Mohammed AlSaleem

Mohammed AlSaleem was a groundbreaking Saudi artist whose sculpture and monumental forms became a central component of his artistic practice from the 1960s onwards. The sculptural ensemble of five monumental works exhibited for Desert X AlUla 2026 were themselves groundbreaking, being the first time they’ve ever been displayed. 

Created over a two-year period in the 1980s, the works were originally conceived as a series of seven sculptures specifically for public squares in the city of Riyadh. The works however remained in storage until 2022 when they were acquired by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and subsequently underwent comprehensive restoration and conservation, under the supervision of the artist’s daughter, Najla Mohammed AlSaleem. 

Desert X AlUla 2026 was curated by Wejdan Reda and Zoé Whitley, under the vision of Founding Artistic Director Neville Wakefield and returning 2026 Artistic Director Raneem Farsi. Commissioned by the Royal Commission for AlUla.

The exhibition brought together 11 artists whose diverse and monumental works reflect a wide spectrum of ideas, materials and traditions. From monumental kinetic sculpture to sound-based explorations above and below ground, each commission is deeply rooted in relationships to AlUla’s dynamic and distinctive environment.