Noor Riyadh 2023: Festival of Light and Art Concludes with Six Guinness World Records
Noor Riyadh, a light art festival, has successfully concluded its 2023 edition. The public light art showcase, which ran from November 30 to December 16, transformed Saudi Arabia’s capital into a dazzling ‘gallery without walls’, engaging almost 3 million visitors with over 120 innovative artworks by more than 100 artists from 30 countries, more than 35 of whom are from Saudi Arabia.
Adding six new Guinness World Records to the previous year’s achievements, Christopher Bauder’s Dialogue on Al Faisaliyah Tower set a record for the most lights in a light show on a single building as well as the record for the most lights used in a temporary light and sound show, illuminating both Al Faisaliyah Tower and Kingdom Tower. Studio Drift’s Desert Swarm created the largest drone bird swarm with an astounding 3,000 drones. Overall, the festival has also launched the most drones in a week, illuminating the skies with awe-inspiring performances. Miguel Chevalier’s Magic Carpet, Origin of the World, presented the largest interactive projection-mapped display, while Yinka Ilori’s Block Cubes featured the largest temporary skatepark—a surprisingly refreshing experience within a light art festival.
Noor Riyadh 2023, curated by Jérôme Sans, Pedro Alonzo, Fahad Bin Naif, and Alaa Tarabzouni under the theme ‘The Bright Side of the Desert Moon’, captivated visitors with its exploration of light as a unifying force in these times of progress-induced isolation. Artworks displayed across five main hubs in Riyadh, including the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), JAX District, Salam Park, Wadi Hanifa, and Wadi Namar, offered residents and visitors alike a unique blend of art and technology, redefining the city’s nightscape and inviting viewers to slow down, transcend time and space, and get together under the magical light of the Riyadh moon.
Highlights included Janet Echelman’s transformation of scientific data into visual spectacles, Diana Thater and SUPERFLEX’s immersive video art projections, and Christopher Bauder’s DIALOGUE, which illuminated Riyadh’s architectural landmarks. Middle Eastern and specifically Saudi artists shone brightly, with site-specific commissions and artistic interventions throughout the wadis, parks, and business districts of the city. In Salam Park, Chourouk Hriech’s Cities of Stars presented structures covered in textiles depicting landscapes of global cities, intertwined with nature’s essence. In JAX District, Muhannad Shono’s Absent Sky created a mesmerising experience with its play on light and formlessness. Monira Al Qadiri’s works—the impactful Monument featured in the festival and the luminescent Zephyr series, presented in the exhibition—reflected on nature’s dualities and microscopic marine life.
While the outdoor citywide artworks will dim their lights tonight, the journey through the dazzling world of art continues with the exhibition ‘Refracted Identities, Shared Futures’. Running until March 2, 2024, in the JAX District, the showcase, curated by Neville Wakefield and Maya Al Athel, delves deeper into themes of mythology, astrophysics, and the multifaceted properties of light.
Featuring artworks from over 30 artists, the exhibition will keep the spirit of Noor Riyadh 2023 alive, inviting visitors to continue exploring the interplay of light, art, and technology. For example, Badiya Studio’s Symphony of Light merges traditional music with innovative technology to celebrate Saudi culture, while Farah Al Qasimi’s The Swarm offers an immersive video installation exploring the intersection of social media influence and ancestral history. Finally, Sarah Brahim’s Memory Machine uses dual film channels to explore the complexities of memory and forgetting, inspired by philosophical musings.
