DHAHRAN — The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran celebrated a new sculptural commission by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone entitled Source of Light in the presence of the artist himself.

The 90-foot tall work consists of three towering bronze trees that “grow” from the base of the Source, the physical core of the ambitious new cultural center in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom, which marks the symbolic location near where Saudi Arabia first discovered oil in 1938.

The three towering bronze trees rise more than 92 feet in height and are supported by the branches of a fourth larger tree, which is divided into hollow sections, forming a telescope-like viewing space that projects towards the sky and appears to levitate above the pool. This central tree, made of stainless steel, creates an open interior space and golden shaft of light for visitors peering upward.

Source of Light is Ithra’s largest permanent art commission and celebrates the history, creativity, and energy that is at the core of the new cultural landmark.

Director of King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) Ali Al-Mutairi, said: “We are delighted to have Master Giuseppe Penone’s iconic work, Source of Light, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture. His poignant integration of ideas and materials located at the core of our built environment resonates deeply while creating space for contemplation. In our quest to foster cross-cultural exchange, this work offers visitors a unique and tangible example of global artistic expression. With the Source, Penone has synthesized memory and nature in dialogue with architecture to inspire our consideration of what has yet to be discovered. We are honored to present such a work to the world.”

Throughout his highly influential career, Giuseppe Penone has been inspired by a variety of organic systems and natural forms – including wood, stone, resin, and the human body – believing in the interconnectedness between human beings and nature.

This commission, the most monumental and spectacular of the artist to date, responds both to the Source and to the natural forms and sustainable materials of Ithra itself, which evoke rocks and mountain ranges. The sculpture connects the earth below with the sky above, forming a symbolic link between these two sources of energy.

“Source of Light emphasizes and represents the energy extracted from the earth that helps life and growth,” commented Penone. “It symbolizes the Source, where oil needed for the growth and development of the world's economy was discovered. It celebrates with its own form and materials, including the gold that covers the central tree’s inner surface, the elevation of life.”

A Saudi Aramco citizenship initiative, Ithra’s iconic architecture is designed by Oslo-based architects Snohetta. The buildings form four giant high-tech rock-like structures which support one another: linking the past, present, and future. At the center, lies a deep and open square well: the symbolic location of the Source, where oil was for first discovered in the region.

The journey to the Source takes visitors down a spiraling ramp that gives varying views of Penone’s Source of Light and provides an experience that takes one on a voyage from the collective to the personal.

Giuseppe Penone was born in 1947 in Garessio, Italy. He graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti, Italy, in 1970.

Penone’s work has been included in several solo and group exhibitions. He co-represented Italy in the 52nd Biennale di Venezia in 2007. Penone was awarded the Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association in 2014, and the McKim Medal by the American Academy in Rome in 2017. A permanent sculptural installation, titled “Germination,” has been presented at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2018. Penone currently lives and works in Paris and Turin, Italy. — SG