reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia

mist and mirrored surfaces frame an infinite column of illumination.

K.Halatek edited by christina vergopoulou December 9, 2025 3 min

Relic Installation Explores Light, Reflection, and Transformation

Relic installation for Noor Riyadh in Saudi Arabia builds on Karolina Halatek’s previous site-specific piece in Metz, redefining the concept of a monument. The pyramid-shaped structure emits a sky-tracing beam of white light through mist and mirrored surfaces, creating a serene gathering place. As visitors approach the sculptural composition, they are reflected, illuminated, and transformed. The public artwork invites each person to acknowledge their own presence and significance, momentarily becoming a living monument and an active participant in co-creating history. Combining modern aesthetics and technology with evocative form, Relic serves not as a historical tribute but as a participatory space for reflection and transformation.

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 1 — a pyramid-shaped structure emits a vertical beam of white light | image courtesy of Noor Riyadh Festival

Karolina Halatek Reimagines Monument as interactive Experience

Karolina Halatek’s works are catalysts for experience. Using light as her central medium, she creates site-specific installations that integrate visual, architectural, and sculptural elements. She studied Design for Performance at UAL (UK), Fine Arts at UdK Berlin, and Media Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland, and took part in Olafur Eliasson’s Institut für Raumexperimente. The Polish artist is a PhD candidate at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and a visiting researcher at the Lighting Lab, Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen. The installation was produced by TETRO+A agency and exhibited at the fifth edition of the Noor Riyadh festival titled ‘In the Blink of an Eye,’ Saudi Arabia, 2025.

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 2 — mist and mirrored surfaces frame a sky-tracing column of illumination | image courtesy of Noor Riyadh Festival

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 3 — the piece encourages collective engagement and shared experience | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 4 — the installation forms a quiet gathering point within the festival | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

relic-installation-noor-riyadh-saudi-arabia-karolina-halatek-designboom-1800-3 — light and mist subtly transform each person entering the space | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 5 — the work invites visitors to recognize their own presence | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 6 — participants momentarily become part of a living monument | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

relic-installation-noor-riyadh-saudi-arabia-karolina-halatek-designboom-1800-2 — Relic blends contemporary aesthetics with technological precision | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

reflective pyramidal monument emits sky-tracing beam of white light in saudi arabia - 7 — the work acts as a participatory space rather than a traditional monument | image courtesy of Karolina Halatek

project info:

name: Relic for Noor Riyadh

artist: Karolina Halatek | @karolinahalatek

location: Qasr Al Hokm Metro Station, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

materials: steel, stainless steel, acrylic

dimensions: 300 x 600 (base diameter)

event: Noor Riyadh Festival | @noorriyadhfestival

production: TETRO+A | @tetro_agency

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