Art Rises in the Saudi Desert, Shadowed by Politics

The desert, and the exhibits, are beautiful, thanks for that. I don't think I could go to Saudi Arabia until all traces of MBS are erased - as if that would ever happen.

"At the opening of Desert X, the talk was a heady cocktail of erasing boundaries, breaking down walls and bridging gaps." Yes, but were cocktails served? With alcohol in them? Or is that haram . . .

Reminds me of discussions with South Africans 35 years ago, when visits by overseas musicians was the subject: “Would you protest prison conditions by not visiting your imprisoned brother?” and/vs “Deny us. Isolate the oppressor. Anything that angers the oppressed and weakens the oppressor is welcome”

As a Saudi, it pains me to see how, we as a society, are being collectively punished for a heinous crime that is not approved or supported by us, a crime that is denounced by almost everyone in this country. I am a Saudi man in my early 40s, I have seen more than most of our population who are overwhelmingly young, as I grew up in the closed up 80s and 90s, there are experienced that many people enjoyed and take for granted, while we were deprived of, like music and art. Then we stated enjoying a gradual move toward modernity and openness which only accelerated in the last few years. I think the only way to sustain and preserve these encouraging trends, is if we get to know each other and understand one another, but what the NYT and the mainstream media is doing by demonizing Saudi Arabia at every turn only helps alienating myself and all the moderate Saudis who are supportive of building bridges and opening up the society. I think its time for you guys to get off your high horse and engage us as peers, and not hold us hostages to one of the darkest chapter of recent history.

One thing that I have loved about living in Saudi Arabia since 2007 is that the Saudi people are able to accept me for the person that I am - which is an American living in their country. They are able to disassociate me as a person from America's horrific record of foreign policies, of waging unfounded never-ending countless wars, of causing murder and mayhem, as well as the injustices now being served on the American people themselves by the current administration. They can separate me from the politics of my home country. How I wish Americans were able to do that! Just imagine if every article written about events in the US, like music festivals or art exhibitions, always harped on the atrocities committed by America in the name of "democracy," something like Vivan Yee did here. Ok, so Saudi Arabia has its faults, it's not perfect - but America certainly isn't either. I love living here in Saudi Arabia. I certainly feel much safer here than when I visit the US, worrying if I will make it home alive from an outing to the grocery store or the movies. Open up your minds - it gets really old hearing how so many people who have never even visited a place are too afraid to visit because of all the bad press they have read. You're just not interested in knowing about the positive stuff here. And there are plenty of good things about Saudi Arabia - especially its people. Vivan Yee should have left the politics out of this article!

I'm with Ed Ruscha. Artists shouldn't be co-opted by the House of Saud. It's especially unseemly after the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi. Curator Neville Wakefield, artist Lita Albuquerque and others should be ashamed of themselves for participating in this event, giving cover to a murderous, oil-rich regime. The Museum of Contemporary Art in LA is current showing "With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985". If my memory serves me correctly, some of the artists associated with that movement also enjoyed the patronage of the House of Saud, so this is history repeating itself.

This is a thorny issue. I believe art can change culture and has the potential to open it up. But the Crown Prince is toxic. I can't imagine having anything at all to do with him or his government or doing anything to soften his reputation or legitimize him. He's a murderer, plain and simple. As an art lover, I find the setting, and much of the art shown in the article, breathtaking. I understand the appeal. There is much to think about and discuss here.

A note to the author and editor. The use of “Coachella” is misleading and inaccurate in numerous mentions in the article. The city of Coachella along with the Coachella Arts & Music Festival become implied when one says Coachella. This is not the case, when in fact the Coachella Arts & Music Festival withdrew their support to Desert X when the Saudi Arabia program was presented. Furthermore, the city of Coachella is a town within the widespread Coachella Valley. For accuracy, always refer to the Coachella Valley, and in doing so you will be fair to Coachella festival and the great City of Coachella you are aligning this morally bankrupt exhibition to.

MBS is a psychopath. Really. He's an out-of-control madman who is Trump's spiritual cousin. Supporting Saudi Arabia in any way, shape or form supports MBS, and that is morally wrong and repugnant.

Disgusting. Like having a party in Nazi Germany. Saudi Arabia is the last place on earth anyone should go to spend money. Sick.

Are we mad at the artists of the world that are willing to venture into a horrible regimes and hopefully start to make a change? Or are we mad at regime paid social media influencers that are there to take vapid photos of themselves in front of these artworks?

sort of like robert wilson and the shar of iran in the 70's. always a bad choice to go with the dictators and try to make them look "good".

Kudos to Ed Ruscha and Christopher Knight for their ethical stance regarding this. Just as boycotting South Africa was deemed appropriate during apartheid, so too is it appropriate for artists to boycott SA. Anyone who follows the DBS movement with Israel should also do the same with SA. The royal family is corrupt, authoritarian and murderous.

How much money did they waste on these piles of junk?

Looking at the picture, I wonder what the Western looking women are thinking. How does it feel like to be in a place that denigrates women, a place that considers women chattel, a place were women just recently earned the privilege of driving a vehicle, and where they can't travel without the permission of a male relative. There must be massive cognitive dissonance with that, because as artists their life is about freedom of expression, and they are in a place that is diametrically opposed to that freedom...

Art is easy. One of the 7 things to remember.

I applaud this effort by Desert X. I don’t believe that most people will suddenly forget about or change their minds about the ruling regime in Saudi Arabia as a result of them being there. I would hope that one can differentiate between a leader or a ruler or a regime and a population or a project within a country. If the art or cultural world were to not engage with any country where they were against the rulers or the political leadership then the list of countries would be extensive indeed. I am sure that the local population, the artists, curators and organisers were appreciative of the engagement and imagine that anyone attending would probably learn something and may even have some of their preconceptions challenged. Art creating conversation, dialogue and the exchange of ideas is essential in todays world. Cultural diplomacy and engagement at a time when political diplomacy is clearly at a very low ebb should be supported. Saudi Arabia is changing, one can speculate on the reasons and motives, but surely we should support the new freedoms regardless of the motives in order to help usher in more of them rather than criticise countries for being repressive and then boycott when they liberalise.

I lived in Saudi Arabia as a child for about 9 years as an American expat with my family. I think this is very exciting! At least Saudi Arabia is inching (and I mean inching) towards a society with more freedoms. It's especially exciting to see many women in the photos without the niqab (full face covering). I know Saudi Arabia has many freedom issues, with women (and men). However, this issue isn't totally black and white and I think moving a little bit toward freedom should be celebrated. Also, I think it's OK to mention the lack of freedom which is a big problem.

The place is already overflowing with sculptures. They adorn every roundabout. I am pretty sure those have done nothing to change society there.

Apart from the political issues, which are major, this also has environmental implications. I was in Palm Springs during the last desertx and saw a few of the large sculptures plopped in desert environments near the city. I believe one further out had been burned down, possibly by locals who did not appreciate these transgressions in their surroundings. These artworks did little to enhance their surroundings. I think this is a misguided effort on many counts.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most awful, socially backward places on earth. I want to set aside that thought for just a moment. The Muslim world does not depict human forms (although Desert X seems to make an attempt to get around that). As a consequence, Muslim artists, scientists, and geometers have created dazzling patterns in their buildings and public structures. The Taj Mahal is perhaps the best know example, but there are many more amazing examples. The items presented in your pictures are mind-expanding. Thanks for these images. That said, Saudi Arabia is one of the most awful, socially backward places on earth.

Depressing and sad. Art and culture has everything to do with politics, especially when it claims it is not. All this shows is the deterioration of nation's culture as it succumbs to its monarch and corporate's greed. No substance, no soul- only thing left to be seen is the ironic emptiness of its minimal attempt to connect with humanity.

I am a little confused - so these Dessert X folks- actually believe - that by installing art in the dessert - the KSA- will do away with the male guardianship of women, and being gay will no longer carry the death penalty? The country where young women have to plot their escape and cross international boundaries to gain some human rights? I guess it's just another story of how money skews ethics.

Has anyone asked the displaced wildlife what they think of this invasion?

Some artists say Desert X AlUla is a step toward changing Saudi society. Critics call the government-funded exhibition “morally corrupt.” The third, and most likely opinion, is: Who gives a hoot?

Coachella is so over. The hangers-on need a new thrill. The more extreme the better. So they decamp to Saudi Arabia. I guess there is some truth to the adage “there’s a sucker born every minute.”

Reminds me of the Shah's attempts to present himself as a patron of high culture.

There is a lot to be disgusted with here. You are enabling a murderous regime. Should there be a Syria Desert X? Just because the nation can buy the artists and the biennial doesn't mean they should acquiesce. Desert X has always had a wiff of trendy self-importance bubble. Here taken to extreme lengths. The writer of the article wrote me a nice email about the piece. Unfortunately, when all is said and done, you still have these "evocative" images that will be used for the promotion of a sick and evil empire for years to come. How do you counter that? With hardly any recourse.

Who wants to go to a resort that doesn't serve alcohol?

The true art is the landscape itself. It doesn't need a lot of human rubbish dumped on it.

When I saw the exhibit had been called "morally corrupt," I clicked on the article, eager to hear about radical mullahs and their followers in the streets attacking evil Western society. Instead it was the LA Time's art critic insulting the exhibit in light of today's politics. Pretty weird.

another disgusting attempt to pretend Saudi Arabia did not raise the 9/11 crew, kill Koshoggi, treat its women like chattel and basically engage in all number of human rights violations. Art world :money trumps all, this is nothing else,

I have since 8 years old wanted to visit these ancient ruins of a once upon a time, a long time ago, people with a wondrous sense of sculptured by wind and sand storms and low ago floods and rains and a people whose art fitted so well their land. Now many express outrage or sorrow that it is being used by a culture disrespected and disrespecting. But has any culture advanced far without magnificent art and music and dance and architecture? (Yes, some of the most evil times have also had fine arts.) Let us encourage the best and discourage the worst. Leni Riefenstahl was Hitler’s favorite photographer. Her films were to glorify his vision. Yet she, at danger, yet hid cameras and captured the black sprinters grace and speed. And her wonderful book of The Last of the Nuba gave lie to the racial superiority of the Aryan warrior. If Saudi Arabia is to improve, it will need not just architecture modern, but the examples of character in its desert past. Certainly it needs to remember that Muhammad was funded by his wealthy businesswoman senior wife and Ayesha and Hideya are too often forgotten by contemporary religious bigots and women haters pretending to be religious leaders while defying and demeaning the Prophet’s legacies. The past, may it be prologue. And may we ourselves hate actions not peoples if we are to be righteous.

Cool.!!

Shameful that any American institution behaves in a manner that is supportive of the murderous Saudi establishment. Do any of the art purveyors remember that this is the home of a regime that killed AND DISMEMBERED a journalist? I'm horrified.

The world will breathe a sigh of relief, when Saudi Arabia’s oil runs out!

It would have been more impressive if one of the artists involved had either proposed - or even made - a 100 foot tall statue of Jamal Khashoggi for this project. I think then all of the issues raised here would have come into (very) sharp focus for the organizers (both US and Saudi.)

Desert $, Meow Mix, Museum of Twinkies: all of these cutting-edge business startups critically depend for their business success on being mistaken for cultural organizations. Their goal is to disrupt culture exactly as Uber disrupted taxis or Trump disrupted civilization. And the success of these disruptive startups depends critically on how well they can drive a wedge between the older culture lovers who discover that everything they've lived for is now being colonized, destroyed, and mined for profit, and a new generation of culture consumers whom care nothing of culture or history just as long as they're conveniently and efficiently eentertained: hence all the trampoline, swings, and sand boxes on display in this article.

A museum is a museum. Whether it’s outdoors or not. The same dynamics and mentality are involved. Some of the same types of actors/artists/curators/donors. Those concerned with the “purity” of art should at least begin to realize that art is always “impure,” utterly riddled with humanity and social life, situated in reality. Plato’s “pure” ideas are bunk.

Some call it "art." I call it commerce. Whatever the market can bear.

Having worked in the Kingdom from 2009 through 2012, I recognize this initiative as yet another Saudi royal attempt to claim a bold move toward modernity without allowing the growth of any cultural foundation necessary to support it. It follows in the wake of the many five, ten - and now 30 - year economic development plans, of which only grand PowerPoint presentations remain. Desert X is no different than the many Western companies, universities and consultants whose pilgrimage to the Kingdom was all about the money. I came to love the Saudi people, their generosity of spirit and lack of cynicism, but they remain hostages to an antiquated and corrupt royal family.

The landscape is way more artistic than any of these installment. Recycle all that metal!

Susan Davis, someone I used to know and admire, says she's prepared to close Desert X if the controversy proves too great. She might as well start drafting the papers. Amongst the various problems infecting this project is the fact that Desert X is based on the upscale towns of the Coachella Valley, with a very active LGBT community. Should be interesting to see how it reacts to an organization that it supported cozying up to one of the most homophobic regimes in the world.

I visited The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mid-December as a tourist. I was surprised to find the country disorganized and the infrastructure out-dated and inadequate, which is not unusual to find in many places, including here in California. However, there was little of interest to visit; the few historical sites served mostly as propaganda for their murderous oligarchs. Most dining options are chains imported from the USA (think IHOP and Cheesecake Factory). Most of all, I found the people unwelcoming, entitled, disrespectful of their foreign laborers, and lacking basic courtesies towards their fellow humans. Sorry to see Desert X sell-out to KSA - I enjoyed both prior exhibitions in California - but find the rational for this exhibit tenuous (beyond the $$$). I would not waste my time, effort or money visiting KSA again for even the most outstanding exhibition (which, from the photos, I gather this is not).

“Culture has nothing to do with politics" is exactly the kind of vapid, pseudo-pithy musing one would expect from a CEO. "Installation" is an apt word for the sterile displays seen here. When artists attempt to please the corporate/oligarchic imagination, personality and soul flees the work--as it must and should. Visitors attempting to feel cultured by flocking to such displays will be greeted with a mirror reflecting their own emptiness. A local culture has already spoken: the tombs are haunted and ought to be avoided. Those who understand sublime landscapes as backdrop for event staging have missed the point entirely.