The first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened this month just outside of Riyadh. A total of 63 artists are included in the inaugural exhibition Feeling the Stones, which considers how a country like Saudi Arabia, with its major societal changes, can chart its future.
Curated by Philip Tinari, director and chief executive of UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing, the show includes old and never-before-seen works, with about half of the presentations commissioned for the biennale.
Here are a few of the standout works at the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale that visitors can see:
Andro Wekua, 'All is Fair in Dreams and War' (2018)
Equal parts captivating and memorable, Wekua’s melancholic, at times apocalyptic, video work oscillates between visions of dreams, nightmares and glimpses of a dystopian world.
Paired with a haunting track thundering and slicing metallic sounds, the five-minute film is at its most striking when it depicts a burning palm tree. As flames swallow up its fronds, the tree appears to be shrieking over a glistening piano tune.
While Wekua’s visuals may seem surreal at first, one begins to realise how much they mirror "real life" – particularly scenes from wild fires that have ravaged the US West Coast this year. The weeping palm, alight and helpless, symbolises the world as it is today.
Lei Lei and Chai Mi, '1993-1994' (2021)
In this moving two-channel installation, the artists are presenting footage shot in the UAE during the 1990s. Much of the material was recorded by Chai’s father, a Chinese worker who lived in the Middle East for seven years and recorded his experiences with a videocassette recorder.
We hear Chinese pop music, recitations of poetry and musings by the main subject, and, in one of the most human moments, a conversation between father and daughter about their time apart.
Several things unfold in this near-hour-long work, not in the least glimpses of a specific time in history when globalisation in the Far East and Middle East were merging, but perhaps what is most valuable is the perspective from which this history is told – a worker entering a new culture, brought to a distant land for the prospect of greater income. In the Gulf, it is a story that repeats itself time and again.
1993-1994 is one of the subtler works in the biennale, but nonetheless significant for its portrait of labour and sacrifice that exists in a truth outside of national myths.
William Kentridge, 'More Sweetly Play the Dance' (2015)
A danse macabre plays out on an expansive screen that goes from one corner of the room to another. A parade of characters emerge from left to right, taking turns to move to music by the African Immanuel Essemblies Band as it is played on four megaphones.
Kentridge is known for his hand-drawn charcoal animations that contemplate apartheid and injustice in South Africa. In this work, the artist uses Johannesburg as the setting for the procession, performed against a smudgy charcoal backdrop with grass and hints of industry littered around, but his ideas expand their geographical markers.
More Sweetly Play the Dance reflects on the passage of time, the frenzy and complexity of work and life, and mortality. Played in a loop, the characters on the screen could go on forever, marching along through life and death. There’s no stopping either.
We are all part of the dance – politicians gesticulating from podiums, office workers hunching over typewriters and desks, labourers and farmers carrying their crop, as well as a slew of newfangled hybrids of machine and man or machine creatures. Towards the end, a march of hospital patients wheeling around their IV drips brings the present into stark view. Though the work was created in 2015, in the midst of the Ebola outbreak in parts of Western Africa, it continues to resonate as issues of public health, mortality and safety plague us in different ways today.
Sarah Brahim, 'Soft Machines / Far Away Engines' (2021)
A highly poetic and thoughtful work, Brahim’s performance and video installation charts what she calls the “morphology of breath” and “how it changes, the different forms it could take, the breath around the body", she says.
At the biennale, the work excels not only in its concept and content, but its presentation. It stuns viewers then slows them down as Brahim’s subjects flit across the 10-channel installation – men and women relate to, gesture toward and sense each other through fluid and deliberate choreography.
While many of the other works in the exhibition looked at ecology and a post-pandemic future through nature, it is the artist’s focus on body and breath that makes it stand out. With the pandemic far from over and a new variant on the loose, the breath also carries with it fear and anxiety, but Brahim’s work reminds us that it is an integral, precious component of life.
“The breath is a tool to ground ourselves. It’s something we can push if we want to accomplish a certain energy. Our breath constantly carries us, it is an engine that our body never tires of,” the artist says.
Monira Al Qadiri, 'Holy Quarter' (2020)
A series of glass sculptures are arranged on the floor. Shots of the Rub Al Khali or the Empty Quarter, sweep across a screen. Al Qadiri’s esoteric Holy Quarter draws from the story of British explorer Harry St John Philby, who ventured through the desert region to find the lost city of Ubar.
During his search, he came across a crater, which he mistook as the city and called it “Wabar”. The video’s narrators are the tiny black stones left behind by the meteoric impacts that created the crater, and they are also represented by the blown-glass sculptures.
Al Qadiri’s work not only looks back at Philby’s journey, but also tries to break free of a human-centred understanding of ecology. By giving narration away to the “extraterrestrial”, the artist asks us to imagine a future determined not only by man, but also by cosmic forces outside of our realm of control.
Dana Awartani, 'Standing by the Ruins of Aleppo' (2021)
In the weeks leading up to the biennale, Awartani had been laying out adobe bricks to dry in the sun before arranging them to create her installation Standing by the Ruins of Aleppo.
The mosaic work is an artistic recreation of the courtyard of the Grand Mosque of Aleppo, damaged during the Syrian Civil War.
In her work, the artist explores the destruction of cultural heritage, whether through war or neglect. Standing by the Ruins of Aleppo is also a nod to her mixed background of Saudi, Jordanian, Palestinian and Syrian heritage, and a reminder of the irrevocable loss of culture in the Arab world.
Deliberating using clay to mimic the surrounding traditional architecture in Diriyah, the artist says that growing up she also saw how the Middle East had a “self-colonial perspective” when it comes to its heritage.
“The way we build our architecture in Saudi does not speak of the local architecture, the way we decorate our homes is very modern European … So my work fights against that,” she says.
Running until March, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the organisation behind the event, will host a public programme in the coming months at Jax District for visitors. These include panel discussions with artists and experts, as well as educational activities for children. More information is available at biennale.org.sa
Match statistics
Dubai Sports City Eagles 8 Dubai Exiles 85
Eagles
Try: Bailey
Pen: Carey
Exiles
Tries: Botes 3, Sackmann 2, Fourie 2, Penalty, Walsh, Gairn, Crossley, Stubbs
Cons: Gerber 7
Pens: Gerber 3
Man of the match: Tomas Sackmann (Exiles)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Results
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m | Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Al Shamkhah, Royston Ffrench, Sandeep Jadhav
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m | Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m | Winner: Kawasir, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m | Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m | Winner: Quartier Francais, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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HOW TO WATCH
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
SECRET%20INVASION
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FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
