The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, through the Riyadh Art program, has announced 75 new artworks as part of its collection of permanent artworks installed at different locations across the capital. The program is continuing to expand the presence of art in public spaces and squares, with plans to add more artworks in the coming period.

This step is part of the program’s efforts to enrich daily life in Riyadh and make art an important part of the city’s urban landscape. It also aims to create a cultural and creative environment that reflects the capital’s position both regionally and internationally.

As one of the largest public art programs in the world, Riyadh Art currently includes 75 permanent artworks across the city. The program plans to add 115 more artworks in the coming period. The works have been created by 35 Saudi artists and 100 international artists from 45 countries.

The collection includes works by leading international artists such as Anish Kapoor, Giuseppe Penone, and Jeff Koons, as well as prominent Saudi artists including Zaman Jassim, Mohammed Al-Salim, and Manal Al-Dowayan.

The artworks are located in important areas across the city, including major streets and roads, cultural centers, public spaces, and squares. This allows residents and visitors to experience the artworks as part of their daily movement around the city.

The permanent artworks are created through a combination of commissioned works and acquisitions. Commissioned works are specially designed for their locations so that they fit with the surrounding architecture and the movement of people.

Recent commissions were selected through an international qualification competition. A total of 161 international artists participated, with 72 artists invited to take part. They submitted 70 artistic proposals, helping create a collection that extends across Riyadh’s main roads and key routes.

Among the major upcoming installations are 12 sculptures and large-scale urban artworks designed specifically for locations along the city’s main transportation routes. The selected artists include internationally recognized names such as Alexander Calder, El Anatsui, Janet Echelman, Anselm Kiefer, Idris Khan, Ryoji Ikeda, and Ugo Rondinone.

These artworks reflect Riyadh Art’s goal of making public art an experience that is accessible to everyone. The artworks connect with people’s daily journeys and become a living part of the city as time passes.

Badr Al-Shunaifi, Senior Director at the Riyadh Art program, explained that the artworks are designed to become part of the city’s daily experience. He noted that public art can reach people in different parts of the city. The locations are selected after studying movement patterns across Riyadh, ensuring that the artworks fit naturally into public spaces and become part of everyday life rather than simply standing as separate landmarks.

Among the recently completed works are “Phase of Emptiness” by Nobuo Sekine at the Sports Boulevard, “Balance” by Giuseppe Penone at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, and “Family Tree” by Subodh Gupta at the King Abdullah Financial District.

The collection also includes “Golden Dunes” by Zaman Jassim, which interacts with movement at a busy intersection, as well as a work by Ahmed Angawi that combines steel geometric forms with sound.

The artwork “Running Beyond” by Angelo Bonello has also been installed on the pedestrian bridge at the intersection of King Abdulaziz Road and Hisham bin Abdul Malik Road. The artwork interacts directly with this busy and connected location, transforming the crossing into a visual landmark by combining movement, light, and infrastructure with the urban environment.

In the Diplomatic Quarter, “Diamond (Red)” by Jeff Koons and “Sky Mirror – Blue” by Anish Kapoor create a strong presence in the urban landscape through color and reflection.

The collection also includes works by Saudi artist Mohammed Al-Salim (1939–1997), one of the pioneers of modern art in Saudi Arabia. Several of his works have been acquired and restored as part of the program and are expected to be installed at different locations across Riyadh in the coming period