Tuwaiq Sculpture: Forging Riyadh’s Future in Stone and Steel

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – February 12, 2026 – Riyadh’s bustling Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Street, popularly known as Al Tahlia, has been transformed into a monumental open-air gallery, as the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) today announced the opening of the Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 Exhibition. Now in its seventh year, the internationally acclaimed event showcases 25 new large-scale sculptures, the culmination of a month-long live symposium where artists from around the world turned raw materials into powerful public statements. The exhibition, free to the public until February 22, offers a tangible glimpse into the city's cultural evolution and its ambitious future.

Art as a Blueprint for a New Metropolis

The Tuwaiq Sculpture exhibition is far more than a temporary art show; it is a cornerstone of the Riyadh Art program, one of the most extensive public art initiatives in the world. As a key mega-project supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, Riyadh Art aims to transform the capital into a vibrant, creative metropolis—a “gallery without walls.” The ultimate goal is to commission and install over 1,000 artworks across the city, integrating art into the very fabric of daily life.

This year’s theme, 'Traces of What Will Be', directly engages with Riyadh's rapid urban renewal. The sculptures explore transformation as both a material process and a condition shaped by the city’s own evolution. The choice of the Al Tahlia site is deeply symbolic, as it was historically the location of Riyadh's early water desalination stations. This grounds the exhibition in a legacy of innovation and the relentless pursuit of an improved quality of life, providing a rich conceptual backdrop for the artworks.

Upon the exhibition's conclusion, these 25 new pieces will join the permanent Riyadh Art Collection. They are destined for installation in prominent public locations, including new developments like Roshn Front and the SEDRA Community, as well as along major transit arteries like the Sports Boulevard. This strategic placement ensures that contemporary art becomes an integral part of the urban experience for residents and visitors, enhancing public squares, parks, and commuter routes, thereby weaving creativity into the city’s identity.

A Global Dialogue in Stone and Metal

At its heart, Tuwaiq Sculpture is a dynamic platform for international cultural exchange. This year's edition brought together a diverse cohort of artists from 18 different countries, meticulously selected by a specialized jury from a pool of over 650 applications. This global participation fosters a rich dialogue, blending international perspectives with local context and materials.

During the live sculpting phase, which ran from January 10 to February 5, artists worked with locally sourced Saudi stone and reclaimed metal. This focus on material intelligence not only promotes sustainability and responsible resource use but also challenges the artists to engage with the region's geological and industrial heritage. The resulting works are a testament to this cross-cultural collaboration, presenting varied artistic interpretations of memory, environmental innovation, and the interplay between human intervention and the natural world.

The curatorial vision for 2026 is guided by the combined expertise of Lulwa Alhomoud, Sarah Staton, and Rut Blees Luxemburg. Alhomoud, a renowned Saudi artist, brings a deep understanding of Islamic geometry and heritage. Staton, a British artist, contributes her extensive experience in public space and social practice, while Luxemburg, a German photographer, adds a perspective focused on the poetics of the urban landscape. Their collective guidance has shaped an exhibition that is not only visually striking but also intellectually rigorous, pushing artists to create works that resonate deeply with the site, its materials, and its future possibilities.

Public Art for the People

Central to the ethos of Riyadh Art and the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium is the principle of accessibility. By holding the event in a major public thoroughfare and offering free admission, the organizers are actively working to democratize art and break down barriers between cultural institutions and the community.

An extensive interactive program runs parallel to the exhibition, reinforcing this commitment to public engagement. A series of workshops, panel discussions, and educational visits are designed to demystify the artistic process and foster a deeper appreciation for contemporary sculpture. The live sculpting period was a key component of this, allowing the public to witness the monumental effort and intricate skill involved in transforming blocks of stone and piles of metal into finished artworks. These programs provide an open cultural platform for all, encouraging community participation, sparking dialogue, and inspiring the next generation of artists and art lovers in the Kingdom.

Since its inception in 2019, the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium has brought together over 170 artists and contributed significantly to Riyadh’s public art landscape. To date, more than 60 sculptures from past editions have been permanently installed across the city, with dozens more scheduled for placement. This long-term approach ensures that the impact of each symposium extends far beyond its two-week exhibition, creating a lasting cultural legacy that will be seen and experienced by millions for years to come, permanently marking Riyadh's transformation into a global creative capital.