RIYADH: In conjunction with Art Week Riyadh, French-Tunisian artist Faouzi Khlifi — better known as eL Seed — has transformed the side streets of Diriyah into an interactive art experience.
His temporary installation “Continuum” uses his signature style, combining Arabic calligraphy and sculpture with vibrant colors and playful elements. This time, he’s inviting the public to embark on a scavenger hunt to uncover seven hidden artworks throughout the area. Visitors can access an online map to guide them to each installation.
“The concept of mixing sculpture and painting was something I wanted to for a few years. I did some experiments from 2019, but I never made it real. Until now,” he told Arab News.
eL Seed at Art Week Riyadh. (AN, Huda Bashatah)
“Continuum” is also deeply rooted in eL Seed’s ongoing exploration of identity.
“As a kid growing up in France to Tunisian parents, I felt so many times — people made me feel — that there was something missing, you know? That’s why I got into Arabic calligraphy, because of this identity crisis that had as a kid in France,” he says. “I needed to come back to my roots.”
Entirely self-funded and built with the help of a tight-knit local team, “Continuum” reflects eL Seed’s commitment to both community engagement and independent artistic expression.
“I’m an artist. This project for me was really about challenging myself,” he says. “I was not commissioned. It’s a passion project.
eL Seed and team working on 'Continuum.' (Spencer Shea and Waleed AlNasrallah)
Over the past few months, he scouted various locations, ultimately selecting seven overlooked walls across Diriyah (because, he says, “six is too little and eight is too many”) — spaces that many pass by daily without noticing.
“I call those ‘lost walls.’ The wall has a story that people don’t even look at,” he says. “People just walk right by. They don’t even see it.”
Each of the sites features a unique Arabic quote chosen by the artist, sourced from Arab writers whose messages explore themes of belonging.
“The wall speaks to me and I know which quote to use for it,” el Seed says.
eL Seed in Diriyah during the creation of 'Continuum.' (Spencer Shea and Waleed AlNasrallah)
The sculptural works were produced in collaboration with Rashed AlShashai, a prominent Saudi artist who has a studio at JAX. They fabricated the custom items on site.
“I had a beautiful team of people who helped me to make it happen. The community helped me. The Rashed AlShashai team, they produced the sculpture in a week,” eL Seed says.
Planning for the project began back in September. Initially, eL Seed considered a different location — two hours from Riyadh — before deciding that Diriyah offered the perfect balance of visibility and charm.
And the project was, at one point, going to be launched in February, but he decided to launch it at the inaugural Art Week Riyadh instead, to give it “importance.”
The installations will be gone in two weeks. Though temporary, they are meant to spark long-lasting conversations around public space, memory and meaning.
“It’s a broken wall,” he says. “But for me, it’s about putting a sculpture where you’re not supposed to find it, and the conversation (it sparks) with people in the neighborhood… kids, other people… When I was working, a man was walking back home from the mosque. He’s like, ‘Why are you painting here? It’s like a museum now!’”
Alongside the public works, eL Seed is also debuting a new exhibition, which opened April 8, that ties into the themes of the outdoor installations.
Having been involved with the Kingdom for the past 15 years, eL Seed says he feels a deep connection to the country.
“I think people here appreciate my work and I appreciate the people here. I enjoy being here. I enjoy coming to Riyadh,” he says.
He hopes the public will hunt for the pieces, photograph them and engage with the city in a new way. Both on and offline.
“So it’s (art) and a treasure together,” he says. “And the cool part is: If you want to steal them, you can.”
