The 5 artists for the new iconic cultural destination Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts in AlUla have been announced. The world's most renowned artists will participate, including 3 men and 2 women, Michael Heizer, Ahmed Mater and James Turrell, as well as Manal AlDowayan and Agnes Denes. 3 American artists as well as 2 Arab ones. The project is in its first phase; permanent, large-scale land artworks will be created from 2024 onwards. The 65 square kilometer site is located in AlUla, a desert region in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The project is organized by the Royal Commission and aims to make AlUla a new global cultural destination for contemporary art.

The new artworks are to be monumental in their physical size and experiential value. There will be a one-hour walk between Manal AlDowayan's artwork and that of her compatriot Ahmed Mater. Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan is an attentive witness to the cultural metamorphoses of her homeland, and her work explores themes of invisibility, collective memory, and the status and representation of women. Her labyrinthine installation Oasis of Stories is inspired by the mud walls of the old city of AlUla. The walls of the labyrinth passages will be inscribed with personal stories and folklore collected by the artist in the communities of AlUla

Another key task will also be the conservation of the valley. There are plans to reintroduce wildlife. Wadi AlFann will also link the two historic capitals of AlUla - Qurh, one of the seven great marketplaces of Arabia, and Hegra, built by the Nabataeans over 2,000 years ago. This is all part of the Journey Through Time master plan, which calls for the opening of 15 new destinations for culture, heritage and creativity by 2035.

28. July 2023

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Name: Manal AlDowayan

Education: Master's Degree in Systems Analysis and Design, MA in Contemporary Art Practice in Public Spheres from the Royal College of Art, London

Residence: Lives and works between London, Dhahran and Dubai

"Part of AlUla's vision is to introduce a new visual language called an open-air museum."

Can you tell us something about the status of the project. Has it already started?

This project has already started in 2016 when I submitted the first idea. The Royal Commission wanted a project without borders, a dream. I presented something but they said they were still reviewing it. In 2018 they contacted me and they said, "We want to make this a reality." It's part of AlUla's vision to introduce a new visual language called an open-air museum.

From your point of view, what is the background of this project?

With me you speak from the point of view of the artists. land art as a form and language originated in the 1960s in the United States, but has become a language of art and public art. It is a very important aspect of many cities and towns around the world that is praised within the community and society. Something that creates a very positive aspect or a very negative aspect. It is a very sensitive project that has been studied for many years. The selection of artists is important both historically and for the history of art and its proximity to the community. Iwona Blazwick, the former curator of the Whitechapel Gallery in London, was recently appointed curator of this project.

Do you also meet regularly with artists?

We don't meet regularly because most of the artists are in their nineties. Agnes Denes, who lives in New York, is the only woman in the project. Then there's James Turell, who lives in California. I studied his art and think we might meet soon. Then there's Michael Heizer, who as you know lives in seclusion and doesn't give interviews. He just finished his big land art project in Nevada near Las Vegas. Then, of course, there's Ahmed Mater, my colleague. 

"It's very big; there's almost an hour's walk between my work and Ahmed Mater's work.“

This is the first round, but think that every 5 years they will bring 5 more artists. Wadi AlFann, the Valley of the Arts, will be a place to come if you have visited the Unesco heritage, nature and nature reserve, and visit the Valley of the Arts for hiking or biking. It is very big; between my work and Ahmed Mater's work is almost an hour walk. In a day you might see one or two works of art.  The idea is to explore the environment, look at artwork that deals with nature and sustainability, and think about what it takes to create a piece of art with the environment and community in mind. We're creating some really incredible art. Even for these artists from the United States, this could be a significant work outside of their own country. 

What does it mean to you personally?

For me, it's a dream. Every artist in the world would die for this. It is a great honor and a great responsibility. I worked with scientists, architects and two universities - one in Tokyo and one in Saudi Arabia - to develop these ideas. I tried to understand the materiality and what it means to work with different professionals to make a vision a reality.

Sketches for Oasis of Stories by Manal AlDowayan, for Wadi AlFann ©Manal AlDowayan

Sketches for Oasis of Stories by Manal AlDowayan, for Wadi AlFann ©Manal AlDowayan

Your theme is the labyrinth of mud houses in the old city?

There is an old town in AlUla that is almost 600 years old and was inhabited until 1983. Then the inhabitants were evicted because the mud city had neither electricity nor a good sewer system. They were relocated to a new town next door. This is now under the protection of Unesco. A major restoration project is currently underway, but mud is impossible to preserve; mud in itself is a medium that dissolves in the rain. It is a permanent sculpture. 

"The people of AlUla are the ancestors of these kingdoms. What is their history? It is not written anywhere."

Only the people who have lived there know the labyrinth; it is their city, their own security. I used this as my path. The main artwork is called "Oasis of Stories." Much of the Arab tradition is oral history, oral song and poetry, so the archive of our history is oral. I would like to bring the history of the people of AlUla to the visitors of the Valley of the Arts. Also, AlUla is a huge stone library. Many people have written something on the rocks over the 500 years of history. They have 3 kingdoms, each buried on top of the other. There is a theory that this is the origin of Arabic language and other languages in history. We have pre-Islamic and Islamic scriptures on these rocks. And the people of AlUla are the ancestors of these kingdoms. What is their history? It is not written anywhere. 

Over the next year, I will hold sessions in AlUla, asking the community to draw their stories, their flora and fauna, the jewelry their grandmother wore, the games their children played, the songs they listened to when they slept - all of it. I will then engrave them into the artwork. You walk through the labyrinth and read the story of the people of AlUla.

"My goal is for the people of AlUla to have this artwork as a way to acknowledge them and say, I see you, I respect you."

What is the significance of Wadi AlFann for the people of this region?

I come from the east and AlUla is the north. My goal is for the people of AlUla to have this artwork as a way to acknowledge them and say, I see you, I respect you. I hope they love the artwork. The artwork can build its own relationship with the people who come from different parts of the world, a relationship with the cities in Saudi Arabia. It is very difficult for an artist to predict the effect of an artwork. It could also be hated.

What are your favorite materials to work with as an artist?

I am a conceptual artist and my materials change. They repeat in different variations of the same idea, my materials change depending on the concept and the place. I am very aware of climate change and how important it is for an artist to think about the materials they use. I have collaborated a lot with women artisans around the world and work with them in an aesthetic way. My latest artwork is made from a silk I made in northern India, where the silk worms are not killed. I use them to build soft sculptures. One of them is at the Pompidou, the second at the Royal Ontario Museum. Because of the mud and soil in AlUla and my interaction with the sandstorm, I also work a lot with clay, so you will see pottery in my artwork.

"It's part of the vision of the land: Art. Not soft power, as many Westerners think, but an instrument of diplomacy."

Have you experienced any limitations in your work and life in recent years?

In 2016, Saudi Arabia was reshaped by a new king, and the king's vision is to promote artists. This has changed lives. Artists in Saudi Arabia are very happy, there are amazing opportunities, commissions, there are laws that have been passed. 3 art historians, women, have been appointed to our version of parliament, which is an advisory council to the king. It's part of the vision of the country: Art. Not soft power, as many Westerners think, but an instrument of diplomacy. Art within. 

"My family and friends can see my artwork without needing a restrictive visa from Schengen or the UK."

As a country, we look to our artists, we redefine our identity by creating visual communication. The museums in AlUla and in Riyadh have acquired many of my artworks, and I am very happy that my work will be preserved in my country for future generations. My family and friends can see my artwork without needing a restrictive visa from Schengen or the UK. I have always been concerned about who has access to my artwork, as most of my work is displayed outside of museums. It's nice to be part of these collections, but I don't appreciate that not everyone in my country can see them. That's why I'm very proud of this moment.

Ahmed Mater at Wadi AlFann. Visualization by Atelier Monolit. Courtesy of ATHR Gallery