Art gets playful at the BIENALSUR 2025: Everything you need to know
The fourth edition of BIENALSUR takes over the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art in Diriyah
Art lovers, this one’s for you – BIENALSUR is back in Riyadh. Taking place from now until December 31 at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA) in JAX District, Diriyah, the International Biennial of Contemporary Art of South America, BIENALSUR, invites everyone to experience art beyond the frame.
This year’s theme, “Let’s Play: A Labyrinth of Options”, brings together 26 international and Saudi artists, turning the museum into an immersive playground of creativity, where visitors can interact, explore, and see art in a whole new light.
View this post on Instagram
Think audience-activated pieces, interactive sculptures and walkable installations. The exhibition is designed to engage families, students and art enthusiasts alike.
Curated by BIENALSUR Artistic Director Diana Wechsler, the exhibition is part of BIENALSUR’s 10th anniversary edition. Originating at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) in Buenos Aires and supported by UNESCO, the biennial now spans more than 70 cities and 140 institutions worldwide.
Here are some of our favourite artworks and installations at BIENALSUR.
Other events at SAMoCA
Alongside the three-month BIENALSUR exhibition, SAMoCA is also presenting two additional programmes to broaden engagement and welcome new audiences.
Pierre Ardouvin, The wheel of fortune, 2024, Courtesy of SAMoCA
SAFAR, an outdoor concert series, opens the museum to music lovers, younger audiences and culturally curious visitors. Highlights include Bon Entendeur, French electro-chill collective blending disco, funk, and hip-hop, who will perform in Riyadh for the first time on Tuesday October 28, and Nigerian “Blufunk” pioneer Keziah Jones, who will showcase his percussive guitar style on Wednesday November 12.
There’s also a masterclass with music composer Wael Kodeih on Sunday December 7, and fans of Oum Kulthoum will enjoy Love and Revenge, a duo reimagining the legacy of the Egyptian singer and film actress through electronic music and cinematic visuals, who will perform Agmal Layali on Monday December 8.
Meanwhile, MUNTADA SAMoCA will host a weekend programme of masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and film screenings from Sunday November 2 to Saturday November 8 under the theme “Focus on Image: Tools, Language and its Power”. The initiative looks at how images are made, read, and shared today, inviting audiences to rethink the visual vocabulary of contemporary culture.
Location: Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA), JAX District, Diriyah, Riyadh
Timings: Until December 31, Sun to Thurs 10am to 10pm, Fri & Sat 4pm to 10pm
Cost: SAR25 per person. Tickets can be purchased via the WeBook platform
Images: Supplied
