UK-born artist Shezad Dawood works with sculpture, textile, film and digital media in his practice, and shares a unique, site-responsive artwork for this festival. She tells us about the practicalities of curating in a space which is vulnerable to the elements, saying, “The unique weather and environmental conditions of the desert are indeed challenging, as works exhibited here must be harmonious with the effects of wind, sand and temperature - but the artists have responded to this challenge beautifully. The environment itself has also given way to fascinating explorations in the works, with installations mimicking the shapes and colours of the desert surroundings, exploring themes like water shortage, and even changing colour in response to the temperature”. The festival draws attention to the dramatic vistas of the desert, calling upon us to take note of the magnificence of our natural world, and its interwoven relationship with us as humans.Ĭamouflage 2.0, 2022, Zeinab Alhashemi Image: Lance Gerber Courtesy of Zeinab Alhashemi and Desert X AlUlaįadda is a practicing art curator and art historian who has previously worked at the Guggenheim Museum, and is a 2019 Fellow of the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. Sarab also honours the culture of the desert, inviting you to consider the ancient wisdom and concepts it presents. The artists represented this dynamic in a striking, aesthetic way their works address issues emerging from the local context but also resonate with other parts of the world, which makes the whole exhibition highly compelling for audiences everywhere”. They also speak of man’s relationship with nature, as well as man’s desire to control and possess nature however, nature is elusive and can regain its control over us. Both these ideas have long been tied to ideas of survival, perseverance, desire and wealth, and both are universal concepts. This was one of the main anchors of the exhibition, as well as the idea of ‘oasis’.
Fadda tells us, “ Sarab is the Arabic word for ‘mirage’. The curatorial theme of this edition of Desert X Al-Ula was Sarab, which encourages an exploration of connections which are intrinsic to the experience of the desert itself.
Angle of Repose, 2022, land art, Jim Denevan Image: Lance Gerber Courtesy of Jim Denevan and Desert X AlUla
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