Noor Riyadh 2025: Artists Announced for Spectacular Festival of Light and Art
RIYADH — The much-anticipated edition of Noor Riyadh, the region’s largest international festival of light and art, has unveiled the full roster of participating artists as the Saudi capital prepares to host the event from November 20 to December 6, 2025. Under the curatorial theme “In the Blink of an Eye,” this year’s festival invites viewers to contemplate the rapid transformation electrifying Riyadh.
Curated by an international trio — Mami Kataoka, Li Zhenhua, and Sara Almutlaq — the festival will feature 60 innovative artworks by 59 artists representing 24 nationalities, with 35 brand new commissions. These pieces will be displayed across six emblematic venues in the city: Qasr Al-Hokm District, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, stc Metro Station, KAFD Metro Station, Al-Faisaliah Tower, and JAX District.
“Noor Riyadh is defined by its artists; their ideas, their courage and their vision,” said Nouf Almoneef, festival director. “Each work captures the city’s momentum through light, reminding us that creativity is a universal language that connects cultures and inspires dialogue.”
This year’s concept, “In the Blink of an Eye,” acts as a poetic mirror to Riyadh’s dynamic evolution. The theme explores how transformation, both physical and conceptual, can materialize in mere moments — conveyed through the ephemeral quality of light.
“Light is both a medium and a metaphor for transformation,” said Kataoka. “’In the Blink of an Eye’ reveals how quickly perception can shift — offering a moment to pause within the momentum of change and see beauty in what is constantly evolving.”
Among the prominent names at Noor Riyadh 2025 are both international luminaries and respected local artists, including Saad Al-Howede, Monira Al-Qadiri, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman, James Clar, Ivana Franke, fuse*, Ayoung Kim, Shinji Ohmaki, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Muhannad Shono. The diverse line-up is a testament to Noor Riyadh’s ambition of fostering global dialogue through the medium of light.
A special tribute installation will honor the late Safeya Binzagr (1940–2024) — a pioneering figure in Saudi Arabia’s modern art movement and the first Saudi female artist to hold a solo show in 1968. Binzagr’s contribution to the Saudi art scene has left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire contemporary artists.
Noor Riyadh is held under the aegis of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and its flagship initiative, Riyadh Art, which aims to transform the capital through public art and creative engagement. Since its inception, Riyadh Art has showcased over 550 works by 500 artists, both Saudi and international, drawing more than 9.6 million visitors. The festival continues this journey by turning urban landscapes into immersive canvases, connecting diverse communities through shared experiences and aesthetic wonder.
A full list of participating artists reveals a rich blend of emerging and established talents from across the globe, such as:
- Addie Wagenknecht (US)
- Alex Schweder (US)
- Alexandra Gelis (Colombia/Canada)
- Ayoung Kim (South Korea)
- atelier oi + WonderGlass (Switzerland)
- Christian Partos (Sweden)
- Christophe Berthonneau (France)
- dies_ (Italy)
- Edwin van der Heide (Netherlands)
- Encor Studio (Switzerland)
- Francesco Simeti (Italy)
- Guillaume Cousin (France)
- Iregular (Canada)
- Karolina Halatek (Poland)
- Kurt Hentschlager (Austria)
- Laszlo Zsolt Bordos (Hungary)
- Loris Cecchini (Italy)
- Marnix De Nijs (Netherlands)
- Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy)
- Monira Al-Qadiri (Kuwait)
- n+ n Corsino (France)
- Otolab (Italy)
- Plastique Fantastique (Germany)
- Random International (UK)
- Rejane Cantoni (Brazil)
- Robert Seidel (Germany)
- Roman Hill (US/France)
- Ryoichi Kurokawa (Japan)
- Shiro Takatani (Japan)
- Shun Ito (Japan)
- Six N. Five (Argentina)
- someform Studio (Germany)
- Studio Above&Below (UK)
- Tonoptik (Russia)
- Traumnovelle (Belgium)
- Vali Chincisan (Romania)
- Wang Yuyang (China)
- Wu Chi-Tsung (Taiwan)
- Zeitguised (Germany)
- Zhang Zengzeng (China)
- Zheng Da (China)
From immersive digital spectacles to contemplative installations, 2025’s Noor Riyadh promises to offer an extraordinary visual journey exploring the ephemeral yet impactful nature of light. As curators and artists join forces, light becomes more than illumination: it becomes a narrative — of transformation, perception, and the pulse of a city in motion.
Team V.DIR-EM-UAE
