Noor Riyadh 2025 In the Blink of an Eye / n + n Corsino - Calligraphic Body

Qasr Al Hokm District Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Riyadh Art is one of Riyadh’s four original mega projects under Vision 2030 and is led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Launched in 2019, it was developed to catalyze the capital’s transformation, enrich lives, and encourage creative expression and cross-cultural dialogue through art. Art and culture are essential to the identity of a city, and the Riyadh Art initiative was established to reflect the openness and accessibility of the capital’s growing creative landscape; where the exchange of ideas through artistic practice contributes to a deeper and more inclusive cultural identity. Riyadh Art aims to have a positive impact on people, bringing everyday moments of joy to residents and visitors alike, while instilling a greater sense of civic pride and creating a more beautiful city foreveryone to enjoy. It also supports the growth of the creative economy and contributes to attracting investment and talent to Riyadh.

Noor Riyadh, launched in March 2021, is a citywide annual festival of light and art. It is the largest light art festival in the world. Noor Riyadh is a 17-day festival that includes a public program of community activities featuring educational workshops, talks, and performances. Noor Riyadh bring together high-quality light artworks from leading international and Saudi artists across the city’s widest footprint of any light art festival worldwide. Staged under Riyadh Art, the festival aims to nurture local talent and inspire youth to drive Saudi Arabia’s creative economy. Noor Riyadh is presented by Riyadh Art and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

Nouf Almoneef Director of Noor Riyadh
Khalid Al-Hazani Executive Director of Riyadh Life at RCRC

In the Blink of an Eye
The theme illuminates Noor Riyadh 2025, casting a vibrant constellation of light art across the city's heart and along the sleek, modern lines of its new metro system.
This edition of the festival celebrates Riyadh’s rapid transformation. Its embrace of science, technology, and innovation. The narrative unfolds in two interwoven paths: in the historic center, light-based artworks converse with ancient architecture, bridging the city’s rich cultural heritage with its energetic present. In contrast, the metro stations radiate a pulse of modernity, animated by installations that reflect the pace and rhythm of urban life.
Light, evocative of movement and speed, serves as both medium and message in this year’s edition of Noor Riyadh. Kinetic sculptures and responsive installations trace the flow of people, visualizing connectivity and interaction. This year’s bold works capture Riyadh’s spirit of continuous transformation, embodying a city that is constantly in motion.
The festival invites visitors on a journey between eras, a place where tradition meets transformation. It is a metaphor for Riyadh’s broader trajectory: honoring the past while fearlessly looking ahead. Artists from around the world push the boundaries of light, using cutting-edge technology to spark reflection on the relationship between humanity, innovation, and urban change.
In the Blink of an Eye celebrates Riyadh as a city on the move, where heritage and progress converge in a luminous expression of possibility.
 

Curators
Mami Kataoka – Curatorial Advisory Lead
Sara Almutlaq – Curator
Li Zhenhua – Curator