tuwaiq sculpture 2026 curators on turning monumental stone into urban tools

TUWAIQ SCULPTURE 2026 SHIFTS FROM MONUMENTS TO INTERACTION

As the seventh edition of Tuwaiq Sculpture concludes, curators Lulwah Al Homoud, Sarah Staton, and Rut Blees Luxemburg are reframing the role of the monument within Saudi Arabia. Rather than creating static objects to be admired from a distance, the 2026 exhibition introduces the concept of the convivial tool — sculptures designed for physical engagement, such as sitting, climbing, and communal gathering. By selecting works that invite the public to touch and inhabit the art, the curatorial team seeks to provide a nourishing infrastructure that supports the daily rhythms and social closeness of Riyadh’s inhabitants.

‘The sculptures here are not just objects to be looked at or admired from a distance. The public are invited to engage physically with the sculptures. They can sit or climb on the works and we’re very excited to introduce this new dynamic,’ explains Sarah Staton in an exclusive interview with designboom.

Drops of Life by Žilvinas Balkevičius | all images courtesy of Riyadh Art

THE EVOLUTION TO MIXED MEDIUMS

The 2026 symposium marks a technical turning point, breaking a long-standing tradition of stone-only works to embrace a more diverse material vocabulary. For the first time, artists were encouraged to develop their practice by mixing granite with steel and working with reclaimed metal, signaling a shift toward material experimentation and resource-conscious practices. This material intelligence was developed in a high-energy, public environment on Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Street (Al Tahlia), where the live process allowed the public to witness the artistic transformation firsthand. This live laboratory served as a shared learning process, ensuring that the act of making was as much a part of the city’s cultural development as the finished 25 sculptures.

‘This edition is very special because of the variety of mediums. There is not only stone this year, so there is metal and there is steel mixed with granite as well. Having stone mixed with steel and also working with reclaimed metal, I think opens a new era for a Tuwaiq sculpture,’ reflects Lulwah Al Homoud on the material evolution.

Emergence by Wafa Alqunibit

NOURISHING THE TRACES OF WHAT WILL BE

The guiding theme, ‘Traces of What Will Be,’ draws a direct conceptual line to the history of the Al Tahlia site, formerly home to Riyadh’s first water desalination plant. Just as desalination transforms non-potable water into a source of life, the curators view sculpture as a transformative activity that turns raw matter into a vector for future possibilities and emerging ideas. The metaphor of water persists in the urban strategy; while the exhibition on Al Tahlia is temporary, the trace it leaves is intended to be permanent.

361° by Shahryar Rezaei

Following the close of the exhibition, the 25 works are relocated across the city as part of Riyadh Art’s Permanent Collection, integrated into urban spaces including metro stations, university campuses, and local neighborhoods. For the curators, the ultimate success of the 2026 edition lies in this transition, where the artworks move from the temporary display to the pavement to differentiate the city’s rapid development with unique, enduring points of convergence. As these pieces find their final homes, they will continue to facilitate conversations, stories, and the future plans of a city in constant renewal.

‘The last, and perhaps most important, part of the journey is when the sculptures find a new home in the city of Riyadh. I’m confident that the public, residents, and visitors will embrace these works and engage with them in their daily lives,’ concludes Rut Blees Luxemburg.