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Diriyah Art Futures Announces 'Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World' Exhibition

Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
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Diriyah Art Futures Announces 'Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World' Exhibition

Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announced on Sunday that its second major exhibition titled Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh.

Bringing together works by more than 40 artists from the MENA region, Maknana features pioneering voices from across the region who have embraced and redefined technology as a medium for creative expression.

Spanning decades and disciplines, from early video art and experimental film to generative systems and expanded media, Maknana offers a rare survey of how Arab artists have engaged with and reimagined the digital landscape on their own terms.

According to a DAF statement, the Arabic term ‘Maknana’, translated as automation, inspires the exhibition’s central inquiry: how Arab artists have navigated, repurposed, and challenged technologies to shape their own creative vocabularies.
The exhibition is structured across four thematic sections: Automation, Autonomy, Ripples, and Glitch, which trace recurring artistic concerns and gestures across different generations, geographies, and technological paradigms.
In tandem with the exhibition, Diriyah Art Futures will present a public program of talks, performances, screenings, and workshops, expanding on the themes of Maknana and offering visitors direct engagement with artists and thought leaders in the field of new media art.

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Culture

Syria Opens Probe into Robbery at National Museum

People visit the National Museum of Damascus after it reopened, a month after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, January 9, 2025. (Reuters)
People visit the National Museum of Damascus after it reopened, a month after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, January 9, 2025. (Reuters)
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Syria Opens Probe into Robbery at National Museum

People visit the National Museum of Damascus after it reopened, a month after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, January 9, 2025. (Reuters)
People visit the National Museum of Damascus after it reopened, a month after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, January 9, 2025. (Reuters)

Syrian authorities have temporarily closed the national museum in Damascus and launched an investigation after thieves made off with several pieces, an official told AFP on Wednesday.

The robbery took place overnight Sunday to Monday in the so-called classical wing of the facility, which was spared during Syria's civil war between 2011 and late last year and which houses priceless artifacts dating back to antiquity.

"Official investigations have begun and the museum will remain closed temporarily until the collection of evidence has finished," the official said, requesting anonymity.

"An inventory of all the archaeological items is currently underway to ensure no other pieces are missing," they added.

An official from the department overseeing museums, also requesting anonymity, told AFP that "six small Roman-era statues of the goddess Venus" were taken.

An official had previously told AFP that gold ingots were stolen.

Syria's antiquities and museums department said in a statement Tuesday that an official investigation had been opened in coordination with security authorities, without specifying which items were stolen.

It said it had taken "immediate measures to ensure the safety of the collections and support the protection and monitoring system inside the museum".

The classical wing is one of the museum's most important sections, home to artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras.

The museum was closed on Wednesday and a security guard told AFP that "there are no tourist visits until next week".

The national museum had shut its doors due to fears of looting shortly before longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was deposed last December by an opposition coalition. It reopened in January.

The collections include tens of thousands of items from Syria's long history, ranging from prehistoric tools to Greco-Roman sculptures to pieces of Islamic art.

During the civil war, many pieces stored elsewhere in the country were brought to the facility for safekeeping.

The war saw archaeological sites bombed, museums looted and many artifacts stolen, generating millions of dollars for traffickers.

Culture

Saudi Museums Commission Inaugurates Pavilion at ICOM Dubai 2025

The commission affirmed that its participation in ICOM Dubai represents an opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia’s experience in building an integrated museum sector - SPA
The commission affirmed that its participation in ICOM Dubai represents an opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia’s experience in building an integrated museum sector - SPA
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Saudi Museums Commission Inaugurates Pavilion at ICOM Dubai 2025

The commission affirmed that its participation in ICOM Dubai represents an opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia’s experience in building an integrated museum sector - SPA
The commission affirmed that its participation in ICOM Dubai represents an opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia’s experience in building an integrated museum sector - SPA

The Museums Commission participated today in the 27th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), being held in Dubai from November 11 to 17, 2025.

 

The conference, themed "The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities," has drawn a diverse group of museum experts and institutions from across the globe, according to a press release issued by the commission on Wednesday.

On the first day of the conference, the Museums Commission unveiled its pavilion, showcasing the Kingdom's efforts to develop its national and regional museum ecosystem. The exhibit highlights the commission's key initiatives and projects aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, as part of its mission to transform museums into vibrant community hubs that enhance cultural communication and revitalize values of identity and heritage.

The pavilion features interactive and visual displays highlighting the transformation of the museum sector in Saudi Arabia. These displays showcase the diversity of exhibited experiences, the adoption of modern technologies in presentation and documentation, and programs that empower national talent in conservation, research, design, and the overall museum experience.

The release added that the commission’s representatives will also participate in various conference panels and sessions. These speakers will highlight the evolution of Saudi Arabia's museum landscape over the past decade and discuss the crucial role museums play in documenting social and cultural shifts. They will also explore how these institutions are strengthening the Kingdom's presence on the global cultural landscape.

This participation reinforces the Museums Commission's presence in international forums and reaffirms its commitment to fostering professional dialogue within the global museum community. It also underscores the importance of exchanging expertise in areas of museum management, exhibition development strategies, and the adoption of digital solutions that keep pace with the rapid changes in modern communities.

The commission affirmed that its participation in ICOM Dubai represents an opportunity to showcase Saudi Arabia’s experience in building an integrated museum sector that contributes to preserving national memory and safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage. Additionally, it allows the commission to explore the future of museums as open spaces for dialogue, creativity, and education.

The ICOM conference is considered one of the world's most influential events in the museum sector, bringing together distinguished experts, cultural leaders, and museum professionals to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing cultural institutions amidst rapid technological and social transformations. This underscores the Kingdom's growing stature and leadership role on the global cultural landscape.

Culture

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures Launches 'Moving Image' Public Program 

The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures Launches 'Moving Image' Public Program 

The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)
The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the first center dedicated to new media arts in the Middle East and North Africa, announced on Tuesday the launch of its new public program titled "Moving Image," a monthly series that explores the boundaries of storytelling and creative expression across advanced media and technologies. The program will kick off at the center’s headquarters in Diriyah on November 18.

The Moving Image series offers visitors a platform for experience, dialogue, and interaction with the evolving landscape of screen-based and immersive arts, bringing together artists, technologists, and researchers from the Kingdom, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and around the world.

Through this program, DAF strengthens its position as a destination for critical dialogue and creative innovation in new media arts.

The program seeks to deepen understanding of how new technologies are reshaping narrative, audience engagement, and creative practice through screenings, talks, and interactive experiences, inspiring practitioners, experts, and new audiences to explore the creative possibilities of new media.

As part of Moving Image, a special series titled "VR Community Meetup – Riyadh" will be hosted at the Diriyah Art Futures XR (Extended Reality) Lab, providing an ongoing platform for immersive-media practitioners, enthusiasts, and newcomers to connect, share knowledge, and explore the creative and technical possibilities of virtual reality.

The launch of Moving Image reflects DAF’s commitment to building a vibrant cultural ecosystem where art, science, and technology intersect through a regular program that engages with key areas of contemporary moving-image practice, creating a space for creative conversation and discovery rooted in Saudi culture yet connected to global innovation.