RIYADH: Austrian capital Vienna is set to steal the global cultural limelight as it hosts an exhibition showcasing work from British graffiti artist Banksy. The event, co-organized by Saudi entertainment company NOWAAR, will be a celebration of Banksy’s bold and boundary-pushing work.
“The Art of Banksy — Without Limits” will be hosted at the prestigious Sofiensäle and will be held from the 23rd of July to the 4th of October. The exhibition comes as a herald of hope to the public as people try to overcome the challenges belying the recovery phases of the Covid-19 pandemic. This bestows a global dimension upon the event as it pulls the international culture scene from its involuntary recent torpor.
The exhibition’s uniqueness lies in its diverse programme, allowing it to become a living celebration of the elusive artist’s achievements; A rare glimpse into the socially engaged graffiti artist’s studio will be followed by a 10 minute documentary film about his life and work. The audience will then be given access to 105 Banksy art pieces — originals, photos and prints, sculptures and some installations especially reproduced for the exhibition.
Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Muhaidib, NOWAAR’s chairman of the board, said: “Co-hosting the exhibition with EventS, a European company, comes as a natural continuation of the Kingdom’s evolving cultural landscape, with its growing development and unprecedented openness to international experiences. We have witnessed this with our Banksy Riyadh exhibition, which saw the event turn into a cultural festival that went on to garner considerable local and international acclaim.
“The Vienna exhibition will be our first European event and marks the beginning of Saudi Arabia’s international cultural outreach.”
