December 12, 2024
Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first hub in the Middle East and North Africa dedicated to New Media Arts, has officially opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established by the Saudi Museums Commission, part of the Ministry of Culture, DAF is an art, research, and education center driven by a belief in the power of interdisciplinary creative practice at the intersection of art, science, and technology.
Set in a 12,000 sqm iconic building designed by Italian architectural firm Schiattarella Associati, DAF is a unique amalgamation of school, laboratory, and exhibition space. By offering a platform for collaboration, speculation, and production, DAF aims to empower the next generation of artists, technologists, and scholars to navigate future challenges and redefine the boundaries of creativity together. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Diriyah, the cutting-edge facility represents the intersection of the past, present, and future.
DAF has launched a groundbreaking exhibition titled Art Must Be Artificial: Perspectives of AI in the Visual Arts. Curated by Jérôme Neutres, the exhibition features the work of over 30 artists from around the world, mapping the evolution of computer art from its origins in the 1960s to today’s cutting-edge digital practices.
The exhibition showcases a rare collection of the world’s foremost computer art pioneers with artworks courtesy of Guy & Myriam Ullens Foundation. Connecting global and regional narratives, Art Must Be Artificial features international icons such as Refik Anadol and Quayola alongside Saudi talents such as Lulwah Al-Homoud, Muhannad Shono, Nasser Alshemimry (DesertFish), and Daniah Al Saleh, their works spanning geometric abstraction, robotic and audiovisual art, and digital installations, showcasing the innovative spirit of the Kingdom. Notable MENA artists include VJ Um Amel (Laila Shereen Sakr, Egypt/US) and Haythem Zakaria (Tunisia), whose practices explore the intersections of media, culture, and technology.
Internationally acclaimed contributors include Refik Anadol (Turkey), Ryoji Ikeda (Japan), Miguel Chevalier (Mexico/France), and Yang Yongliang (China), each known for their revolutionary use of AI, data, and digital landscapes. The exhibition also celebrates pioneers such as Frieder Nake (Germany), Vera Molnar (Hungary/France), Harold Cohen (UK), and Manfred Mohr (Germany), who laid the foundations of algorithmic and computational art. Other prominent names include Peter Kogler (Austria), Elias Crespin (Venezuela), Casey Reas (US), Daniel Rozin (US), John Gerrard (Ireland), Leonel Moura (Portugal), and Alan Rath (US), whose practices redefine creativity in the digital age.
Further enriching the exhibition are the collaborative works of Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau (Austria/France) and Edmond Couchot and Michel Bret (France), alongside experimental artists like aaajiao (Xu Wenkai, China), Anna Ridler (UK), Yining Fei and Chuck Kuan (China/US), Charles Sandison (UK), and Quayola (Italy). Together, these artists offer a comprehensive exploration of computational and robotic art, bridging history, innovation, and regional narratives.
With its distinct vision and groundbreaking programming, Diriyah Art Futures is not just a showcase of New Media and Digital Arts but a catalyst for global conversations about the role of art in shaping the future. In this context, Art Must Be Artificial exhibition, running until February 15, 2025, presents a dialogue between past pioneers of computational art and today’s visionaries, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s emerging role in the global digital art space. Above all, the exhibition sparks a reflection about the potential of AI and computational technology to redefine the boundaries of art, opening infinite possibilities for the future.
