ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Noor Riyadh 2023 Preview: Light Art Festival Transforms Saudi Capital

festival-fair · 2026-04-20

Noor Riyadh, the annual light art festival in Saudi Arabia, returns on November 30, 2023, with a citywide exhibition and indoor show curated by Neville Wakefield and Maya Al Athel. The festival, part of the Riyadh Art initiative under Vision 2030, aims to integrate art into the urban fabric. The 2022 edition featured 130 artists, broke six Guinness World Records, and attracted 2.7 million visitors. This year's indoor exhibition, 'Refracted Identities, Shared Futures' at JAX district, includes world premieres by Random International and works by Dur Kattan, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Abdulmohsen Al BinAli, Mashael Al Saie, Bashaer Hawsawi, Ayman Yossri Daydban, and Conrad Shawcross. Artists explore light as a vehicle for memory, heritage, and transformation. The festival also includes community programs, talks, and workshops to foster local engagement.

Key facts

  • Noor Riyadh 2023 opens November 30 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • The festival is part of Riyadh Art under Vision 2030.
  • Curated by Neville Wakefield and Maya Al Athel.
  • Indoor exhibition theme: 'Refracted Identities, Shared Futures' at JAX district.
  • 2022 edition had 130 artists and broke six Guinness World Records.
  • 2022 edition attracted 2.7 million visitors over 17 days.
  • Random International presents a world premiere interactive organism.
  • Artists include Dur Kattan, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Abdulmohsen Al BinAli, Mashael Al Saie, Bashaer Hawsawi, Ayman Yossri Daydban, and Conrad Shawcross.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Noor Riyadh
  • Riyadh Art
  • Vision 2030
  • JAX district
  • Canvas
  • Guinness World Records
  • Royal Commission of Riyadh
  • Diriyah Gate Development Authority
  • JAX
  • UCCA
  • Misk Art Institute
  • Edge of Arabia
  • Vice Arabia
  • UNESCO
  • UxU Studio
  • VOUW
  • JAX District
  • Palais de Tokyo
  • Dallas Contemporary
  • MoMA PS1
  • Frieze Projects
  • Desert X
  • Royal Commission for Riyadh City
  • Mori Art Museum
  • CIMAM
  • Dumb Type
  • atelier oï
  • WonderGlass
  • Encor Studio
  • fuse*
  • Iregular
  • Otolab
  • Plastique Fantastique
  • Random International
  • someform Studio
  • Studio Above&Below
  • Tonoptik
  • Traumnovelle
  • ZEITGUISED
  • Six N. Five
  • King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)
  • Salam Park
  • King Abdullah Park
  • Diplomatic Quarter
  • JAX 03 District
  • Artribune
  • Biennale di Venezia

Locations

  • Riyadh
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Al Murabba
  • Wadi Hanifa
  • JAX district
  • Red Sea coastal plain
  • Sharjah
  • Brooklyn
  • Chiang Mai
  • Lyon
  • Abha
  • Dubai
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Doha
  • Qatar
  • Arabian Gulf
  • Dhahran
  • Jeddah
  • Beijing
  • China
  • Yemen
  • Sudan
  • France
  • Salam Park
  • Wadi Hanifah
  • Bayt AlMalaz
  • JAX District
  • Paris
  • Boston
  • Texas
  • Tokyo
  • Japan
  • King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)
  • King Abdullah Park
  • Diplomatic Quarter
  • JAX 03 District
  • Pesaro
  • Italy
  • Milan
  • Brera
  • historic center of King Abdulaziz era

Sources

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