Now, it’s diving into the world of contemporary art.
To celebrate Ramadan, Solitaire is showcasing the Fanajil Installation Concept, featuring three thought-provoking installations curated by MAJAZ ART Curators. The first installation, inspired by the Finjan (a handleless coffee cup common in the Levant), represents family, tradition and storytelling. It consists of colorful stacks of oversized Finjan cups leaning to support each other, symbolizing family unity, especially during iftar. The tallest blue cup honors the father, the red one represents the mother, and the green and yellow cups symbolize the eldest and youngest children, respectively.
Additional installations at Solitaire include a monumental display of sculptural golden coffee cups, each engraved with verses from pioneering Saudi poets, celebrating the connection between poetry, love and nature.
Beyond Ramadan, Solitaire will continue supporting Saudi Arabia’s art scene with a roving immersive digital gallery, Behind the Frame. Curated by MAJAZ ART Curators, the exhibition features various art genres — photography, painting and installation — and allows collectors to purchase works through a QR code system.
Dates: Fanajil runs throughout Ramadan at Solitaire, while Behind the Frame is open and runs year round.
Location: Solitaire Riyadh, As Sahafah, Riyadh 13315
Find more information here.
Word on the street: Somewhere
A display of Arabic and Mediterranean dishes at Somewhere. (Courtesy of Somewhere)
Homegrown Saudi restaurant Somewhere has opened at Solitaire, Riyadh’s latest luxury destination. Known for its Arabic and Mediterranean fusion cuisine, the restaurant was founded by Amal Al Marri and Deem Al Bassam, food entrepreneurs from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia behind the popular burger joint SALT. Launched in AlUla in early 2023, Somewhere now has branches in Riyadh’s AlBujairi Terrace, Dubai’s Galleria Mall, Harrod’s in London and Solitaire. The restaurant blends traditional dishes with a modern twist. Signature dishes include chicken shawarma bao, kale tabouli salad, fatteh with eggplant and potato, shish barak with lamb and pine nuts, and truffle and cheese batata harrah fries.
Location: Solitaire Riyadh
Find more information here.
Riyadh diary
The first cohort of the Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency at Diriyah Art Futures (DAF). (Courtesy of DAF)
• DAF announces first cohort for Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency
Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh’s first hub for New Media Arts, has announced the inaugural cohort for its Mazra’ah Media Arts Residency, running from April to July of this year. The residency, centered on the theme "High-Resolution Dreams of Sand," explores technology’s impact on landscapes. The first cohort includes artists Dr. Stanza (UK), Harshit Agrawal (India), Arwa Yahya Alneami, Reem Alnasser and Reem Alfagih (Saudi Arabia), and scholars Anett Holszheid (Germany) and Mizuho Yamazaki (Japan-France). Participants will have access to the facilities, culminating in a publication and public events.
Dates: April to July 2025
Location: Diriyah Art Futures in Diriyah, Riyadh
Find more information here.
• Riyadh gears up for dazzling Eid Al-Fitr celebrations
As the holy month draws to a close, Saudi Arabia is preparing for grand Eid Al-Fitr celebrations. The General Entertainment Authority has announced a series of concerts, fireworks, performances and entertainment zones across the country. Musical concerts will take place in Riyadh, Abha, Shaqra, Qassim, Jeddah and the Eastern Province, while fireworks will light up key locations at 9 p.m. on Eid, including Boulevard World in Riyadh, Alkhobar Corniche, Arruddaf Park in Taif and Jeddah Art Promenade. Theatrical performances will also occur in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Get ready for a joyful celebration!
Location: Various
Find more information here.
• "The Future of Museums in the Era of Digitalization"
On March 20, the Saudi Museums Commission held an open talk in Riyadh on "The Future of Museums in the Era of Digitalization and Modern Technology." Moderated by Eman Zidan, director of the Red Sea Museum, the discussion featured Professor Haytham Nawar and Dr. Ahmad Mater. The talk explored the impact of digital technology on museums, highlighting its role in shaping artistic expression, fostering new Saudi artists and preserving digital art. Speakers emphasized the importance of using technology to create engaging museum experiences and enhance community and intercultural dialogue, stressing the need for museums to stay connected to society through innovation.
Find more information here.
Book of the week: “Joyriding in Riyadh"
“Joyriding in Riyadh: Oil, Urbanism and Road Revolt,” written by Pascal Menoret and published in 2014 by Cambridge University Press, explores Saudi Arabia’s youth subculture during the early moments of the kingdom’s current great socio-economic transformation. The book is based on four years of fieldwork in Riyadh and examines the social fabric of the Saudi capital. It explores why Saudis at the time, night after night, joyrode and skidded cars on Riyadh’s avenues, in many ways defying public order and private property. For anyone interested in the buildup to Saudi Arabia’s present society and what came before, this book provides a fascinating, in-depth read of the Gulf country’s recent history.
View from Riyadh
Ahaad Alamoudi’s If you know you know. 2024. (Courtesy of the artist and Gazelli Art House Ltd.)
Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi explores the intersection of Saudi history and modern change. Known for her thought-provoking works, she examines how heritage and tradition are preserved during times of transformation. Through installations, videos and photography, her research on "Saudi’s reforming ethnography" reinterprets historical narratives. Her work delves into the concept of motion, symbolizing displacement and change driven by speed, time and velocity.
By the numbers
• Saudi Arabia celebrates four public holidays per year: Founding Day, National Day, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
• Eid Al-Fitr will most likely begin on Saturday, March 29, if the crescent moon is spotted on the 29th night of Ramadan, and will run for four days until Thursday, April 3.
• Eid Al-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
