There were discussions about Saudi Arabia's first contemporary art biennial happening in tandem with a China-Saudi cultural year, so I was told by artist and prince Sultan bin Fahad bin Nasser. Hence the selection of Philip Tinari as artistic director.

While Covid-19 scuppered these plans, a soft power logic infuses the Diriyah Biennale (11 December 2021–11 March 2022), staged across six renovated warehouses in the JAX district of Diriyah, on the edge of Riyadh, where the UNESCO world heritage site At-Turaif constitutes the birthplace of the first Saudi state.

ATHR would like to congratulate Bricklab on curating the first summer edition of 21,39. 

Curated by:  Bricklab (Abdulrahman/Turki Gazzaz)
Preview: June 8, 6-11pm (free and open to the public) 
Location: Historical Jeddah (Al-Balad) 

OUTDOOR INSTALLATIONS
1. Carlos Cruz-Diez / Crosswalk
2. Mammafotogramma / Al-Ba‍llo‍on
3. Manal Aldowayan / I Had No Wings
4. Nasser Alshememry & Blank Studio / The Vortex
5. Alaa Tarabzouni / Al-Som
6. Aziz Jamal / Guest Soap
7. Emy Kat / Assemblage
8. Ahad Alamoudi / I’m Here Next to You; Can You Hear Me?
9. Rashed Al Shashai / +3 Centimeters
 
XENEL LOBBY
9. Rashed Al Shashai / +3 Centimeters
 
AL-KHUNJI AL-SAGHEER
10. Traumnovelle / Palace of Cultures
11. James Turrell / Sedna
12. Hajra Waheed / Video Installation Project 1-10