Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), opened in the city of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania State on Friday night the Exhibition of ‘Saudi Archaeological Masterpieces Through the Ages.’ Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America Adel Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Governor of Pennsylvania Tom Corbett were present at the inauguration.
The Prince was greeted upon arrival at the headquarters of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History by a number of officials.
Prince Sultan cut a ribbon marking the opening of the exhibition in its second leg in the United States and toured the exhibition watching paintings and rock carvings, which highlighted the history of the Arabian Peninsula. Prince Sultan said the exhibition introduces the historical heritage of Saudi Arabia and its openness to world civilizations, pointing to the care and attention paid by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to the progress, development and prosperity in the Kingdom in all fields.
He talked about the achievements made in the field of the discovery of antiquities in the Kingdom and the introduction of its civilization heritage through the holding of the exhibition in the US and a number of countries.
The Saudi ambassador to the US commended relations between the Kingdom and the US, highlighting the Kingdom’s achievements under the leadership King Abdullah and his leading role in the call for dialogue among followers of civilizations and building bridges of trust and cooperation between nations.
For his part, the governor of the State of Pennsylvania expressed his pride in selecting the city of Pittsburgh to be the second leg of the exhibition in the US, praising the relations of friendship and cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US.
Saudi heritage exhibition opens in Pittsburgh
Saudi heritage exhibition opens in Pittsburgh
Riyadh to install 25 new public artworks after conclusion of Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium
- Move will extend the impact of the annual art event beyond its conclusion, bringing large-scale contemporary artworks into the city’s streets and parks
- Artworks produced during the symposium will now become part of Riyadh Art’s permanent collection
RIYADH: Some 25 sculptures created during the seventh edition of the Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium and exhibition will soon be installed across public spaces in Riyadh.
The move will extend the impact of the annual art event beyond its conclusion, organizers said, bringing large-scale contemporary artworks into the city’s streets and parks.
Organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City through the Riyadh Art Program, the 2026 edition has ended after nearly two months of live sculpting, exhibitions and public programming.
The artworks produced during the symposium will now become part of Riyadh Art’s permanent collection and will appear across the capital as part of a broader effort to integrate art into everyday urban life.
This year’s symposium began in January and took place along Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Road, widely known as Tahlia Street.
The site was transformed into an open-air studio in which visitors could observe artists carving, welding and assembling sculptures.
The live sculpting phase, which was held between Jan. 10 and Feb. 5, brought together leading Saudi and international artists to produce 25 large-scale works.
The sculptures were created using locally sourced granite and reclaimed metal, highlighting both the region’s natural materials and the creative reuse of industrial elements.
Visitors were able to follow the process of each artwork’s development, from raw materials to finished sculptures, while also interacting with the artists and learning about their techniques and concepts.
The event also featured a wide-ranging community engagement program designed to deepen public understanding of contemporary art.
The program included 10 panel discussions, 105 training workshops and 15 masterclasses exploring sculptural techniques, materials and the role of public art in cities.
Educational outreach formed another key component of the symposium. Organizers hosted 25 educational visits for more than 600 students, while daily guided tours enabled visitors to explore the artworks and gain insight into the creative processes behind them.
After the live sculpting phase, the completed sculptures remained on-site until March 8, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the works in their original setting before their distribution across Riyadh.
The symposium was curated by Lulwah Al-Homoud, Sarah Staton, and Rut Blees Luxemburg, who guided the artistic direction around the theme “Traces of What Will Be,” exploring how sculpture can reflect future possibilities while responding to the city’s evolving identity.
