CuratorWork

Alfredo Cramerotti

Art + Tech Director, Curator, Writer, Publisher

Office address: mm:museum [Media Majlis] @ Northwestern Qatar, Education City, Doha, Qatar
 - CuratorWork / CuratorView is an artsphere website

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Noor Riyadh 2024 for Riyadh Art [curating]

28 Nov 2024 – 15 Dec 2024
Noor Riyadh|2024 Edition: LIGHT YEARS APART Light Years Apart, the theme of Noor Riyadh 2024, explores the profound relationship between Althara (the earth) and Althuraya (the sky) and how we journey between the two, moving from our present circumstances to our highest aspirations. Drawing from the symbolism of the Thuraya star cluster, a beacon of guidance and inspiration, the theme reflects the power of creativity and ambition in bridging vast distances, both literal and metaphorical. Curated by Saudi artist Dr Effat Abdullah Fadag and International curator Dr Alfredo Cramerotti, the festival features 60 large-scale artworks that explore the relationship between the physical and the metaphysical. The works invite visitors to engage with both traditional and modern interpretations of light and creativity. Through sculptural installations, immersive experiences and projection mapping, Noor Riyadh 2024 creates a vibrant dialogue between art and technology, turning the city into a living, luminous, and poetic canvas.

Details of Exhibition

Under the umbrella of Riyadh Art, Noor Riyadh’s 2024 Preview Night illuminated the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, offering a first glimpse at the festival. The evening brought together artists, curators and dignitaries to preview the fourth edition of the world’s largest light art festival, under the theme Light Years Apart.

Following welcome speeches from Architect Khalid Al-Hazani, Executive Director of the Riyadh Art Program, and Nouf AlMoneef, Festival Director of Noor Riyadh, festival curators Dr. Effat Abdullah Fadag and Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti led guests on guided tours of the 18 artworks surrounding Murabba Palace.

London-based artist collective, United Visual Artists, transformed the night sky into a living canvas with a preview of their drone show, Aether. Featuring 1,500 drones, the seven-minute performance explores the silent harmony of the stars and planets as it brings the unseen into view.

The Preview Night set the stage for Noor Riyadh 2024 which officially opens to the public from November 28 to December 14. The festival turns Riyadh into a citywide gallery across three iconic hubs—the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Wadi Hanifah and the JAX District—as this year’s edition showcases 62 light-based artworks created by 61 artists from 18 countries.

Noor Riyadh 2024 features 18 Saudi artists and 43 international artists, with representation from Australia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

Noor Riyadh integrates public art displays with workshops, talks and community events, offering a unique blend of cultural enrichment and creative expression. Noor Riyadh has achieved 14 Guinness World Records, cementing its reputation as the largest and most impactful light art festival in the world.

The festival underscores Riyadh Art’s mission of transforming the Saudi capital into an open-air gallery. Since 2019, the Riyadh Art Program has presented over 500 artworks by more than 500 artists and attracted over six million visitors through its flagship festivals, Noor Riyadh and Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium.