Ahaad Alamoudi Runs Towards a New Saudi at the Diriyah Biennale

For the 2026 Diriyah Biennale, Saudi multidisciplinary artist Ahaad Alamoudi zooms in on one highly-publicised project: NEOM, the country’s futuristic mega-project that includes The Line, originally designed as a zero‑carbon, AI-powered linear city.

On a large screen that seems suspended in mid-air, Alamoudi runs through the NEOM desert in slow motion toward a canvas that pictures the same landscape behind it, her white dress and long black hair billowing behind her. She breaks through the picture and keeps running.

In sharp contrast to the site’s urban aspirations, Alamoudi’s film highlights the vast natural terrain as she runs across its sand in a hypnotic loop. "A key question to ask yourself is: Do you choose to believe, or do you choose not to believe?” she asked.

Alamoudi answered her own question when she broke the canvas. “In the video, I’m really choosing to believe in the vision,” she said, “and encapsulate what it means to me.”

The Diriyah Biennale will be open to the public until May 2nd, 2026. Read the full feature on the Biennale here.