Diriyah Art Futures Announces Second Major Exhibition ‘Maknana’

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) has announced its second major exhibition, ‘Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World’, set to open on April 21st and run through July 19th, 2025. Held at DAF’s headquarters in Diriyah, Riyadh, the exhibition brings together over 40 artists from across the MENA region, mapping the intersection of artistic practice and digital technology in Arab cultural production.

Curated around four core themes—Automation, Autonomy, Ripples, and Glitch—‘Maknana’ traces the development of new media art across generations. The exhibition includes pioneering work in video art, experimental film, generative systems, and coding-based visual practices, highlighting how artists have responded to technological change and digital culture in nuanced, locally-rooted ways.

In addition to the gallery showcase, ‘Maknana’ will offer an extensive public programme of talks, performances, screenings, and workshops. The series is designed to foster dialogue between artists, researchers, and audiences, while deepening public engagement with new media practices from the Arab world.

Diriyah Art Futures operates under the Saudi Ministry of Culture as part of Vision 2030, and is situated near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif. The institution focuses on emerging intersections between art and technology and was launched to support digital art ecosystems in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.