*presented by Diriyah Art Futures

A new hub for digital art charting a course for the global art landscape from Saudi Arabia

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first dedicated hub for New Media and Digital Art in the Middle East and North Africa, has opened its doors in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diriyah, the ancestral home of the Saudi state.

Launched by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, DAF is an incubator for innovation where art meets technology, positioning Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the global digital art movement. Alongside its opening this November, DAF launched its inaugural exhibition “Art Must Be Artificial: Perspectives of AI in the Visual Arts,” a showcase of the evolution of computer art from the 1960s to the present day.

The exhibition hosts several thought-provoking artworks, such as Library of the Unseen (2022) by Saudi artist Muhannad Shono. This distinctive artwork opens a dialogue with the viewer, encouraging them to challenge the idea that existence itself is predicated on observation and language. In Library of the Unseen, Shono composes a series of 3D-printed objects, creating an artwork that facilitates an experience which is visually enigmatic yet conceptually profound. For this piece, Shono drew upon a striking concept from quantum physics: the removal of all sentient life from a city would allow for the hypothesis that the city no longer exists, as there would be no one left to observe it into reality. 

Through Library of the Unseen, Shono posits that there are words, unseen, unspoken, that could unlock solutions to humanity’s most pressing challenges. Until these words are discovered and named, they remain invisible, their potential untapped and our realities separated from their direct influence. In its essence, Library of the Unseen is not just an artwork but a call to action: to expand our collective linguistic and cognitive horizons and to tackle the imminent challenges of our era.

Complimenting Shono’s philosophical exploration is Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda’s immersive audiovisual installation, data.tron [WUXGA version] (2011). Known for his meticulous approach to the relationship between sound and visuals, Ikeda’s work scrutinizes the mathematical and physical realms of data. data.tron is part of the artist’s “datamatics” project, a series of experiments that seek to materialise the imperceptible vastness of data that saturates our world.

In the data.tron installation, each pixel of the projected image is calculated through pure mathematical principles, creating a visual and auditory experience that intensifies the viewer’s perception. When entering the installation space, viewers become immersed in an infinite data universe, a binary cosmos that oscillates between 0 and 1, as they witness the hypnotic interplay of sound and imagery.

The “datamatics” project as a whole aims to transform the intangible into a tangible experience, confronting the overwhelming scale and complexity of data that governs contemporary existence. data.tron exemplifies the potential of New Media Art to materialise the abstract, invisible forces shaping everyday realities.

As part of its opening programming, DAF also hosted a live performance of Transient (2020) by multimedia artist Quayola. Transient, an audiovisual concert created in collaboration with the musician and technologist Seta, featured two motorised pianos and video projections reminiscent of impressionist brushstrokes. The performance was a real-time improvisation that brought together human creativity and algorithmic processes to produce compositions that balance anthropic and technological forces.

The inclusion of innovative artworks such as Transient as part of DAF’s inaugural exhibition programming underscores DAF’s commitment to presenting the limitless potential of New Media Art to merge elements of technology and art in unprecedent ways.

Diriyah Art Futures’ inaugural exhibition and programming has set the stage for a bold vision: to position Saudi Arabia as a pioneering international hub for New Media Art. By bringing together regional voices like Muhannad Shono and global innovators such as Ryoji Ikeda and Quayola, DAF frames its mission as one that concurrently connects the local with the global, bridging cultural heritage and cutting-edge technologies. 

DAF is not only a space to showcase art, but also a platform for fostering interdisciplinary creative development across art, science, and technology and advancing scholarship in the field of New Media Art. Its programming, including masterclasses, workshops, and residencies, is designed to empower the next generation of artists and scholars whilst charting a course across the evolving landscape of new media.

With its cutting-edge approach, Diriyah Art Futures is redefining the ecosystem of art and technology, marking it as a critical beacon for creative expression, innovation, and cultural exchange in the MENA region and beyond. DAF’s inaugural exhibition “Art Must Be Artificial,” running until 15 February 2025, signals the start of a new chapter in the international art world: one where the boundaries between the real and the artificial are continually explored and redefined.

You can find out more about Diriyah Art Futures on their website: https://daf.moc.gov.sa/en/