Riyadh city, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was transformed into an art gallery as Noor Riyadh festival took place on the 18th of March this year.
Noor Riyadh (”Noor” which means ”light” in Arabic) is an annual festival in the city that highlights the mix of light and art.
The festival saw 13 artistic sites in the city showcasing the beauty of light, sound and moving images.
During the festival, two official records were set in the Saudi capital by two different artists:
- Brightest suspended ornament: 1.2 Million lumens and was achieved by Koert Vermeulen (Belgium) at Noor Riyadh Festival.
- Largest LED structure: 272,160 LEDs and was achieved by Karolina Halatek (Poland) at Noor Riyadh Festival.
Noor Riyadh is part of a bigger project titled Riyadh Art which includes more than 1,000 public art installations.
The festival aims to turn the city into a “gallery without walls”. Over 60 artists from 20 different countries participated in showcasing their art across the city.
Star in Motion, the record-breaking ornament by Koert Vermeulen, was hung from the iconic landmark Kingdom Tower at a height of 256 meters above the ground, shining above the city’s skyline.
On the other hand, Karolina Halatek’s “Beacon” art piece comprised of a whopping 272,160 LED lights. The magical structure amazed visitors at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center as it lit up the skies.
Noor Riyadh displayed through art the values of inclusivity and shared humanity across 13 locations in the city.
The festival also allowed the community to engage with the festival through tours, cinematic and musical performances and workshops.
