There are moments in life when art doesn’t just speak to you—it grabs you by the shoulders, shakes off the dust of routine, and reminds you why culture matters. For us, the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024 was one of those moments. Titled “After Rain,” the event at Diriyah’s Jax District, a pulsating heart of creativity, left us awestruck. Here’s why this Biennale will linger in our minds long after the installations are dismantled.
Industrial poetry
The choice of Jax’s warehouses was a statement—an invitation to step away from the polished galleries and into a realm where art and industry meet on equal footing. Once silent witnesses to the grind of commerce, these colossal structures have become a canvas for fearless experimentation. Rays of sunlight filter through broken skylights, illuminating sculptures that twist and sprawl in the open expanse. Overhead, rusted beams frame immersive soundscapes, their echoes reverberating through iron rafters. The setting itself is raw and unapologetic, lending an urgent energy to every piece on display. In this crucible of steel and concrete, art feels more alive, unencumbered by glossy veneers.
Why Jax matters
Diriyah 2024 chose to do more than just place art in unconventional venues—it redefined how we interact with space. In reclaiming Jax’s warehouses, the Biennale challenges the old norms of white-cube exhibitions, where art is often cocooned in sterile stillness. Here, the environment speaks as loudly as the art. The clang of distant machinery, the texture of concrete floors, the lingering smell of dust and metal—all become part of the narrative. Each installation takes on new layers of meaning against this industrial backdrop, bridging the past and future in a single breath.
A catalyst for reimagining spaces
By embracing imperfection and authenticity, Jax’s warehouses spark a dialogue about how cultural experiences can evolve. Visitors aren’t mere spectators; they’re co-conspirators in this grand experiment, exploring hidden corners where art and architecture merge into a single voice. It’s a bold reminder that innovation thrives in unexpected places, and that sometimes, the rough edges of history can elevate art to new heights.
For cultural institutions clinging to white cubes and velvet ropes, Diriyah 2024 issued a challenge: Dare to be unpolished. Dare to let the space speak as loudly as the art.
To the visionaries who saw potential in steel:
Thank you for the dust on our shoes, the echo of footsteps in empty bays, and the reminder that culture doesn’t need gilded frames.
