From Riyadh to New York: Sultan bin Fahad’s ‘Cncve’

Welcome to Al-Monitor Riyadh.

This week, we highlight Saudi artist Sultan bin Fahad’s solo exhibition in New York, the upcoming inaugural Cultural Investment Summit in Riyadh, Saudi artists participating in Frieze Art Fair in London in October and weeklong Saudi National Day celebrations at Ithra in Dhahran.

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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: Sultan bin Fahad in ‘Cncve’

Sultan bin Fahad’s “Oinbargo,” 2025. Oil on folded canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Leila Heller)

Saudi multidisciplinary artist Sultan bin Fahad is presenting his latest canvas works in “Cncve,” his solo exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery in New York. Exploring questions of power and its cyclical path through history, Fahad creates what appear to be folded portraits of former world leaders. One such work references Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, featuring nearly illegible text like “oinbargo, October 1973,” alluding to the 1973 oil embargo orchestrated by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries in response to countries supporting Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Through this, Fahad contemporizes history, demonstrating how the past is intertwined with the present and future.

In another piece, “Alo-Palestinian,” the viewer can barely make out the date 1917, turned upside down, seemingly referencing the Balfour Declaration, which established a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine under the British Mandate. In “Anti-Fasst,” a grinning man in a black suit is folded in a way that obscures his full appearance, accompanied by the nearly illegible phrase “AntiFasst Protection, August 1961,” likely referring to the Berlin Wall, officially described by East Germany as the “Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart.”

Fahad’s works invite viewers to ask both present and retroactive questions about what happened and what might have happened. Bold and vibrantly painted, these pieces reflect on pivotal moments in recent history and the ways they continue to shape our world today.

Date: through Oct. 18

Location: Leila Heller Gallery, Ground Level, 22 E. 80th St, New York

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Sobhy Kaber

A view of dishes at Sobhy Kaber. (Courtesy of Sobhy Kaber)

If you’re craving Egyptian cuisine in a laid-back ambiance in Riyadh, Sobhy Kaber is the place for you. The eatery first gained popularity in Cairo, opening its doors in 1996 after its founder, Sobhy Kaber, started as a street vendor selling grilled liver sandwiches. In Cairo, the multistory restaurant is known for catering to large crowds of Egyptians.

Now in Riyadh, the restaurant is quickly becoming equally popular in Saudi Arabia. Choose from a range of delicious dishes, including juicy kebabs, tagines and stuffed cabbage leaves. Don’t miss the renowned molokheya, an ancient Egyptian dish made from the minced or whole leaves of the jute mallow plant, typically served with chicken and white rice.

Location: Al Takhassusi, Riyadh

Find more information here.

3. Riyadh diary

Daniah Alsaleh’s “A Palette’s Stone 3,” 2024. Acrylic, crushed stone of carnelian on polyester canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and the gallery)

• Daniah Alsaleh & Basmah Felemban at Frieze London 2025

Preeminent Saudi gallery ATHR will present Saudi artists Daniah Alsaleh and Basmah Felemban at Frieze London 2025. The presentation reflects on Saudi Arabia as a landscape in continuous change, shaped by the movement of its people, environment and traditions.

In her work, Alsaleh draws on the historic Nabataean city of AlUla to explore layers of history through materials and memory. In her “Stone Palette” series, she grinds carnelian, once transported along ancient trade and pilgrimage routes, into pigment to paint contemporary views of AlUla. In the multimedia installation “Hinat,” Alsaleh references a Nabataean woman whose remains were found in Tomb 117 at Hegra, combining photographic transfer, painting, video and algorithmic generation to bring Hinat back to life in a space where memory, fiction and reality converge.

Felemban looks to the future, approaching the natural landscape as an informational system translated across multiple disciplines. Her work imagines new terrains from fragments of language and data. Marine life becomes a guide to the future, with ballpoint drawings of coral sprites and paintings of catfish rendering the improbable presence of river fish in desert landscapes — an imaginative creation of reality and what is to come.

Date: Oct. 15-19

Location: Frieze London, Regent’s Park, booth A23

Find more information here.

• Riyadh stages inaugural Cultural Investment Conference

Under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference will take place in Riyadh next week. The event will convene global leaders in investment, public policy and culture to discuss the future of cultural investment and how it can bring about cultural production, economic growth and social development.

“The Cultural Investment Conference reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to global cultural investment and inclusive growth that benefits everyone,” said Saudi Minister of Culture, His Highness Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan in the event’s opening press release. “We believe that culture not only reflects heritage and identity but is an essential form of investment that can drive economic opportunities, foster mutual understanding, and shape a more connected and creative global future.”

The two-day conference will feature 38 panels with cultural experts and over 100 speakers, exploring public-private partnerships, cultural investment funds and the growing role of philanthropy in advancing creative economies. The conference also emphasizes how culture can be a powerful driver of economic diversification, innovation and international cooperation.

Date: Sept. 29-30

Location: King Fahd Cultural Center, Riyadh

Find more information here.

• Ithra stages lineup of events for Saudi National Day

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will celebrate the 95th Saudi National Day on Sept. 22-27, focusing on Saudi culture and heritage. The Dhahran-based hub will offer interactive exhibitions, installations, film screenings, workshops and family events. Visitors are encouraged to dress in green or white or a color representing a region of the kingdom.

Highlights include the Saudi time capsule, where participants record messages and images to be returned in 2030, and musical performances such as “Dialogues of Tunes,” featuring the oud and semsemiah. The week will conclude with fireworks illuminating Ithra’s architecture and gardens, celebrating the kingdom’s rich diversity through art, music, food and performance.

Date: Sept. 22-27

Location: Ithra, Dhahran

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: "King of Kings"

This gripping new book by Scott Anderson, author of the bestselling book “Lawrence in Arabia,” traces the history of the Iranian Revolution — one of the most momentous events in modern history — and examines how it rippled across the Middle East influencing regional political power dynamics, with devastating, long-lasting repercussions. Anderson charts the rise of the revolution, born from a mix of religious fervor, anti-colonial sentiment and discontent with the shah’s rule. He explores how the revolution became a template for the upheaval around the world by what he calls the "economically marginalized, religiously fervent masses" against secular elites. The much lauded book offers insights into today’s global unrest.

5. View from Riyadh

Riyadh-based photographer Osama Yahiya Al-Jabarti captures Edge of the World. (Courtesy of Osama Yahiya Al-Jabarti)

Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) is a natural geological wonder about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Riyadh. Part of the Tuwaiq Mountain range, its dramatic cliffs offer breathtaking views of the desert plains. Popular for hiking, mountain climbing and outdoor meals with friends and family, the site is best accessed with a four-wheel drive due to the rugged terrain.

6. By the numbers

• Since its establishment in June 2018, the Saudi Ministry of Culture has issued so far more than 9,000 cultural licenses, providing support and incentives for cultural production across all creative fields.
• The ministry has also increased the number of cultural associations, institutions and clubs in the nonprofit sector in Saudi Arabia from 28 in 2017 to 993 in 2024.