Qatar & Saudi Arabia journey
A bumpy start into the desert
We took off early in the morning for a meeting with His Excellency the Ambassador of Qatar in France Sheikh Ali bin Jassem Al Thani and his spouse Mrs. Iman Al Kuwari in front of the East-West/West-East work by Richard Serra in the Brouq Natural Reserve. It was an unbelievable experience as these huge structures are installed between two rock formations that constantly change because of rain and wind. After admiring those tall sculptures disappearing into the horizon, we left for a late breakfast hosted by Ali and Iman at Our Habitas Ras Abrouq. A luxury resort right on the sea surrounded by the desert where we were able to admire other monumental sculptures.
Qatar Art Center
The Qatar Art Center is the oldest cultural institution in Doha. Founded by His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani (Grandson of the former Emir of Qatar and Advisor for cultural affairs) in the early 90’s. At the time, a very revolutionary enterprise. Sheikh Hassan is one of Qatar’s most active patrons and owns one of the biggest private collections of Pan-Arab art in the world which became the foundation of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. In 2003, he gave shelter to a number of Iraqi artists searching for asylum in Qatar during the war.
We were received by his daughter, a beautiful young princess, the director of the space and Mr. Brahim Alaoui, former director of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and the famous Qatari artist Yousef Ahmed. We discovered several astonishingly beautiful works made by Sheikh Hassan himself who happens to be another famous artist in his country.
Artists studios at Fire Station Art Center
After the visit and a generous lunch hosted by the princess, we headed to the Fire Station, the only artist residency in the country. Tanya Singhal, the Program Manager gave us a tour of a number of selected studios where we met with artists from all over the world. Amongst them, two french artists. We were also able to see the making-off of two light & sound installations by British artist Haroon Mirza.
A royal dinner party at Qatar Preparatory School of Design, a private audience with Skeikha Al-Mayassa and a warm handshake with her brother the Emir
His Excellency the Emir of Qatar and Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa hosted a wonderful dinner party at the Qatar Preparatory School of Design to kick-off this artistic week in Doha. Our International Board had the chance to discuss privately with Sheikha Al-Mayassa during this evening in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Qatar in France and his wife.
Art Basel opening party at the Museum of Islamic Art
This luscious evening was followed by the Art Basel VIP party at the Museum of Islamic Art, an incredible building by I.M. Pei, where we experienced the work by Roni Horn scrolling on the walls and a marvellous drone show “From one sky to another the dreamers pass”.
VIP breakfast at MATHAF museum
We had a sensational breakfast at the MATHAF “oriental style” seating on carpets and cushions. This is practically the only museum of Modern and Contemporary art in Doha.
Art Basel first choice preview
Quite an experience! It was the first time Art Basel presented 87 local and international galleries in Doha. Apparently, a ten year contract has been signed between the royal family and MCH Group who owns Art Basel and many other companies. Sheikha Al-Mayassa and the Cultural Council of Qatar together with the President of Art Basel made the choice that all participating galleries only showed one artist. The two buildings were carefully designed in order for the galleries to have the most efficient visual impact. Almost every gallery sold one or several works but we are still guessing where those works found a new home…
Reception at the French Residence in Doha
We were graciously received by Arnaud Pescheux, french ambassador in Qatar. How lucky were we to be able to savour a glass of champagne ;)
We had the pleasure to exchange with the ambassador and the President of MCH Group. I even got interviewed on the spot about my feelings regarding the cultural landscape in Qatar and the arrival of Art Basel in Doha.
Dinner at Cipriani
Our reception at the residence of the French ambassador in Qatar was followed by an incredible dinner at Cipriani hosted for our International Board by His Excellency the Ambassador of Qatar in France and his wife. I think that we have never seen so much food on one table. We had the pleasure to taste almost every dish from the menu. I can only recommend the famous dessert made out of cream, meringue and lemon. We went to bed fairly late and had to get up early in the morning for our next visit.
Lawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum
The M.F. Husain Museum also called the Blue Museum, just opened in Doha. It is the very first institution to solely represent one foreign artist, “the Indian Picasso” M.F. Husain. Amin Jaffer, Director of the Musée de la Marine in Paris, curator of the former Islamic Biennale in Jeddah and artistic director of the Indian pavilion of the upcoming Venice Biennale gave us a wonderful introduction to Husain’s life and art. He is one of the rare artists that resided in Qatar for a number of years after he got exiled there in the final years of his life.
Ms. Noof Mohamed, the museum director, also guided us through the museum and told us numerous stories about the works on display.
National Museum of Qatar and National Library
Before our next visit, we went for a quick detour by the ultra contemporary and vast Qatar National Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas. The institution houses some of the oldest manuscripts of history and science. We learned that every student in the world has access to the data available at the National Library.
After a too-short visit, we headed to the National Museum of Qatar, an extraordinary building conceived by French architect Jean Nouvel. The museum presents an immersive journey through Qatar’s history, from its geological formation and Bedouin traditions to the discovery of oil and the development of the modern state. It features historical artefacts, traditional costumes and jewellery, manuscripts, multimedia installations, and treasures such as the Pearl Carpet of Baroda.
We concluded our Doha adventures with a Michelin star lunch at Jiwan restaurant on the terrace of the National Museum of Qatar.
First steps in Riyadh, At-Turaif guided tour
at 10 AM sharp, we started our very busy day with the visit of the old ruins of Riyadh, where the royal palace and numerous other houses and municipal building were located. At-Turaif is 10.000 square meters large and is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
ATHR gallery and Muhannad Shono studio visit
For our second stop of the day, we headed to the most famous JAX district, a contemporary arts and creative hub in Diriyah, near Riyadh, developed from a former industrial area into a centre for galleries, studios, performance spaces, and cultural events.
The Communication Director of ATHR Gallery Rana Alamuddin walked us through their ongoing exhibition and introduced us to Muhannad Shono, one of the most famous contemporary artists in Saudi Arabia alongside Ahmed Mater. Dmitry created a work together with the artist and was extremely efficient.
Muhannad introduced us to his most recent projects being the Jeddah Biennale in 2023, the Sea Art Festival in Busan, Desert X 2025 in California, and also a commissioned art installation in the streets of Dubai in 2024. He will visit Paris and the Palais de Tokyo in May.
Diriyah Art Futures
A most incredible museum for digital and new media art, Diriyah Art Futures, just opened in Riyadh a few weeks before our arrival. It is a residence and art centre where selected artists can work in incredible facilities and in dedicated computer rooms and research labs filled with cutting-edge technology allowing for limitless creation. They also offer educational programs that support immersive, AI-driven, and audiovisual practices.
We were received by Danna Albanyan, the museum’s Partnerships and Strategy Manager.
Diriyah Biennale visit and La Fabrique
Sabih Ahmed one of the two curators of this year’s edition of the Diriyah Biennale took us on a thorough walk across the vast sites of the Biennale Foundation. We saw the work of outstanding artists such as Théo Mercier, Oscar Santillán, Kamala Ibrahim Ishag, Petrit Halijaj and many more.
This third edition of the Biennale entitled “Interludes and Transitions” invokes the cycles of encampments and journeys in nomadic communities in the Arabian Peninsula, taking as a point of departure the movements, migrations, and transformations that continue to connect the Gulf region with the world.
Our tour ended at La Fabrique, a space dedicated to intercultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia just next door. We were welcomed by Raphaël Justine, Counsellor for Cultural Cooperation and Action at the French Embassy, and his team. We felt like being in France with a kiosk of La Durée. Raphaël explained that La Fabrique was presenting mostly performative arts and introduced us to choreographer Mourad Merzouki (Compagnie Käfig). We were lucky enough to attend one of their rehearsals.
Dinner at the home of Nour Kelani
Nour Kelani, head of Christies in Saudi Arabia invited us to her home for a festive dinner where we met some of her closest friends, all opinion leaders in the cultural sector. We were able to have cocktails and a glass of wine with the traditional arabic méchoui and mezze.
SAMoCA visit with Noura Al-Maashouq
One of our cultural highlights of the trip to Riyadh was to meet Noura Al-Maashouq, director of the SAMoCA. She is not only an extremely charming person, but knows everything about her country’s cultural initiatives. Apparently, the government is reducing funding dramatically and her museum will have to find independent sponsors just like most of the museums abroad. The Diriyah Art Week has been cancelled even though the JAX district has doubled in size since I last went there 12 months ago. The government spends an enormous amount of money on the hospitality sector in Diriyah, building funfairs, theme parks, hotels, restaurants and many other tourist attractions at the expense of the cultural industry.
Following our visit, we had to wait at a traditional café for the prayer to be finished before we could enjoy a light lunch at the most refined Sharq restaurant where everybody from the local and international art world gets together.
Ahmed Mater studio visit
Before leaving for the airport, Mahmoud Sami, the studio manager of Ahmed Mater, exclusively opened the door to Ahmed’s vast studio whilst he was in Doha for Art basel. Mahmoud presented us the upcoming project Ahmed is preparing in AlUla for Wadi AlFann, the new open-air museum. His work will be presented alongside installations by James Turell, Michael Heizer, Agnes Denes and Manal AlDowayan.
Desert X in AlUla
We started strong in AlUla with the highly anticipated DESERT X experience. Annette Gibbons-Warren, Wadi AlFann Director, introduced us to the overall project of Desert X and the upcoming ambitions in the region. Indeed, Desert X is only the beginning as Wadi AlFann, a major permanent open-air museum project, is set to open in the coming year.
Wejdan Reda, one of the curators of this year’s edition of Desert X, walked us through this most impressive landscape to discover the multiple works by artists such as Sara Abdu, Tarek Atoui, Agnes Denes, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Basmah Felemban, Vibha Galhotra, Héctor Zamora and many others.
Arduna exhibition by Centre Pompidou
Finding the Centre Pompidou in AlUla was an astonishing experience. We did not expect to see masterpieces of the Pompidou collection in the middle of the desert. They created an overview from the modern period with a major painting by Pablo Picasso leading to Max Ernst, Kandinsky and then to the institutional contemporary artists such as Hockney and Joan Mitchell. Even younger artists such as Eva Jospin were presented alongside leading Saudi artists such as Ayman Zedani and Manal AlDowayan, and regional artists Imran Qureshi, Samia Halaby and Etel Adnan.
The exhibition offers the audiences an early glimpse into the curatorial vision of AlUla’s future contemporary art museum, a global institution rooted in the region’s cultural oasis and heritage. The showcased works are drawn from the Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) growing collection, alongside significant pieces from the collection of the Centre Pompidou.
Old Town, Oasis and Harrat viewpoint
Towards the end of the day, we strolled through AlUla’s old town and Oasis to see the Living Pyramid by Agnes Denes and enjoy the charm of AlUla with its small shops and traditional houses.
At the end of the afternoon, we climbed up to the Harrat viewpoint to enjoy a breathtaking sunset over AlUla and the valley.
Dar Tantora and Alain Ducasse pop up restaurant in AlUla
We gathered in the rooftop bar of the Dar Tantora hotel. this 5-star hotel was just one of the most beautiful places I have ever stayed in. Imagine yourself surrounded by candles, no electricity used in the bedrooms apart from a phone charger. It was extremely romantic to fall asleep leaving the candles on until they were fully consumed during the night. Some of us had their own terrace where one could have breakfast or a drink and even sleep outside. The food we enjoyed there on the first evening was extraordinary and every ingredient was organic.
The second night, we discovered Alain Ducasse’s elegant pop-up in the middle of the palm trees in the desert. I do not have to explain to you the quality of Alain’s cuisine à la française but with an oriental touch.
Hegra archeological site
For our second day, we saw another form of art, the Hegra archeological site. It is the largest preserved site of the Nabataean Kingdom outside of Petra, Jordan. It features over 100 monumental rock-cut tombs with elaborately carved facades, inscriptions, and burial chambers, dating from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE. It is of course a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The landscape also includes ancient water channels, inscriptions, and caravan routes that reflect its role as a thriving trading hub on the incense and spice routes. Hegra’s sandstone cliffs and desert setting make it both an important archaeological treasure and a visually dramatic landscape.
Lunch at Somewhere and Villa Hegra with Alizée Alexandre
After a delightful lunch at Somewhere restaurant. Alizée Alexandre, Program Director of the Villa Hégra gave us exclusive insights of this new Saudi-French cultural foundation and creative hub that opened in 2025. Villa Hégra was created through a partnership between the Royal Commission and the French Agency for the Development of AlUla, and offers artist residencies, studios, exhibitions, workshops, performance spaces, an indoor cinema, and programmes that foster artistic exchange and education while celebrating local heritage and international dialogue. It was the occasion to see another series of works by french artist Theo Mercier.
Maraya
On our way to our last hotel in AlUla, we had to stop by the Maraya building, designed by studio Gio Forma. The Maraya is a striking cube-shaped structure covered in nearly 10,000 mirrored panels that reflect the surrounding desert, rock formations, and sky, making the building almost visually disappear into its landscape. Completed in 2019, its minimalist geometric form contrasts with the ancient environment while the reflective façade creates a constantly shifting surface that changes with light and weather.
Inside Maraya, one can find a concert hall, exhibition spaces, and event areas, combining contemporary engineering with advanced acoustic design. The architecture emphasizes dialogue between modern design and the dramatic natural setting of AlUla. Unfortunately, we could not venture inside as the whole building was rented for a private event, fortunately, the outside is the main thing to see here!
When in the desert; Our Habitas hotel and stargazing experience
For our last night in AlUla, we headed to Our Habitas hotel, a most luxurious desert resort located in the dramatic sandstone canyons of AlUla’s Ashar Valley. The property features about 96 villas designed to blend with the natural landscape using sustainable materials, offering canyon views, private outdoor spaces, and wellness amenities like a spa, pool, and yoga areas. The resort emphasizes a deep connection to nature and local culture, creating a retreat that celebrates both the ancient desert setting and contemporary hospitality.
During the evening, we braved the desert and the cold to enjoy a private stargazing experience and dinner in the middle of the Al Gharameel Nature Reserve. A wonderful way to conclude this extraordinary 9-days adventure altogether.
Conclusion
What a fabulous journey we had! We really experienced everything that there was to see in Doha, Riyadh and AlUla. Both countries are in full development from an architectural and cultural aspect. Those two cities are growing every year and Riyadh is expected to have 15 million inhabitants by 2030… Even though Riyadh is a big construction site, we were still able to discover the old charm of the city.
Doha is a smaller place filled with new buildings, museums and skyscrapers built by the most famous architects in the world over the last 20 years. You can find every cuisine and all the luxury hotels we are used to, built by the best-known international hotel groups. The lifestyle is very sophisticated and the gap between the traditional Qatar and the progressive spirit is narrowing more and more.
AlUla is the eighth world wonder and the pink rocks in the middle of the desert will always be in our minds.
I hope that we were able to show you everything that you needed to see. For those members that were unable to join us, I would highly recommend the journey. We are here to give you all our advice and our newsletter already shows you the most important sites to discover!
See you soon in Venice.
Susanne