The oasis, shaped by water, wind, and human intervention, serves as a rich source of inspiration and creativity. Here, resident artists have found the means to weave their personal narratives and propose interventions that resonate with the landscape
During eleven weeks, the resident artists visited AlUla, its heritage sites and oasis, worked with the community of researches and the local residents to develop their work.
Dadan archaeological site and the oasis, 2021. Photos by The Nabatean Studio for RCUThe artists exhibited their work in the palm grove, which stretches nearly 500 meters long, inviting visitors to discover their projects among the trees. This unique setup immersed the viewer directly into the oasis, with each project tackling it from a different angle.
The Oasis Reborn Open Studios, 2022. Photos for RCU
In the palm grove where the residency was held, the Open Studios took place for three days, featuring public talks, workshops, and performances, in addition to exhibiting the artworks of the six resident artists.
In 2021 and 2022, I managed the first AlUla Artist Residency on behalf of Paris-based firm Manifesto and its partners, the Royal Commission for AlUla and Afalula, the French agency for AlUla development. During the residency, artists’ research and work focused on one of AlUla’s most prominent landscapes where a regeneration program is underway, in an effort to breathe new life into this historic landscape and oasis. We hosted six artists in residence for eleven weeks and fostered dialogue, exchange, and collaboration between the artists in residence and the community of experts working on the ground in AlUla, as well as the local community. I ran the program and organized a weekly public programming consisting of talks and workshops, and an open studio in the palm-grove of Mabiti, the residency’s temporary home, which led to a longer term exhibition.
The main theme of the residency is rebirth. In Mabiti AlUla and its palm-grove, the artists brought back forms, gestures, skills, traditions, and legends from past civilizations in an effort to also question the place of the artist in such fast transforming, future-oriented projects.
The artists’ studio, 2022. Photos by Oscar Parasiego for RCUBefore the start of the residency, there was a need to provide the artists with a workspace. In collaboration with a designer, I set up the residency's artist studio in a shop front that used to be a stationary store in AlUla. This involved coordinating with suppliers to build custom-made furniture and sourcing, as well as overseeing general contracting coordination among painters, woodworkers, and electricians.