Noor Riyadh lights up metro stations in Saudi with immersive artworks
Festival spreads 60 light installations across city to celebrate heritage and transformation
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (MNTV) — The fifth edition of Noor Riyadh opened in Saudi Arabia, unveiling a citywide exhibition of light-based artworks that this year spans Riyadh’s metro network to make viewing easier and more accessible for residents and visitors.
The metro, launched in late 2024, now serves as a corridor for 60 works created by 59 artists from 24 countries. Festival organizers said the approach allows passengers to move seamlessly between installations until the event concludes on December 6.
Nouf Al-Moneef, director of Noor Riyadh, said the festival’s design connects the city’s past, present, and future. She added that the metro-enabled route creates a simple, intuitive experience in which passengers can visit multiple stations and explore diverse artworks along a single line.
The installations are spread across six major locations: Qasr Al-Hokm District, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, stc Metro Station, KAFD Metro Station, Al-Faisaliah Tower, and the Riyadh Art Space at JAX District.
Curators said the route highlights different eras of Riyadh’s architectural and urban evolution, with sites ranging from the 1930s to modern-day developments.
Sara Al-Mutlaq, one of the festival’s curators, said the theme “In the Blink of an Eye” explores transformation and continuity, reflecting rapid societal shifts while encouraging personal reflection on how individuals define time, change, and participation.
The curatorial team—led by Mami Kataoka of the Mori Art Museum and including Li Zhenhua of Beijing Art Lab—selected works that merge technology, memory, and human interaction.
During the preview night at stc station, visitors viewed installations by Roman Hill, Saad Al-Howede, Marinix De Nijs, and Ryoichi Kurokawa.
Al-Howede’s “Memory Melting,” created from melted plastic toys collected from children across the world, was among the standout works. The installation uses three large spheres to explore nostalgia, emotional expression, and the transformation of memory.
De Nijs’ “New Dimensions: Riyadh Edition,” an interactive installation combining global images and sound, allows spectators to influence the artwork through a sculptural interface that examines how humans perceive and move through cities.
An indoor exhibition features works by Guillaume Cousin, Ivana Franke, Kurt Hentschlager, Saeed Gebaan, Shiro Takatani, Shun Ito, Wu Chi-Tsung, and Zheng Da. Curators said the mix of Saudi and international artists reflects the festival’s commitment to global dialogue and artistic exchange.
Since launching in 2021, Noor Riyadh has drawn more than 9.6 million visitors and showcased over 550 artworks.
This year’s program also includes community workshops, public activities, and discussions designed to support Riyadh Art’s broader mission of enriching everyday life through creativity.
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