NOOR RIYADH
In the Blink of an Eye

What

The exhibition for the preview of
the Noor Riyadh Festival 2025

When

from 19th October to
23th November 2025

Where

Fondazione Querini Stampalia,
Venice, Italy

The exhibition
A cultural dialogue

As part of the ongoing cultural dialogue between Venice and Riyadh, the Fondazione Querini Stampalia hosted "In the Blink of an Eye", an exhibition featuring four light-based artworks inspired by Noor Riyadh — the world’s largest festival of light and art. Curated by Mami Kataoka, in collaboration with Li Zhenhua and Sara AlMutlaq, the exhibition recreated the spirit and atmosphere of the renowned Saudi event within the Venetian context.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
The experience
Between Italy and Saudi

The museum opened its Area Scarpa to welcome the installations, transforming the space into a meeting point between two worlds where light became a universal language connecting different cultures and artistic sensibilities. The result was an immersive experience that celebrated creativity beyond borders, inviting visitors to reflect on the subtle yet profound connections between Venice and Riyadh, tradition and innovation, heritage and contemporary expression. Each artist and their work represent an element of the curatorial theme and framework for the 2025 festival, and visual representations of historic examples of cultural exchange between Italy and Saudi Arabia.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
The artworks
Ayoung Kim

Focuses on the new Riyadh metro system, highlighting both its role as infrastructure and as a public museum displaying contemporary art across its stations.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
Wang Yuyang

Brings into the exhibition a representation of Riyadh’s rapid technological and urban development, emphasizing the illuminated and modern character of the city.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
Abdelrahman Elshahed

Presents calligraphy that establishes a conceptual connection between Riyadh and Venice, referencing their long histories of cultural and commercial exchange.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
A tribute to Safeya Binzagr (1940–2024)

Introduces Italian audiences to the work of one of Saudi Arabia’s leading modernist artists, whose practice combined elements of international and local traditions.

NOOR RIYADH
NOOR RIYADH
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