Saudi art makes historic Paris Photo debut

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The captivating photography of Riyadh-based artist Nora Alissa makes a bold appearance at Hafez Gallery in November to mark Saudi Arabia’s inaugural participation at world-renowned photography fair Paris Photo. Back in the Saudi capital, a comprehensive exhibition opening at the Misk Art Institute — also in November — surveys how the works of pioneering artists across the Gulf from the mid-20th century through the 1990s were influenced by socioeconomic changes such as the oil boom and rapid modernization of society. Head to the historic Diriyah neighborhood next week for the PaperBack Art Bookfair to peruse art books and other independent publications alongside performances and in-depth discussions.

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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: Saudi artist and gallerist debut at Paris Photo 2025

Nora Alissa’s “Li’b.” 2014. Photography on paper. (Courtesy of the artist and Hafez Gallery)

The captivating images of Riyadh-based photographer Nora Alissa, known for her insightful and sensitive exploration of human relationships through places, culture and memory, will be presented during Paris Photo 2025 at the booth of first-time participant Hafez Gallery. The presentation marks the first time both a Saudi gallery and a Saudi artist are represented at the fair.

“To be part of the first Saudi gallery to participate in Paris Photo is deeply meaningful," Alissa told Al-Monitor. "It’s not only a milestone for our community, but also a gentle reminder of how personal narratives can reach beyond borders, finding connection through the act of looking.” 

Alissa, who obtained a master’s degree from Goldsmiths, University of London, in photography and urban cultures, bridges academic rigor with innovative photographic techniques to create art that offers new perspectives, historical depth, empathy and poetic sensitivity.

Her presentation in Paris follows her showing at the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah in 2023. In Li’b (Play) — the series she will present in Paris — she explores the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia’s folkloric dance traditions, some now recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, while continuing her inquiry into the intersections of the material and spiritual worlds. 

Through these works, Alissa captures moments of Saudi communal pride, often portraying groups of Saudi men dancing together before historical monuments, while the blurred quality of her images evokes memory, identity and the energy linking past and present. The series reflects on ideas of love and belonging across time, connecting traditional rituals with future aspirations. 

Date: Nov. 13-16

Location: Grand Palais in Paris

Find more information here. 

2. Word on the street: Joontos

A view of Joontos in AlUla. (Courtesy of Joontos)

Joontos — an authentic, homegrown restaurant in AlUla’s Dar Tantora House Hotel that serves a mix of Spanish-inspired Middle Eastern cuisine — is in the Michelin Guide 2025 and has received a Bib Gourmand award for its exceptional quality and flavors. 

Named after the Spanish word for “together,” Joontos is one of the best places to dine if you want to admire the architecture of AlUla’s Old Town. The restaurant is situated within an ensemble of renovated traditional buildings resembling a medina with its maze of narrow streets and walls. Interiors are decorated with traditional frescoes, Persian carpets and wooden furniture. As for the food, try the Levantine mezze and Iberian tapas to start with. For the mains, enjoy more international fare coupled with traditional Saudi dishes that incorporate local produce such as kabsa and mandi, and delicious flatbreads mixed with pumpkin, minced beef tenderloin, tomatoes and mozzarella. Finish on a sweet note with a date and citrus souffle.

Location: 375 Old Town, AlUla, 43562, Saudi Arabia

Find more information here.

3. Riyadh diary

Chariot at Hegra in AlUla after dark as part of the Ancient Kingdoms Festival. Courtesy of Royal Commission for AlUla

• AlUla’s iconic Ancient Kingdoms Festival returns

The Ancient Kingdoms Festival, AlUla’s iconic celebration of history and archaeology, returns to Saudi Arabia’s ancient desert region next month as part of the AlUla Moments calendar. The festival once again invites visitors to embark on a journey through 200,000 years of the region’s history. Staged under the theme Journeys through Time, the festival transforms AlUla into an open-air museum where the region’s culture, heritage, history and creativity are brought to life through a series of stories on ancient civilizations during daytime and after-dark excursions. 

Date: Nov. 20 to Dec. 6

Location: AlUla, Saudi Arabia

Find more information here. 

• Diriyah PaperBack Art Book Fair

Diriyah will host the second edition of the PaperBack Art Book Fair next week in the JAX District in Diriyah, Riyadh, presenting over 40 local and international institutions. This event gathers artists, publishers and printing enthusiasts to highlight the latest innovations in art books through an interactive and immersive platform. The fair offers a diverse program of workshops, sessions and art performances, allowing the public to interact with content creators who offer new techniques for producing art books and magazines.

Date: Nov. 6-8

Location: JAX District, Riyadh

Find more information here. 

• ‘Art Across the Arabian Gulf’ at Misk Art Institute

This exhibition features pioneering artists from the mid-20th century through the 1990s, highlighting a formative period in the Gulf’s art history. The exhibition foregrounds seminal practices that shaped national identities and transregional dialogues, recovering narratives long overlooked or underdocumented. The exhibition will present more than 150 works by over 70 artists in an unprecedented revisiting of Arabian Gulf art history, tracing how the region’s 20th-century transformations continue to shape it today.

Date: Nov. 5, 2025, to March 31, 2026

Location: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall, Riyadh

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: “Oil Leaders”

This book, published in 2022 by Columbia University Press and authored by Ibrahim Al-Muhanna, analyzes the impact of individual decisions on global energy policy from the 1980s to the present. The book draws on the author’s experience as an adviser to four Saudi oil ministers, incorporating data from key stakeholder interviews alongside his own personal insights and experience. It explores crucial oil market events and how leaders use information and their own motivations and strategies to make decisions and avoid price spirals.

5. View from Riyadh

Hassan Abuabdallah, a view of Highway 5 between Jeddah and Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. (Courtesy of Hassan Abuabdallah)

“When you drive through the desert on a relatively empty highway for two hours everyday for four years, you’d go mad with boredom unless you learn to appreciate the beauty of the desert,” Saudi filmmaker and graphic designer Hassan Abuabdallah told Al-Monitor. “The thing about this beauty is it is impossible to notice from one trip, but it reveals itself in the changes over long periods of time. You become in tune with the sun and how soon it sets, so I made a habit of carrying my camera with me in the trunk with the hope I could capture both what I see regularly and what I can only see once.”

Originally from Qatif but now based out of Riyadh, Abuabdallah focuses on motion graphics, filmmaking and making tea.

6. By the numbers

• During Saudi Film Confex in Riyadh on Oct. 22-25, Film Commission CEO Abdullah Al-Qahtani stated to the Saudi Press Agency how the Saudi market went from having no cinemas in 2018 to selling 90 million tickets to date, with revenues approaching 5 billion riyals ($1.3 billion).
• Qahtani said that ticket sales grew from around 6 million in 2020 to 17 million by the end of 2024. Similarly, revenues increased by 90%, rising from 445 million riyals ($118.6 million) to 845 million riyals ($225.3 million) during the same period. Saudi films have been a significant part of this expansion, with their sales exceeding 120 million riyals ($32 million) — a massive increase from 13 million riyals ($3.4 million) in 2020.