If you are looking to take a break from the city buzz and immerse yourself in culture, Fragments of Folklore is a new exhibition worth bookmarking. Running from 30 April to 12 May in Riyadh’s JAX District, this group show pulls together artists from across the region whose work unpacks cultural identity through a modern lens. Think less nostalgia, more evolution.
Set in the city’s ever-transforming creative hub, the JAX District, the exhibition is presented by THAA, a Saudi-initiative focused on making creativity more cacessible, MIR’A Art, a Paris-based cultural hub that champions MENA artists, and TRIYAD, a Belgium-based platform. The curatorial focus sits firmly on how folklore and tradition continue to inform the visual languages of today’s artists.
Who’s Showing?
The lineup includes Hamra Abbas, Rashid Al Khalifa, Lulwah Al Homoud, and Raeda Ashour – four names with distinct visual vocabularies and a shared interest in drawing from Islamic design, regional history, and symbolic craft traditions.
Saudi artist Lulwah Al Homoud is a pioneer in the world of abstract calligraphy. Her works reimagine linguistic form, layering mathematics and rhythm into something strikingly current. Alongside her is fellow Saudi Raeda Ashour, whose vibrant explorations of architectural and ornamental motifs mark a welcome return to the public stage. Both are Saudi artists whose presence here aligns with the broader cultural shift under Vision 2030 to promote local voices and female creatives.
Hamra Abbas, a Pakistani artist whose work has travelled everywhere from Venice to Sharjah, takes miniature painting and marble inlay into new terrain. Bahraini artist Rashid Al Khalifa, meanwhile, brings a sculptural approach to geometric compositions that play with light and spatial perception.
Why It Matters
This exhibition is not just about looking. It is about relooking – at heritage, at symbolism, and at how artists translate tradition into future-forward expression. In a country where the art scene is growing rapidly but still defining itself, Fragments of Folklore asks what it means to inherit, reinterpret, and share culture through art.
The timing is also telling. The exhibition lands during Saudi’s Year of Handicrafts, drawing attention to the role of traditional craft in shaping contemporary narratives. The fact that three of the four exhibiting artists are women – two of whom are Saudi – makes a subtle but significant statement about representation and access in the regional art world.
Whether you are a long-time art lover or a curious newcomer to Riyadh’s art scene, Fragments of Folklore is a strong reminder of the region’s creative depth. It is a celebration of what endures, what evolves, and what is still being written.
Fragments of Folklore
30 April – 12 May 2025
JAX District, Riyadh
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