The second edition of the exhibition, held under the theme ‘Sarab’, will take place in Arabia’s dreamy ancient region of Al Mutadil valley by the starring Elephant Rock.

Exploring nature’s biggest mysteries, the international art exhibition Desert X AlUla will be back after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is set to take place in 2022.

The second edition of the exhibition, held under the theme ‘Sarab’, will take place in Arabia’s dreamy ancient region of Al Mutadil valley by the starring Elephant Rock.

Expected to take place from February 11 to March 30, 2022, the event will be curated by the director of the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, Reem Fadda, and co-founder of AR Art Advisory Raneem Farsi, Neville Wakefield, who had also previously curated the first edition of the collaborated biennial.

Held in collaboration between Desert X and the Royal Commission for AlUla, the exhibition will present artworks that explore the ideas of delusion and oasis through large-scale artworks that are positioned amidst the captivating ancient formations found in the Kingdom’s desert region of AlUla in the northwest of the country.

As the artists have been dedicating their time for the second edition’s launch, the complete list of artists participating in the exhibition will be unveiled in January.

The exhibition which takes its inspiration from the surrounding nature will explore themes associated with the desert’s deep-rooted history, culture, and underlying themes that project the beauty and abundance of nature in its most bereft state.

The exhibition was first established in California’s Coachella Valley and aimed at promoting dialogue through art amidst nature and the surrounding desert landscape — reflecting on the principles of the Land Art movement.

The exhibition, which is free and open to all, is one of two highlights of the AlUla Arts Festival, set to take place in February 2022. The festival also extends to Al-Jaddidah, an area near AlUla Old Town, transforming it into a bustling place for performances and gatherings.