Dialogues in Contemporary Art & POUSH Talks

Paris, France, February 5, 2025—The Saudi Visual Arts Commission (VAC), is launching the first international edition of Dialogues in Contemporary Art, known in Arabic as Zawaya Wa Afkar, in Paris on the February 15, 2025. The event will be featured as part of the POUSH Talks series, a collection of conferences dedicated to exploring the themes that shape today’s creative and cultural disciplines. This collaboration will further strengthen the partnership between the VAC and POUSH, which has already delivered several successful residency programs.

Dialogues in Contemporary Art enable the exchange of creative ideas and address key challenges in the visual arts sector. This first international edition in Paris continues to provide opportunities for Saudi practitioners to join global art conversations. The collaboration between POUSH and VAC has already led to impactful initiatives that highlight Saudi artists internationally. By including Dialogues in Contemporary Art within the POUSH Talks series reinforces the growing partnership and shared commitment to meaningful artistic engagement.

The international edition of the Dialogues in Contemporary Art provides an opportunity for artists from Saudi to engage with international counterparts, enriching the global conversation on ecological and philosophical challenges. The Dialogues draw inspiration from the innovative concepts found in the work of Saudi cultural practitioners.

Curated by Anna Kirikova and Assistant Curator Daria Ozerskaya, the Paris edition is titled “When the Earth Began to Look at Itself,” referencing a land art piece by the Saudi-based Syn architects for the desert site of AlUla. This theme invites audiences to reflect on the evolving relationship between humanity and the Earth through the lens of contemporary art. Dialogues in Contemporary Art brings together renowned Saudi artists, international philosophers, and curators, who will lead three in-depth public conversations examining various artistic strategies for rekindling our lost sensibility toward the planet and establishing an alternative sense of the Earth. By engaging in these discussions, the event encourages a re-evaluation of our connection to nature and offers new perspectives on our shared future with the Earth.

Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, said: “With Dialogues in Contemporary Art, our goal is to celebrate the creativity of Saudi contemporary artists while making a space to share diverse ideas to address global challenges. By bringing together Saudi artists and thought leaders with their international peers, we aim to foster meaningful dialogue and encourage innovative artistic approaches that contribute to a deeper understanding of our shared world.”