After presentations in Rio de Janeiro and Riyadh, “Art in the Kingdom,” an exhibition featuring a curated selection of over 30 Saudi artists working across various disciplines, styles and from different generations, has opened at the National Museum of China in Beijing.
Staged by Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission, one of the 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, the exhibition marks the first traveling group show of Saudi contemporary artists in China, with its arrival in Beijing part of the activations of the 2025 Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year.
“‘Art of the Kingdom’ transcends mere art display. It is an offering of insight, an invitation to engage, to listen and to reflect, a journey of connection and understanding,” Mona Khazindar, Saudi author and adviser to the Ministry of Culture, told Al-Monitor. “Through contemporary art, we invite Chinese audiences to explore our rich cultural heritage, our evolving society and our shared human experiences that transcend geographical boundaries.”
The works on show offer powerful reflections on themes of identity, memory, heritage and transformation. These include paintings, multimedia installations and video artworks to present a wide-ranging view of Saudi contemporary art as a means to understand its collective memory, modern history and cultural traditions during a time of change.
Participating artists include Manal AlDowayan, Filwa Nazer, Shadia Alem, Moath Alofi, Muhannad Shono, Dana Awartani, Sarah Brahim, Lina Gazzaz and Ahmed Mater, among many others.
Curated by Argentinian art critic Diana Wechsler, “Art of the Kingdom” first debuted at the historic Paco Imperial in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024, before it traveled to the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art at Jax in Riyadh earlier this year. The Beijing edition is the third stop of the traveling international exhibition.
Dates: Until Oct. 30, 2025
Location: National Museum of China, Beijing
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