Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Culture inaugurated an exhibition in Venice on Thursday as part of “The Saudi Ministry of Culture in Abbazia,” a cultural program hosted at the Abbazia building in Dorsoduro 172.

The exhibition presents works from the Kingdom Photography Award, an annual initiative launched in 2022 by the Visual Arts Commission to engage professional artists and support emerging talents in photography.

Titled “In a New Light: Contemporary Photography from Saudi Arabia,” the exhibition moves beyond familiar representations of the Kingdom, highlighting its evolving and complex landscapes.

Curated by Mohamed Somji, it features 50 photographic works selected from previous editions of the award.

The Kingdom Photography Award operates along two tracks: a commission program for local and international practitioners producing new works that reflect the Kingdom’s diverse geographies and stories, and an open-call track that builds a platform for a growing community of photographers.

Since its inception, the award has received more than 2,000 submissions, supporting over 50 artists from Saudi Arabia and around the world, including Argentina, Egypt, the Philippines, Morocco, the UK, the US, and Yemen.

“Exhibiting works from the Kingdom Photography Award at the Abbazia building is a wonderful opportunity to showcase photography from Saudi Arabia to international audiences,” said Dina Amin, CEO of the Saudi Visual Arts Commission.

“The exhibition not only highlights the Kingdom’s depth — reflected in its people, culture, heritage, and landscapes — but also presents the distinctive vision of Saudi photographers on the global stage of Venice, a city renowned for its dialogue with the arts.”

The Abbazia program underscores the artistic and cultural excellence of the Kingdom through collaborations with Venetian and Italian institutions.