Desert X AlUla 2026 has opened with monumental art installations by Saudi and international artists across the otherworldly desert landscape of AlUla, in the northwest of the kingdom. Olivia Palamountain reports

The fourth edition of international open-air art exhibition Desert X AlUla 2026 has opened among the desert canyons and oasis landscapes of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia.

Running until February 28, 2026, the biennial is presented by Arts AlUla in collaboration with Desert X and forms a central part of the AlUla Arts Festival.

The exhibition brings together 11 artists from Saudi Arabia and internationally, whose works respond directly to the desert landscape. Installations range from large-scale sculptures and sound works to earth-based interventions.
This year's edition is curated by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley, with artistic direction by Neville Wakefield and Raneem Farsi. Titled Space Without Measure, the theme draws inspiration from the writing of Kahlil Gibran and explores ideas of imagination, scale and perception within vast desert environments.Participating artists include Agnes Denes, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Tarek Atoui and Saudi artists Sara Abdu, Mohammad Alfaraj and Basmah Felemban. Their works are positioned across the landscape to encourage slow exploration and reflection, part of efforts to establish AlUla as a destination for contemporary land art.Hamad Alhomiedan, director of arts and creative industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla, says: "At Desert X AlUla 2026, audiences will engage with art that deeply converses with AlUla's unique landscapes and rich heritage. These commissions highlight AlUla's transformation into a major global destination, where ancient and contemporary expressions converge."Desert X AlUla also acts as a preview of Wadi AlFann, a future permanent land art destination known as the Valley of the Arts, which is currently under development nearby. Together, the projects reflect a wider strategy to position AlUla as a centre for culture, creativity and sustainable tourism, alongside its archaeological sites and natural scenery.Located around 1,100 kilometres from Riyadh, AlUla is home to Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as ancient settlements, rock inscriptions and a historic old town. By staging large-scale contemporary art in dialogue with this setting, Desert X AlUla continues to link the region's past with its evolving cultural identity.