For seven consecutive editions, the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium redefined the relationship between art and the city, cementing Riyadh's position as one of the world's leading hubs for open-air sculpture. The event is no longer merely a seasonal occurrence, but has evolved into a vibrant cultural practice where the creative process intersects with the daily lives of residents and visitors, presenting artwork as a journey to be witnessed and experienced, rather than as a final, isolated result confined within museum walls.
The concept of living sculpture: a unique interactive experience
The forum is fundamentally based on the concept of "living sculpture," a global art form in which artworks are created in public spaces, directly in front of an audience. This approach offers viewers a rare opportunity to witness the transformation of inanimate objects into creative works and to participate in a real-time artistic dialogue. The Riyadh experience has gained its distinctiveness through its continuity and urban integration, giving it a sustainable character that sets it apart from temporary initiatives in other cities.
Strategic context: Art within Vision 2030
The success of the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium cannot be viewed in isolation from the major cultural transformations taking place in Saudi Arabia under the umbrella of Vision 2030. This symposium is a cornerstone of the Riyadh Art Program, one of the world's largest public art projects, which aims to transform the capital into an open-air art gallery. This initiative reflects a deep belief in the role of art in improving quality of life, humanizing cities, and enhancing the psychological and social well-being of residents through visual aesthetics.
Riyadh on the world sculpture map
Internationally, this initiative has placed Riyadh among the cities that host sculpture gardens and open-air museums, such as Sculpture by the Sea in Australia and Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the United Kingdom. However, the Saudi model is distinguished by being a cohesive, locally-driven model based on accumulated knowledge. Since its launch in 2019, the forum has hosted more than 170 artists from around the world, creating a fertile environment for exchanging experiences and techniques for working with diverse materials, and establishing a cross-border cultural dialogue.
Sustainable economic and social impact
The importance of the Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium extends beyond the aesthetic dimension to include tangible economic and social dimensions, which are:
- Supporting the creative economy: by creating job opportunities for artists and craftsmen, and revitalizing arts tourism, which has become an important contributor to modern economies.
- Urban Heritage: The completed works are distributed after the end of the forum in the squares and public gardens of Riyadh, to become a permanent part of the city’s visual memory.
- Community education: Direct interaction between artists and the public contributes to raising artistic taste and instilling a culture of public art in new generations.
Features of what will be: Foresight into the future
This year's edition, themed "Glimpses of What Will Be," embodies the essence of transformation and art's ability to envision the future. The theme reflects the forum's vision of presenting works that not only respond to the existing environment but also contribute to shaping a new awareness of the city and its cultural role. Through this evolving trajectory, Riyadh emerges as a city that not only hosts art but also creates and cultivates it as an integral part of its contemporary identity.
