Riyadh Art unveils 75 permanent works, plans 115 more across capital

RIYADH — Riyadh Art reveals 75 installed artworks across the capital as part of its permamanet public art collection. Led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Riyadh Art has additional installation plans of 115 artworks throughout 2026 and beyond. The expanding program places large-scale artworks across public spaces. The Permanent Collection includes 100 international artists from 47 countries, such Alexander Calder, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, Giuseppe Penone, and Ugo Rondinone. With an additional 35 Saudi artists — Zaman Jassim, Mohammed Al Saleem, and many others — and across streets, neighborhoods, cultural landmarks, and key routes of movement, collection reflects Riyadh Art’s approach to public art as an enduring, accessible civic act. **media[2693232,2693235]** These works were commissioned through an international competition that received 161 applications, with 72 artists shortlisted and 70 final proposals submitted. The final selection includes internationally recognized artists such as Manal AlDowayan, El Anatsui, Janet Echelman, Anselm Kiefer, Idris Khan, and Ryoji Ikeda. The collection include 12 site-specific, monumental-in-scale sculptures positioned along major transport corridors. Bader Shenafi, Senior Director of Riyadh Art, explained that “Public art has the ability to meet people where they are,” he added that “Each artwork responds closely to how people move through the city and gradually becomes part of public life rather than an isolated landmark.” **media[2693236,2693237]** Of the 75 recent installations, Giuseppe Penone’s In the Balance — an organic sculptural form reflecting time, nature, and human intervention — is installed at at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center. While at the King Abdullah Financial District,Subodh Gupta’s Family Tree uses everyday domestic objects to reflect on memory and collective experience. Nobuo Sekine’s Phase of Nothingness — which showcases material restraint and balance that engage directly with the sculpture’s surroundings is installed at Sports Boulevard. Alexander Calder’s Janey Waneyis a monumental standing mobile—constructed from painted sheet metal elements connected by rods. Located along a major intersection, Golden Dunes by Zaman Jassim responds to movement and flow within the urban landscape, while at Al Kharj Road and Southern Ring Road, Untitled by Ahmed Angawi combines geometric steel forms with a sound element. **media[2693234,2693233]** Installed on the pedestrian bridge at the intersection of King Abdulaziz Road and Hisham Ibn Abd Al Malek Road, Run Beyond by Angelo Bonello engages directly with a site defined by circulation and connection, transforming a crossing into a visual landmark through the integration of movement, light, and infrastructure. In the Diplomatic Quarter, Jeff Koons’ Diamond (Red) and Anish Kapoor’s Sky Mirror, Blue engage public space through color and reflection. Among the Permanent Collection are works by the late Mohammed Al Saleem, a foundational figure of Saudi modernism. His sculptural works — created in the 80’s — were recently presented at Desert X AlUla. These geometric works have been acquired and restored by Riyadh Art and will be permanently installed across the city later this year.