The Royal Commission for AlUla has launched the I Care campaign to highlight the importance of conserving Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage.
I Care promotes the safeguarding of the country’s rich tangible and intangible cultural assets. It highlights the importance of heritage preservation in boosting the community’s quality of life.
The project also promotes the safeguarding of cultural assets to boost economic development, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
This ephemeral art installation enveloping the iconic Tomb of Lihyan, Son of Kuza at Hegra - Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a component of the I Care heritage conservation campaign.
Taking the form of two protective hands emerging from the sand and encircling the tomb, it symbolizes the need for collective action to conserve Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage. The installation incorporates traditional Arabic patterns in the flowing sleeves, seamlessly blending with the natural landscape. Notably, due to its scale, the artwork can only be seen from the sky.
With collaborative efforts from the AlUla community, the I Care artwork was created by US artist David Popa using exclusively natural elements, including yellow earth from Europe and red earth from the Middle East. Over time, it will naturally fade away, serving the purpose of drawing attention to the importance of conserving Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage.
