Art, ruins & revival: Dana Awartani's journey from Riyadh to Bristol

Welcome to Al-Monitor Riyadh.

This week, we spotlight Saudi-Palestinian artist Dana Awartani’s solo exhibition in Bristol, England, Misk Art Institute’s summer art exhibition, a new art consultancy with a focus on the Middle East, a multimedia show in the Jax District of Riyadh and a traditional restaurant in Abha, the capital of the much cooler Asir province in southern Saudi Arabia.

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Happy reading,

Rebecca

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Riyadh's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: Dana Awartani’s “Standing by the Ruins”

“Come, let me heal your wounds. Let me mend your broken bones.” 2024, by Dana Awartani. (Courtesy of the artist and Lisson Gallery, photographer Samuele Cherubini)

Saudi-Palestinian artist Dana Awartani is staging “Standing by the Ruins,” marking her first institutional European solo show at Arnolfini in Bristol, England. The exhibition offers an evocative exploration of what Awartani calls “love and loss, destruction and the passage of time.”

The exhibition, named after one of the artist’s series of ongoing floor installations and paintings, reflects on the physical loss of cultural heritage through what Awartani calls in a press release “the lens of abandoned, destroyed and vanishing places.” The show comprises paintings, installations, textiles, performances and film works that address the destruction that numerous conflicts have left on the landscape of the Arab world.

Awartani’s works on show continue her signature manner of honoring traditional craft techniques while collaborating with skilled artisans and using locally sourced materials. The resulting works are thus laden with references from Islamic and Arab art-making traditions.

On view are key works such as “Come, let me heal your wounds. Let me mend your broken bones” (2024), which was commissioned for the 2024 Venice Biennale, alongside Awartani’s latest commission, “Standing by the Ruins III” (2025). The latter was made along with a collective of craftsmen from Riyadh who work with adobe earth restoration, and rebuilds the intricate Ottoman-influenced floor design of Gaza’s Hamam al-Sammara. Once one of the region’s oldest bathhouses, it is now believed to have been destroyed by the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli military.

Dates: Through Sept. 28 

Location: Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, England

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Bab Al Turath

A view of Bab Al Turath in Abha, Asir. (Courtesy of Bab Al Turath)

If you’re wishing to escape the scorching heat in major Saudi cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, then head to the Asir region in southern Saudi Arabia where the temperatures are much cooler, the landscape verdant and there is even a lovely breeze during the summer season. Bab Al Turath restaurant, considered a cultural landmark, offers a rich variety of authentic tastes from the region amid an architectural structure that offers glimpses into Asir’s storied architectural and artistic past. Be sure to try the mathloutha, a popular dish from the Najdi region consisting of three essential layers: a wheat-based porridge with vegetables and meat known as jareesh, shredded pieces of paper-thin flatbread known as qurasan, and basmati rice with meat or chicken on top. 

Also try the mandy, a traditional dish originating from Hadhramaut, Yemen, that is now popular throughout the kingdom. It includes meat — usually lamb or chicken — and rice and is cooked with a blend of spices. This is a must-visit destination for history lovers. The restaurant has a charming decor that echoes old Saudi architecture from the region.

Location: King Abdul Aziz Road, Al Muftaha, Abha

Find more information here.

3. Riyadh diary

New Perspective Art Partners. From left: Brett Gorvy, Philip Hoffman, Ed Dolman, Patti Wong and Alex Dolman. (Courtesy of Emilio Madrid)

• New Perspective Art Partners launches with dedicated focus on Mideast

Amid shifts in the global art market, four major players have launched New Perspective Art Partners, a consultancy uniting top industry figures Ed Dolman (Alex’s father), former executive chairman of Phillips and ex-CEO of Qatar Museums; Brett Gorvy, co-founder of Levy Gorvy and former Christie’s chairman; and Patti Wong, founder of Patti Wong & Associates and former Sotheby’s executive. They’ll partner with her associate Philip Hoffman, head of London-based The Fine Art Group.

Dubbed a new “super group,” the firm will offer bespoke cross-continental advisory services for collectors and institutions, while each partner maintains their own business.

Combining global scale with private consultancy focus, the group will span the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East — matching clients with the region’s growing cultural ambitions.

“In my career, I’ve seen many parts of the world take a leadership role in the cultural sector,” Alex Dolman told Al-Monitor, “but what we are witnessing in the Gulf region is completely unique. … What is particularly exciting is investment from newer players.”

He noted the growing role of art in public life: “There has been a concerted effort to focus on the creative and ensure it is a focal point within a number of societies across the Middle East. … The work the major institutions in the region are doing is bearing fruit.”

“What distinguishes the region is the energy being driven by a younger generation,” he added. “There is a collective understanding … and motivation by younger collectors, dealers and artists to bring people to the region.”

Find more information here.

• “The Intergenerational Lens of Social Change” at Misk Art Institute 

The Misk Art Institute is a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation. Misk has launched an open call for the third edition of the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall Exhibition: Summer 2025. This year's theme, The Intergenerational Lens of Social Change, highlights the exhibition’s aim to explore the role of the arts in driving societal change across generations. Artists selected will be able to showcase work that reflects Saudi values, culture and tradition being shaped and transformed over time.

“Misk Art Institute is committed to empowering Saudi artists, providing them with a space where they can reinterpret the present and shape the future through creative perspectives that capture their identity and culture,” said Basma Alshathry, director of the curatorial department and chief curator at Misk Art Institute, in the opening press release. “This year’s theme underscores the growing role of arts in endorsing social transformations and exploring how personal and collective histories shape cultural identity over time.”

The 2025 edition will showcase works by Saudi and resident artists of all levels of experience and across a wide range of creative practices, including painting, figurative or abstract representations, photography, multimedia works and installation. Each artwork aims to offer insights into the cultural and societal shifts that continue to shape the Saudi art scene.

Dates: July 27 to Sept. 25

Location: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall, Riyadh

Find more information here.

• “Dry Beach”

A summer exhibition curated by Mohammed AlKabeer and featuring the work of Artist MLT (a music artist also known as Mo Lazim Tearef) will present mixed media works that prompt visitors to dream and escape. A production by Burble, a concept founded by AlKabeer, the show creates a fictional beach. As stated in the exhibition’s opening flier: “And since Riyadh doesn’t have a sea, we created our own beach!”

Dates: Through July 12

Location: Misnad F03, Jax District, Diriyah, Riyadh

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: “Impressions of Arabia”

“This could have been the site of the Garden of Eden,” wrote British photographer and explorer St. John Philby in the 1930s. The region of Asir, located in the kingdom’s southwestern area, is one of the country’s many still largely off-the-beaten path gems. It is known for its unique architecture steeped with vibrant, hand-painted polychrome frescoes, its traditional homes with colorful wall paintings, captivating mountain tops and verdant landscape. It is also known for its cooler weather — a perfect summer escape away from the heat of Jeddah and Riyadh. Thierry Mauger’s book, filled with beautiful illustrations, delves deep into the heart of this fascinating region.

5. View from Riyadh

A view of Asir by Lina Geoushy. (Courtesy of Lina Geoushy)

Saudi photographer Lina Geoushy’s captivating images of the lush landscape of the Asir region include elements from the region’s rich and unique culture such as this colorfully painted vase. Geoushy was the recipient of the 2025 Kingdom’s Photography Award.

6. By the numbers

• The population of the Asir province is around 2.3 million, roughly 6.3% of the total Saudi population, according to the Aseer Development Authority.
• Asir, which aims to increase its tourism both domestically and internationally, welcomed 8 million tourists in 2024 and is building around 4,000 new hotel rooms, according to Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb.
• Asir province seeks to generate a GDP of 26 billion Saudi riyals ($6.9 billion) by 2030, according to the Aseer Development Strategy.