New Riyadh Exhibition Highlights the History of Saudi Modern Art
A powerful new exhibition in Riyadh is turning the pages back to a foundational chapter in the nation’s cultural story. Bedayat: Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement, opening January 27 at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, offers a long-awaited look at the courageous artists who shaped the Kingdom’s modern visual identity during a time of profound transformation.
Spanning the 1960s through the 1980s, the show traces the emergence of an entire creative ecosystem. This was an era of pioneers—a generation who began to forge a path for contemporary art long before today’s galleries and institutions existed. With limited formal training and few venues to display their work, these artists operated on personal initiative, driven by a powerful sense of purpose and a spirit of experimentation.
Reconstructing a Pioneering Spirit
The exhibition is the result of deep, meticulous research led by the Visual Arts Commission. Curators conducted dozens of site visits and interviews with artists and key figures from the period, weaving together firsthand accounts to reconstruct a vibrant, DIY artistic landscape. This was a time when artists built their own communities, shared ideas in informal gatherings, and created platforms from the ground up.
“These works reveal how Saudi artists engaged with international modernist movements while grounding their practice firmly in local heritage,” notes curator Qaswra Hafez. The exhibition presents painting, sculpture, works on paper, and precious archival documents—many of which will be seen by the public for the first time. In them, we see the development of a unique visual language, one that speaks to global artistic conversations while reflecting the specific social, cultural, and economic realities of life in the Kingdom.
A Journey in Three Chapters
Bedayat is structured in three thoughtful sections. It begins by laying the foundations of the modern art movement, exploring the very first sparks of organized creative practice. The second section widens the lens to examine the key artistic concerns of the era—the themes, materials, and questions that captivated this pioneering community.
The exhibition culminates with a focused tribute to four defining artists who helped steer this movement:
- Mohammed Al-Saleem
- Safeya Binzagr
- Mounirah Mosly
- Abdulhalim Radwi
By highlighting their individual contributions, the show personalizes a broad historical narrative, reminding us that this “movement” was built by singular visions and determined hands.
More Than an Exhibition
Bedayat is positioned as a comprehensive rediscovery of this pivotal period. Alongside the artworks, the exhibition will launch a dedicated publication and a documentary film, preserving these oral histories and insights for future generations. A public program of talks and workshops will invite visitors to engage directly with this legacy, fostering a deeper connection between the Kingdom’s artistic past and its dynamic present.
This exhibition does more than display art; it honors a legacy of resilience and innovation. It asks us to remember the artists who, with limited infrastructure but boundless imagination, laid the groundwork for the thriving, diverse art scene we see in Saudi Arabia today.
Visit Bedayat: Beginnings of Saudi Art Movement at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia from January 27 to April 11. It is a necessary journey to the heart of where Saudi modern art began—a testament to the courage required to create, even before the path is fully clear.
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