King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture exhibits artworks for the Ithra Art Prize

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative of Saudi Aramco, has announced the opening of the exhibition showcasing the shortlisted artworks for the seventh edition of the Ithra Art Prize. As one of the Middle East’s largest art awards, launched by the Center in 2017 and held biennially, the prize aims to support contemporary art across the Arab world by providing a vital platform for participating artists.

The award offers a financial grant to shortlisted artists, providing them with the means and a global platform to showcase ambitious new works, while building bridges of cultural dialogue through diverse art practices. The winning piece will be added to Ithra’s permanent collection.

The exhibition is hosted at Ithra headquarters in Dhahran, KSA, and highlights the practices of Aseel AlYaqoub, Bady Dalloul, Heba Y. Amin Elmahamly, Ala Younis and Jawad Al Malhi. Spanning installation, painting, textile and conceptual practices, the artworks reflect deep intellectual engagement and a strong artistic response to historical, cultural, and material contexts.

Farah Abushullaih, Head of Museum at Ithra, said that “this exhibition reflects the Ithra Art Prize’s continued evolution as a platform for artistic production and dialogue. By presenting all shortlisted works together, we aim to offer audiences a deeper engagement with the ideas, processes and perspectives shaping contemporary art across the region.”

A composition by Aseel AlYaqoub.

The exhibition marks a significant milestone in the journey of the Prize, bringing together for the first time, all shortlisted works in a single public platform. It fosters fruitful exchange between regional and international audiences, while supporting the development of the participating artists’ creative practices and enriching their artistic legacies.

The featured works include: Aseel AlYaqoub (Kuwait), Flora Incognita, 2026, a herbarium of hybrid desert plants examining how systems of botanical classification have shaped and distorted knowledge in the Gulf; Bady Dalloul (Syria), Drawing in Matchboxes, 2026, a series of miniature matchbox drawings reflecting on the ways images influence lived histories and collective memory; Heba Y. Amin Elmahamly (Egypt), The Last Carrier: Iteration I, 2026, a textile-based reinterpretation of an 18th-century engraving of the Egyptian mahmal procession, reclaiming a colonial image through collaborative making; Ala Younis (Jordan), Lifted Arches, 2026, an installation inspired by Minoru Yamasaki’s architectural works in Dhahran and Riyadh, exploring light, modularity and exchanges between Islamic architectural traditions and modernism and Jawad Al Malhi (Palestine), Ashes of Absence, 2026, a mixed-media painting series depicting ghost-like figures to explore disappearance, loss, and fragile traces of presence.

Heba Y. Amin Elmahamly.

The shortlisted artists were selected by an international jury of art experts spanning curatorial, academic, and artistic fields. The jury included Farah Abushullaih, Head of Museum at Ithra; Tarek Abou El Fetouh, independent curator and artistic director; Dr. Nada Shabout, art historian and professor at the University of North Texas; Jérôme Sans, curator and co-founder of Palais de Tokyo; and Nadia Kaabi-Linke, artist and recipient of the 4th Ithra Art Prize. The open call received more than 500 artistic submissions, which underwent an initial review process before the selected group of works was evaluated by the jury.

Jawad Al Malhi (left) and his composition.

The exhibition will culminate in the announcement of the winning artist, whose artwork will join Ithra’s permanent collection, in October 2026. The Ithra Art Prize encourages artistic innovation in the region. The initiative reflects Ithra’s support of transformative creative practices that redefine boundaries, spark impactful artistic exchange, and spotlights unique perspectives on the region’s rapidly evolving cultural landscape. Established in 2017, the Ithra Art Prize is one of the most significant awards dedicated to contemporary artists from or based in 22 Arab countries. The biennial Prize, initially focused on Saudi and Saudi-based artists, expanded in its fourth edition, to include practices from across the wider Arab region.

Offered by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), the Prize’s mission is to ignite cultural curiosity, foster original thought and expression, and celebrate work that reflects intellectually engaged and contextually responsive approaches. The winning artist is awarded by an international jury with a USD 100,000 grant (376,000 Saudi Riyals), and their work is acquired by the Ithra collection, helping shape both artistic legacy and promoting the evolving discourse of contemporary Arab art.

Ala Younis (left) and her work.

With every edition, Ithra aims to contribute to the region’s creative ecosystem by providing a platform for contemporary artists gain confidence, sharpen practices and enhance networks, besides forging partnerships with leading regional institutions, including Art Dubai, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, and the AlUla Arts Festival. Sara Alomran has joined Ithra as an Advisor focusing on the Ithra Art Prize, guiding its strategic direction and shaping its future trajectory.

Working closely with the team, she has developed the Prize’s ambitions, approach, and format through a research-driven process grounded in dialogue with former jurors, previous winners, and regional peers.

Aseel AlYaqoub (left) and Bady Dalloul (right).

Previously, she served as Deputy Director of Art Jameel, where she oversaw the development of key cultural initiatives, including Hayy Jameel, Jeddah’s first dedicated cultural complex and creative hub; she brings extensive experience across the Kingdom’s and the wider region’s creative landscape. The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative by Aramco, is a leading cultural destination in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The Center focuses on enriching people’s lives by offering impactful cultural and creative programmes and initiatives. Since its opening in 2018, Ithra has become a distinguished architectural landmark that houses the Idea Lab, Library, Theater, Museum, Cinema, Great Hall, Energy Exhibit, Children’s Museum and Ithra Tower.