Tuwaiq Sculpture has returned for its 4th edition, welcoming visitors to witness the artistic process as artists sculpt their artworks live in parallel with a public program of more than 65 activities and events, including school visits, interactive workshops, and panel discussions.
Tuwaiq Sculpture is part of the broader Riyadh Art program, which seeks to turn Riyadh into a “gallery without walls” with more than 1,000 artworks to be displayed across the city in the coming years. Launched in 2019, Tuwaiq Sculpture has since engaged with 90 renowned local and international artists and thousands of visitors.
For 2023, a total of 30 artists from Saudi Arabia and around the world are currently in Durrat Al Riyadh to produce large-scale sculptures that will eventually become permanent public artworks installed across the city, inspiring creative expressions and enriching lives. Curated by Marek Wolynski, Tuwaiq Sculpture 2023 explores the theme ‘Energy of Harmony’, which reflects on the fundamental characteristic of human existence – the ongoing synthesis of the opposing forces.
The sculptors will produce their sculptures on-site until February 2, 2023, creating work out of raw blocks of granite and Riyadh Stone, also known as sandstone, all sourced from Saudi Arabia. Visitors can see the live sculpting from 10am to 5:30pm every day of the week. Advance booking is not required to see the live sculpting. However, tours of the site will take place based upon availability.
This year’s public program boasts a series of engaging workshops that explore sculptural forms in diverse ways and across various materials, with a range of choices suitable for beginners and intermediate levels. Highlights include the Traditional Doors Art workshop by Faris AlHarmah, where participants can learn about the rich design of Saudi Arabia’s old wooden doors and carve their own inspired designs on wood. In addition, the intermediate workshop Wood Sculpting led by the Madain Center will allow creatives to take their skills further using traditional tools for carving.
Other workshops will explore jewelry-making, metal wire sculpting, and gypsum sculpting. In addition, a two-day series of workshops titled Foundations of Sculpting will teach intermediate creators how to sculpt core facial features, including the eyes, ears, nose and lips, all led by art and creativity studio Catalyst V.
Meanwhile, a line-up of panel discussions will cover relevant topics on contemporary sculpture and art featuring leading experts and artists working today. Topics include the “Preservation of Culture Through Art”, which features speakers Saleh Al Hathloul, Saudi architect and photographer, Dalya Mousa, director of arts and culture at Diriyah Gate Development Authority and Dr Samir Al Dhamer, director of performance arts program at TRITA.
Different topics in sculpture, including the history of Saudi stone, stone engraving and its history in the Kingdom, and the transition of the medium from its ancient beginnings to its current conceptual forms, will be discussed.
The public program will take place in Durrat Al Riyadh and at the Riyadh Art space at JAX District throughout the duration of the symposium. After the end of the sculpting period, the completed artworks will be on display at Durrat Al Riyadh from February 5 to 10, 2023.
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