Existence and chaos explored in 50-meter painting

Welcome to Al-Monitor Riyadh.

This week, we are spotlighting a special showcase at ATHR in Jeddah featuring a work by Saudi artist Sarah Abu Abdallah, originally commissioned by the Sharjah Art Foundation for the 16th Sharjah Biennial in the United Arab Emirates. We are also highlighting the upcoming third edition of Riyadh Fashion Week, an in situ work in Riyadh by Lebanese artist Abed Al Kadiri exploring themes of destruction and transformation, and Wadi, a new Saudi fusion restaurant that has opened in Riyadh.

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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: Sarah Abu Abdallah’s ‘You Ask, We Answer’

A view of Sarah Abu Abdallah’s “You Ask, We Answer,” 2025. Acrylic colors, ink and collage on canvas, animation. 175 × 5,000 cm. (Courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation. Photography by Shafeek Nalakath)

Saudi artist Sarah Abu Abdallah’s sweeping 50-meter painting, which unfolds like a labyrinthine journey, will be presented at ATHR Jeddah after its earlier showing at the Sharjah Biennial. Titled “You Ask, We Answer,” the mesmerizing work charts the artist’s thoughts, emotions, memories and desires through collage, drawing, painting, playful stickers and writing exploring existential questions. It is both profound and exuberant, often in a clever, light-hearted manner, rendering the tension between the order and chaos of the world we live in.

Time seems to stand still as viewers make their way through the long, undulating painting, which also appears to reflect the unpredictable, blurred and rapidly moving nature of our hyperconnected world.

In Sharjah, the piece spanned multiple rooms. Its length made it seem in constant motion yet fragmented, with writing, thoughts and depictions appearing haphazardly across a blue-hued background of varying shades.

The piece also explores the societal conditions of contemporary Saudi Arabia, a country undergoing significant transformation. Abdallah’s work serves as a radiant meditation on life, destiny, chance and, ultimately, the contradictions of existence.

Date: Sept. 17 - Nov. 2

Location: ATHR Gallery, Jeddah, Space 1, 5th floor, Serafi Mega Mall, Tahlia Street

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Wadi

An exterior view of Wadi in Riyadh. (Courtesy of Wadi)

Wadi, which means ‘river’ in Arabic, is a new restaurant focusing on Saudi fusion cuisine, blending traditional Gulf dishes with global specialties. The contemporary interiors feature soft curves and arched niches in off-white and beige hues. Outside, wooden accents and textiles inspired by motifs found in Sadu and other Arabian weaving traditions adorn comfortable sofas and armchairs, reflecting Bedouin design elements.

Be sure to try the leek and potato soup, salads such as the burrata “huwara” served over roasted tomatoes and date balsamic, cold mezze like lubb or wagyu with roasted bone marrow and hummus. From the oven, try baked pasta with Saudi pesto, and for mains, the lamb neck with haneeth spices comes highly recommended.

Location: Laysen Valley, Riyadh

Find more information here.

3. Riyadh diary

Abed Al Kadiri creating his in situ artwork at SAMoCA. (Courtesy of Abed Al Kadiri)

• Abed Al Kadiri presents ‘Today I Would Like to Be’ at SAMoCA

Running alongside the exhibition “Cities Under Quarantine,” Lebanese artist Abed Al Kadiri is presenting his in situ work “Today I Would Like To Be” at SAMoCA.

“What began as an empty cube has transformed into a living canvas, shaped by countless hours, layers of charcoal, and the energy of all the visitors who witnessed it and shared their wishes and dreams upon its outer surface,” the artist wrote on his Instagram.

Kadiri, who conceived the “Cities Under Quarantine” project during the coronavirus pandemic, reflects on how erasure can signify both destruction and transformation. Created with a live audience, the work generates a quiet, fragile tension between the visible and the invisible, or, as he describes it, between “what is given and what is taken away.”

Date: until Sept. 28

Location: SAMoCA, Jax District, Diriyah, Riyadh

Find more information here.

• ‘After School’ at ATHR AlUla

This group exhibition recalls the time after the school day, when children attended extracurricular activities, gatherings and other daily routines. Featuring works by Saudi artists Ahaad Alamoudi, Basmah Felemban, Mohammad Alfaraj, Sarah Abu Abdallah and Rami Farook from the UAE, the exhibition includes photography, installation, video games, painting, textiles and collage.

The artists explore the transition from restricted, inhibited spaces to ones of freedom while roaming streets, public parks, homes or gathering with friends, ranging from moments of solitude to curiosity, exuberance and playfulness. The pieces poignantly depict collective routines and memories shared across generations in Saudi Arabia

Date: Sept. 23 - Dec. 30

Location: ATHR AlUla

Find more information here.

• Riyadh Fashion Week to return for third edition

Riyadh Fashion Week is returning to the Saudi capital for its third edition and, for the first time, will include international brands. Organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, part of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the event will focus on homegrown Saudi and Arab designers.

“Riyadh Fashion Week has become a gateway for those looking to understand and participate in the future of Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry,” said Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, in a statement.

The program will feature over 25 runway shows, 10 designer presentations, a curated showroom and various activities across Riyadh.

Date: Oct. 16-21

Location: Riyadh International Convention and Exhibitions Center

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: ‘Life on Hold’ by Fahd Al-Atiq

This captivating novel, written in 2012 by Saudi writer Fahd Al-Atiq, captures the period when the Gulf nation was on the cusp of the social and economic change ushered in by the ambitious Vision 2030 plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Atiq explores the social and psychological struggles of a Saudi family whose dreams and aspirations seem to be placed permanently on hold amid the country’s challenging period of transformation. Atiq examines the reality of Saudi families living in a society caught between traditional and religious values and the surge of consumerism following the post-oil boom.

5. View from Riyadh

Local residents of the Al-Batha neighborhood in Riyadh. (Photographed by Osama Yahiya Al-Jabarti)

Riyadh-based photographer Osama Jabarti captures daily life in Al-Batha, one of the city’s oldest commercial neighborhoods. The district emerged during World War II as Hillat al-Kuwaitiyyah, or “Quarter of the Kuwaitis,” when several Kuwaiti merchants and traders established an auction market outside the northeastern ring of the walled town at the heart of Riyadh.

Al-Batha is known for its bustling markets, traditional souqs and landmarks such as the Al Masmak Fortress. Since the oil boom of the 1970s, the surrounding neighborhood has been the center of Riyadh’s Bangladeshi community. It remains a popular destination for locals and expats shopping for gold, electronics and groceries.

@osama_jabarti 

6. By the numbers

• Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission, with Vogue Business, unveiled its 2025 sector report during a Tokyo roadshow, projecting the kingdom’s fashion market to hit $36 billion, the largest in the GCC.
• All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), co-founded last year by Oscar-winning actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg, will launch a dedicated women’s sports channel in Saudi Arabia. The 24-hour SSC AWSN channel, available via the MBC Shahid streaming platform, will focus on women’s sports, featuring a mix of international events and local Saudi women’s soccer coverage.