By Anna Hiddleston and Candida Pestana
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in one of AlUla’s most anticipated 2026 exhibitions, consider flipping through a copy of “Arduna,” which was published this month and sold at the exhibition’s gift shop.
“Arduna,” which translates to “Our Land” from Arabic, was presented as part of the pre-opening program of the upcoming Contemporary Art Museum from the Royal Commission for AlUla. It is well worth a look into the works housed within.
Organized into multiple chapters, like the exhibition it is named after, it delves into nature’s multiple manifestations — both real and imagined — on a journey through gardens, forests, deserts and reflections in the cosmos.
The catalogue authors — each of whom offers a distinct voice to the book — are: Nadine Attalah, Aurelien Bernard, Ftoon AlThaedi, Noemie Fillon, Anna Hiddleston, Roxanne Ilias, Candida Pestana, and Marie Siguier.
The exhibition opened this month at Arduna Pavilion and was curated by Anna Hiddleston, curator of international projects at Musee National d’Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, and Candida Pestana, chief curator and contemporary art museum manager at the commission.
Within the exhibition, they were assisted by AlThaedi, associate curator and programming specialist at the commission, and by Fillon, associate curator at Musee National d’Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou.
It will be held in AlUla until April 15. Commissioned artists include Tarek Atoui, Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil, Dana Awartani, Tavares Stratie and Ayman Zedani.
The book was co-curated in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou and with the support of the French Agency for AlUla Development. It is bound together with major masterpieces by international and regional artists from both institutions’ collections.
A fun fact is that the papers used to print this publication are FSC certified, mindfully sourced from responsibly managed forests and thoughtfully recycled materials, much like the ethos of the exhibition.
Printed by Deux-Ponts in France and distributed by Kaph: Art Books from the Arab World, it is a true collaboration between East and West.
This book showcases more than 80 artworks from various disciplines, gathered in the exhibition, held at AlUla’s newly established building. It also contains essays and lush photographs.
Drawing inspiration from the site of AlUla, it uses the allegory of the garden to reveal how modern and contemporary artists explore the evolving relationship to nature and the land.
Through compelling and thought-provoking artworks, the exhibition tackles challenges the world encounters today, examining notions of the threat of climate change, migratory displacement, the spread of urbanization and the Anthropocene, defined as the age of humanity’s profound impact on the planet.
With 248 pages, offered in both English and Arabic, it fits nicely on a bookshelf or coffee table — and perhaps will inspire you to linger long after the duration of the exhibition ends.
