Presented by Riyadh Art and the Royal Commission of Riyadh City
November 28 - December 14, 2024
Curated by Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti and Dr. Effat Fadag
Exhibition Website
Role: Artistic Manager, Curatorial Team
Photographs and text courtesy of Noor Riyadh, Riyadh Art
Abdulrahman Taha, Midwan – The Palm Forest, 2024
Abdulrahman Taha’s Midwan – The Palm Forest (2024) is a light installation that explores our connection with Earth and our ongoing efforts to live more sustainably. The newly commissioned artwork pays tribute to nature-friendly applications in historical Arabian architecture, notably the practice of placing palm trunks instead of columns to build the first mosques in Medina, the artist’s hometown.Taha’s forest is composed of seven pillars resembling palm tree trunks. More than 7,000 spinning tops cover the surfaces of the sculptures, each doubling as a light fixture. Together, they illuminate the space, allowing visitors to walk among the pillars.
Using the palm tree as its central motif, the artwork symbolizes growth and the importance of staying rooted in culture while embracing progress. This blend of man-made and natural structures invites the viewer to reflect on our journey toward a sustainable future.
Artist: Abdulrahman Taha
Title: AThe Palm Forest (2024)
Date: 2024
Medium: 3D printed objects, LED lights
Photography: Courtesy of Riyadh Art, Royal Commission of Riyadh City
Abdulrahman Taha (b. 1996, Saudi Arabia)
Abdulrahman Taha (b. 1996) is a Saudi contemporary artist and photographer who uses art installations to create cultural spaces that promote human connection in cities. Passionate about urban anthropology, the Riyadh-based artist grounds his practice in his education in architecture and urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, US.
Taha’s piece Layers of Al Wajh was nominated for the Kingdom Photography Award by the Saudi Visual Arts Commission in 2022, propelling him into the local contemporary art scene. The same year, his work Midwan was shown at the From Earth exhibition at Ithra in Saudi Arabia. Taha’s works were also part of the Nest Festival at Al Riwaq Art Space in Manama in 2024 and the Masaha Residency Showcase at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall in Riyadh in 2023.