How Saudi creatives are adopting AI to shift the boundaries of contemporary art

Special How Saudi creatives are adopting AI to shift the boundaries of contemporary art
Random International’s “Alone Together” that selected passersby to shed a spotlight on through a custom tracking system, at Noor Riyadh 2024. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 March 2025
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How Saudi creatives are adopting AI to shift the boundaries of contemporary art

How Saudi creatives are adopting AI to shift the boundaries of contemporary art
  • Saudi artist Daniah Al-Saleh fuses AI with cultural memory, transforming spoken Arabic phonemes into an abstract soundscape
  • Curators like Auronda Scalera and Alfredo Cramerotti bridge the gap between technology and art, showcasing AI’s creative potential 

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is reshaping creative industries in Saudi Arabia where artists are blending tradition and technology, integrating personal archives and cultural memories into a dynamic, human-machine collaboration.

One standout example is Daniah Al-Saleh, whose work was featured at Noor Riyadh 2022, the world’s largest annual light art festival.

Known for merging AI with cultural memory, Al-Saleh exemplifies the fusion of innovation and heritage. Her artistic journey began with geometric watercolors, but pursuing a master’s degree in computational art deepened her engagement with programming.

This evolution culminated in her 2019 installation, “Sawtam,” which won the Ithra Art Prize and marked a pivotal moment in her career.

“I broke down the spoken word into the tiniest form of communication, which was the phoneme,” Al-Saleh told Arab News.

“I brought in my knowledge of coding and programming, inspired by (Manfred) Mohr, this computer artist… and recorded my voice saying these abstract sounds.”

The result was a soundscape where Arabic phonemes merged into a wall of noise that, when deconstructed, revealed the fundamental elements of the region’s spoken language.

“It was a big turning point in my art career,” she said.

While studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, Al-Saleh was introduced to machine learning and used pattern recognition program StyleGAN to create several notable works.

One such piece, “Love Stories,” features multiple figures lip-syncing to 26 well-known Arabic love songs. The work examines cultural resistance to public displays of love and affection in conservative societies.




Saudi artist Daniah AlSaleh's “Love Stories,” composed of multiple figures that lip sync to 26 well-known Arabic love songs that examines the traditional resistance to public displays of love and affection in conservative societies. (Supplied)

Another, “Evanesce,” blurs the line between memory and reality, evoking nostalgia for Egyptian cinema’s golden era through AI-generated videos.

Meanwhile, “Rewind Play Glitch” presents a curated mosaic of seemingly personal imagery, exploring themes of familial bonds, love and the passage of time.

Despite her use of machine learning, Al-Saleh does not rely solely on AI. She blends digital techniques with traditional media to create a distinctive style.

This fusion is evident in her 2022 piece, “Hinat,” which combines photographic transfer, painting, video and algorithmic generation to honor a female Nabatean historical figure.




Saudi artist Daniah AlSaleh's “Hinat” utilizes photographic transfer, painting, video, and algorithmic generation to immortalize a female Nabataean historical figure. (Supplied)

The installation, currently featured in the “Art of the Kingdom” exhibition at the Saudi Arabian Museum of Contemporary Art, highlights her ability to bridge ancient narratives with modern technology.

To create the piece, Al-Saleh hired several women and filmed across various locations in Saudi Arabia’s historic AlUla region, home to some of the Kingdom’s most striking Nabatean ruins.

Like any technology, AI tools inevitably become outdated. Al-Saleh initially used StyleGAN for some of her work, but the program is no longer available.

“As an artist, I need to adapt and see within what context can I use that, is it a good fit, or should I use something else? Or maybe not use AI at all?” she said.

DID YOU KNOW?

• AI is not limited to visual art — it is also used to compose music, write poetry and even design sculptures.

• AI art generators such as DALL-E 2 and MidJourney use advanced algorithms to create unique visual masterpieces.

• AI integration with virtual reality offers immersive, interactive experiences in AI-generated environments.

Artists incorporating AI into their creative practices benefit from the support of curators who bridge the gap between art and technology.

Qatar-based curatorial duo Auronda Scalera and Alfredo Cramerotti have worked with numerous artists to integrate emerging technologies into contemporary art.

Most recently, they curated the 2024 Noor Riyadh Festival which highlighted innovative light-based artworks. For Noor Riyadh 2024, Cramerotti was the lead curator for international art, and Auronda Scalera curatorial advisor; the other lead curator was Dr. Effat Fadag for Saudi art. 

Scalera explained that some artists she and Cramerotti work with “create their own AI with their archive — for example, they don’t use ChatGPT.”

“When you create your tool, it’s like you create your brush,” she told Arab News.

Al-Saleh is one such artist who prefers to use her own archive. “I don’t use ready-made data sets — I collect what I can from open-source content,” she said.




London-based Saudi Arabian artist Daniah Alsaleh winner of the second edition of the Ithra Art Prize. (Supplied)

“For example, for my work Evanesce, there are a lot of available movies online in black and white, which I watched — tens and tens of these movies — and collected the data I wanted and then worked with that.”

She added: “Regarding ‘Love Stories,’ that was a bit challenging because I had to collect data sets of males and females with Gulf and Arab features that were public. I can’t go into private profiles and take those photos.

“(It depends on) the type of AI you’re using, on how much control you want to get involved with, or do you want to give agency to the machine learning or AI program, or how much agency you want to take.”

In addition to their work at Noor Riyadh, Scalera and Cramerotti were curators and jury members for the 13th anniversary of the Lumen Prize X Sotheby’s in 2024, which featured cutting-edge digital artworks from leading artists.




Curatorial duo Auronda Scalera and Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti, who specialize in bridging between art and new technologies. (Supplied)

They also curated Art Dubai Digital 2024, a section dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital art and technology.

The duo leads Multiplicity-Art in Digital, an online platform promoting art with a focus on diversity and inclusion, and spearheads Web to Verse, a project dedicated to researching the evolution of digital art from the 1950s to today.

Cramerotti said artists tend to approach technology differently from designers, focusing not on function but on critically unpacking, subverting and reimagining its use in creative contexts.

“Unlike designers, let’s say, that use the technology for a certain purpose, artists don’t have a purpose in terms of a function,” he told Arab News.

“They’re really good at unpacking the technology, critically analyzing the technology, subverting the use of technology, using that technology for another purpose.”




Saudi artist Daniah AlSaleh's “Rewind Play Glitch," which is a curated mosaic of seemingly personal imagery evoking familial bonds and love.  (Supplied)

Each moment in history brings new technologies to explore, as with photography in the 19th century and computer art in recent decades. The art lies in the ideas and techniques behind using these tools, not the tools themselves.

“It’s not just about using ChatGPT to come up with a text or using Sora to come up with an image,” Cramerotti said.

“It’s about asking, ‘Okay, what are the critical elements that I input to create that text or the image? How do I link and contextualize my approach as an artist beside my work as an artist in using this technology?’”

As AI evolves daily, it challenges the world — and artists — to harness its advancing tools in new ways.

“Even (for) us as curators, it’s a learning process,” Scalera said. “Curators today, we are like students.”




Curator Auronda Scalera's post on X on Oct. 1, 2024. (X: @AurondaScalera)

Expanding on this, Cramerotti added: “We are the interface between (art and) the public — and as art practice, art making, art displaying is changing, then our work is changing.

“You always have to frame a certain artistic practice in a new way and to present to a public using a new vocabulary.”

Another challenge lies in bridging contemporary and digital art spheres through curatorial innovation.

“With the 2021 digital art boom, you have a lot of digital curators who have no idea how a museum works, or how an institution works, or how to write an exhibition mediation plan or an exhibition installation plan,” Cramerotti said.

“And then, you have a lot of museum curators who have no idea how an NFT works, or how an immersive experience impacts the senses of a viewer.”

He emphasized that emerging technologies introduce scientific complexities beyond the traditional scope of art history, requiring curators to adapt and expand their expertise.

Scalera explained that this was why they decided to form a curatorial duo.

“This curiosity about the unknown is something that is really important for curators, because otherwise you are going to be stuck in only one theory,” she said.

“In that way, you can be curious, and you can work closely with the artist and discover different landscapes in art and new technology.”




Krista Kim’s “Heart Space,” that transforms collected heartbeats into visual symphonies, at display during Noor Riyadh 2024. (Supplied)

The latest Noor Riyadh edition explored the theme “Light Years Apart.”

The festival highlighted numerous AI-generative artworks, such as Krista Kim’s “Heart Space,” which transformed collected heartbeats into visual symphonies, and Random International’s “Alone Together,” which used a custom tracking system to spotlight selected passersby.

While AI-generated images are now accessible to the masses, ethical concerns remain regarding the references fed into these systems.

Last month, more than 5,600 artists signed an open letter urging Christie’s New York to cancel its first AI-generated art auction, criticizing AI models for allegedly using copyrighted works without permission.

Scalera noted ongoing efforts to address these ethical challenges.

“It’s an open discourse now,” she said.
 

 


Thousands worldwide benefit from KSrelief medical programs

Thousands worldwide benefit from KSrelief medical programs
Updated 11 min 31 sec ago
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Thousands worldwide benefit from KSrelief medical programs

Thousands worldwide benefit from KSrelief medical programs
  • On Saturday, the organization also concluded its volunteer open-heart surgery and catheterization project in Dushanbe, Tajikistan

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief completed medical programs in Tajikistan, Turkiye, and Tanzania, in line with the organization’s aim to support injured people worldwide.

The Saudi Noor Campaign, which will conclude on May 6, is tackling blindness in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The medical team examined 1,731 cases, assigned 198 prescription glasses, performed 60 operations and provided medication to 857 patients.

In Reyhanli district, Türkiye, KSrelief carried out a prosthetics and rehabilitation program.

With a team of 13 specialists, they fitted 36 individuals with prosthetics and 40 orthopedic splints.

On Saturday, the organization also concluded its volunteer open-heart surgery and catheterization project in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The team performed 133 open-heart catheterizations and 15 open-heart operations.

 


KSrelief continues humanitarian initiatives in Yemen and Syria

KSrelief continues humanitarian initiatives in Yemen and Syria
Updated 30 min 28 sec ago
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KSrelief continues humanitarian initiatives in Yemen and Syria

KSrelief continues humanitarian initiatives in Yemen and Syria

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues to launch volunteer programs throughout the Arab world to address humanitarian crises and improve the health of Yemeni and Syrian people.

In Damascus, the team completed three volunteer initiatives that supported hundreds with disaster response, administrative training, and psychosocial support for women and children. The program ran from April 26 to May 3.

In Yemen, meanwhile, KSrelief completed the first phase of an outreach vaccination campaign in the Aden governorate in collaboration with Yemen’s Minister of Public Health and Population Qasem Buhaibeh.

On Friday, the organization launched vocational training courses in Wadi Hadhramaut, Yemen, to improve the livelihood of locals and boost economic development.

The project targeted 1,500 people and focused on home appliance maintenance, carpentry, vehicle repair, men’s tailoring, beekeeping, plumbing, photography, and electricity and energy.

 


Saudi fashion event highlights retail trends, youth culture, and digital innovation

Saudi fashion event highlights retail trends, youth culture, and digital innovation
Updated 04 May 2025
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Saudi fashion event highlights retail trends, youth culture, and digital innovation

Saudi fashion event highlights retail trends, youth culture, and digital innovation
  • Speakers noted that the increase in entertainment activities such as concerts and dining in the Kingdom in recent years has led to higher demand for fashion products because people are looking for ways to express themselves

RIYADH: A Riyadh fashion seminar on Sunday brought together industry leaders and creatives to explore the future of Saudi Arabia’s fashion economy.

Hosted by Chalhoub Group at Lakum Art Space, the event featured keynote presentations, panel discussions, and displays by 10 emerging Saudi designers from The Fashion Lab Cohort 2.

Rafi Dikranian and Mohammed Bajbaa speak on “From Drops to Drives: Connecting with Communities,” exploring how culture, streetwear, and grassroots branding are reshaping consumer engagement. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)

The agenda focused on three main themes: the evolution of fashion retail in the Kingdom; the role of cultural identity in building brands; and the rising importance of digital fashion and collaboration.

An awards ceremony honored the standout talents of this year’s cohort: APOA, Awaken, Bucketbox, Mona Al-Shebil, Noble & Fresh, Nora Al-Shaikh, Rebirth, Samar Nasraldin, The Untitled Project and USCITA.

FASTFACT

Hosted by Chalhoub Group at Lakum Art Space, the event featured keynote presentations, panel discussions, and displays by 10 emerging Saudi designers from The Fashion Lab Cohort 2.

One discussion explored consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia, revealing that the local market continues to grow despite global slowdowns.

Saudi brands that blend cultural heritage with bold innovation, as featured in the latest Fashion Lab showcase. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)

Speakers noted that the increase in entertainment activities such as concerts and dining in the Kingdom in recent years has led to higher demand for fashion products because people are looking for ways to express themselves.

Retail experiences — both physical and digital — were emphasized as key to engaging Saudi consumers.

Michael Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group, delivers the opening keynote at The Fashion Seminar 2025, highlighting the importance of creativity and cross-sector collaboration in shaping the future of Saudi fashion. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)

Youth culture, streetwear and sports are shaping brand narratives, a panel heard. Speakers discussed how fashion is being used as a tool for cultural storytelling, with an emphasis on grassroots creativity and community building.

Another topic highlighted the power of collaboration between local and international brands. Panelists discussed the importance of long-term partnerships, manufacturing localization, and mentorship to bridge gaps in knowledge and infrastructure.

Speakers also addressed the future of digital fashion, including virtual design, retail innovation, and new marketing strategies targeting Gen Z.

Saudi Arabia’s growing role in shaping the regional and global fashion economy was a prominent theme of the discussions.

 

 


First Saudi-Maldives forum to tackle transparency, governance in tourism

First Saudi-Maldives forum to tackle transparency, governance in tourism
Updated 04 May 2025
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First Saudi-Maldives forum to tackle transparency, governance in tourism

First Saudi-Maldives forum to tackle transparency, governance in tourism
  • Discussions aim to support sustainable development, promote safe tourism environment

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia — in partnership with the Maldives — is organizing the tourism sector’s inaugural Saudi-Maldives International Forum on Integrity, which is set to take place in the Maldives from May 6 to 7.

The forum is jointly organized by Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, and the Maldives’ Anti-Corruption Commission, in cooperation with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

It will cover key topics such as enhancing transparency and governance in the tourism sector, combating corruption, and boosting international partnerships and expertise exchange among member states and regional and international organizations.

The discussions aim to support sustainable development and promote a trustworthy and safe tourism environment, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The forum is expected to attract international participation from more than 40 countries and 10 regional and international organizations.

Attendees will include ministers, heads, and representatives of anti-corruption bodies from OIC member states, as well as key international organizations like the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Interpol, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities, and the UN Development Programme. Local and international experts will also take part.

Organizing the forum reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to global efforts promoting transparency and accountability in tourism, according to the SPA.

The event highlights Saudi Arabia’s recognition of tourism as a key driver of sustainable development, in line with Vision 2030. It aims to build a thriving tourism sector, diversify national income sources, and stimulate economic growth.

 


Saudi deputy minister receives Pakistan’s ambassador

Waleed Elkhereiji (R) holds talks with Ahmed Farooq in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Waleed Elkhereiji (R) holds talks with Ahmed Farooq in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 04 May 2025
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Saudi deputy minister receives Pakistan’s ambassador

Waleed Elkhereiji (R) holds talks with Ahmed Farooq in Riyadh. (Supplied)
  • They discussed bilateral relations as well as prominent developments in regional and international arenas

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmed Farooq in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations as well as prominent developments in regional and international arenas, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Christophe Varno in Riyadh.