Noor Riyadh: A New Visual Culture (Ultimate)^ASSOULINE Best

Capturing the essence of the Noor Riyadh festival, a spectacular annual art festival launched in Saudi in 2021 which transforms the city with stunning light installations, this beautifully curated volume showcases the creativity, and talent of both local and international artists.

Featuring artworks from thirty-five countries, which creates a dialogue between traditional and contemporary perspectives, the festival’s lineup is a testament to its diversity, including a range of exhibits that cater to various artistic tastes, as well as site-specific commissions by 35 Saudi artists including Muhannad Shono and Ahaad Alamoodi. These contributions enhance Riyadh’s cultural landscape, making the event genuinely inclusive. Notable among these are Janet Echelman’s dynamic visual spectacle, Diana Thater and SUPERFLEX’s monumental video art projections, and Carsten Höller’s exploration of time and space through light.

In just its third year, the festival has already etched its name as the world’s largest light art festival, earning a place in the prestigious Guinness World Records. Notably, Studio Drift’s ‘Desert Swarm’ set a new record for ‘the largest drone/multirotor bird swarm’, adding to its global recognition and prestige. The fourth edition of Noor Riyadh will return to Riyadh on November 28, running for 17 days until 14 December. This year’s theme is ‘Light Years Apart’. For more details, visit noorriyadh. sa and/or follow the festival on Instagram at instagram.com/noorriyadhfestival.

Noor Riyadh: A New Visual Culture takes readers on a visual journey through the festival’s breathtaking displays with a diverse array of images that reflect the festival’s vibrant energy and the transformative power of light. It is a tribute to the power of art to unite and inspire while telling a story of innovation, and the beauty of light art.

This exquisite edition, available in Assouline’s Classics and Ultimate collection, is a must-have for art enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone who appreciates the beauty of light art. Whether you have experienced Noor Riyadh firsthand or are discovering it for the first time, this book offers a unique and memorable way to engage with the festival’s magic.