Sotheby’s returns to Saudi Arabia with art-only auction

Welcome to Al-Monitor Riyadh.

Sotheby’s is gearing up for its second auction in the kingdom at the end of this week, this time focusing exclusively on Saudi and international artists. Elsewhere, a dual exhibition of two Egyptian painters at Hafez Gallery in Jeddah reflects an era when newspapers and magazines shaped Egypt’s visual and cultural imagination. Also in Jeddah, the ATHR Foundation’s Young Saudi Artists initiative is staging its 10th edition, while the Jameel Library has officially opened its doors. And looking ahead to Riyadh, we offer a glimpse of the sculptural works taking shape for next month’s Tuwaiq Sculptural Symposium.

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Rebecca

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1. Leading the week: Sotheby’s stages second auction in Diriyah

Safeya Binzagr's painting of a coffee shop on Madina Road (top) and John Chamberlain sculpture Spledidium (below) on view as part of Sotheby's Origins II in Diriyah, Riyadh. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

After staging its first auction in Saudi Arabia a year ago, British auction house Sotheby’s has returned to the kingdom for a second edition titled Origins II. Last year’s sale, which achieved a total of $14.4 million, coincided with the opening of Sotheby’s new office in Riyadh’s Al Faisaliah Tower. While the results of that debut sale were mixed — performing far better for fine art than for the luxury goods segment, to the surprise of many in attendance — Sotheby’s has returned this year with an exclusively art-focused offering, signaling a strategic shift following last year’s outcome.

“The second edition of Origins builds directly on the insights gained from the inaugural sale,” Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s head of sale and contemporary art specialist, told Al-Monitor. “The first auction confirmed the strength and sophistication of the local collector base, as well as appetite for both regional voices and internationally recognized names.”

Leading Saudi and other Middle Eastern artists will be featured alongside renowned international names such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Anish Kapoor.

The event will see the auction debuts of Saudi artists Mohamed Siam and Dia Aziz Dia, among the most significant voices of the kingdom’s second generation of modern artists, presented alongside their trailblazing peers, including Safeya Binzagr, Abdulhalim Radwi and Mohammed Al Saleem.

“For this edition, we have responded by broadening the scope and sharpening the focus —  deepening our presentation of Saudi artists across generations, expanding into new categories such as design, and creating a more deliberate dialogue between Saudi, regional and international artists,” Baghestani said. “The result is a sale that reflects greater depth and diversity, while continuing our commitment to introducing Saudi art to the international market.”

The auction will once again take place in Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state and home to the UNESCO World Heritage site At-Turaif.

Date: Jan. 31

Location: Diriyah Bujairi Terrace, Diriyah, Riyadh

Find more information here. 

2. Word on the street: Taleed

The terrace of Taleed by Michael Mina in Diriyah, Riyadh. (Courtesy of Taleed)

Taleed by Michael Mina has become one of Diriyah’s most popular dining destinations not only for its standout cuisine, which blends Mediterranean elegance with Hijazi culinary traditions, but also for its sleek design rooted in local heritage. Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina infuses classic Middle Eastern flavors with refined Mediterranean techniques, resulting in a contemporary yet tradition-grounded menu.

Known for its immersive dining experience, highlights include the whipped hummus with foie gras, accented by Taif pomegranates and toasted pistachios; the tuna falafel, pairing sushi-grade tuna with a crisp falafel base, tahini and Egyptian salad; and the black truffle saleeg, an elevated take on the Saudi rice dish featuring grilled chicken, creamy rice and black truffle.

Location: Bab Samhan, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Diriyah

Find more information here.

3. Riyadh diary

An oil pastel work on paper by El Dessouki Fahmi. 2006. (Courtesy of Hafez Gallery) 

• Hafez Gallery Pays tribute to Egyptian artists Attyat Sayed and El Dessouki Fahmi

Jeddah’s Hafez Gallery is showcasing the works of two influential Egyptian painters, Attyat Sayed and El Dessouki Fahmi, whose practices emerged during a formative period when newspapers and magazines helped shape Egypt’s visual and cultural imagination. Both artists honed their craft through press illustration, documenting modern Egyptian life and contributing to the country’s collective visual memory.

Sayed’s dreamy canvases unfold as a process of constant becoming, with a visual language that expands into layered, dynamic and abstract compositions, exploring lived emotions through physical gestures. El Dessouki’s practice, on the other hand, evolved over time through a sustained dialogue with Egyptian ancient history, world literature, and the everyday visual culture of his country. 

Placed in conversation, their works reflect two different yet deeply interconnected creative paths that seek to uphold and contribute to modern Egyptian visual culture. 

Date: Until Feb. 28

Location: Hafez Gallery, Jeddah

Find more information here. 

• YSA - Young Saudi Artists 10th Edition

Curated by Emirati curator Maisa Al Qassimi, the ATHR Foundation is marking the 10th edition of its Young Saudi Artists initiative, an important platform for emerging creatives in the kingdom to present their work both regionally and internationally. This year’s edition focuses on contemporary painting and features 22 artists.

The selection has been shaped by the YSA committee, which includes cultural leaders Alia Al-Senussi, Basel Dalloul, Effat Fadag and Aisha Stoby. Over the years, YSA has served as a launchpad for the careers of some of Saudi Arabia’s most recognized contemporary artists, including Dana Awartani, Basmah Felemban and Nasser Al Salem.

Date: Until May 15

Location: ATHR Gallery, Jeddah

Find more information here. 

• Jameel Library opens at Hayy Jameel

In December, Art Jameel opened its library at Hayy Jameel, its cultural center in Jeddah. Located at the heart of the complex, the library offers a specialized, open-access research space focused on the arts, literature and visual culture, and houses a diverse collection of books, journals, artist monographs and archival materials centered on Jeddah, the Red Sea and surrounding areas.

Location: Hayy Jameel, Jeddah

Find more information here.

4. Book of the week: ‘Dreams of Ayn Ara’ 

Palestinian novelist Sara Abou Ghazal is set to release her latest novel, “Dreams of Ayn Ara,” a multi-generational portrait of the Abu Sakkar family living in the Shatila refugee camp. Spanning decades after the Nakba, the novel traces how displacement has shaped the family’s lives across generations. The book is translated by Katharine Halls, winner of the Sheikh Hamad Award for her translation of “A Dove’s Necklace" by Raja Alem.

5. View from Riyadh

Artists work on sculptures for the upcoming “Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026.” (Courtesy of Tuwaiq Sculpture)

The seventh edition of “Tuwaiq Sculpture,” the annual international symposium and exhibition, returns to Riyadh next month, running from Jan. 12 to Feb. 22. Curated by Lulwah Alhomoud, Rut Blees Luxemburg and Sarah Staton, the edition brings together 25 Saudi and international sculptors selected through an open call to produce new large-scale works responding to the theme Traces of What Will Be. The works on view explore transformation, both as a physical process and as a metaphor for urban change.

6. By the numbers

Highlights of Sotheby’s upcoming second auction in Diriyah include:

• a Rembrandt lion drawing, estimated at $15 million to $20 million, which is coming to Saudi Arabia and billed as the most important Rembrandt drawing to appear at auction in 50 years
• an oil-on-canvas work by the late Saudi artist Mohammed Al Saleem (1939-1997), estimated at $150,000 to $200,000
• a painting by the late pioneering Saudi artist Safeya Binzagr (1940-2024) titled “Coffee Shop in Madina Road,” estimated at $150,000 to $200,000.