Seven Mohammed Al Saleem Sculptures Join Riyadh Art Collection

Seven monumental sculptures by Saudi artist Mohammed Al Saleem have joined Riyadh Art’s permanent public art collection, with six works installed at Western Metro Station on Line 3 and a seventh scheduled for installation later.

The sculptures were originally created in 1985 for a Riyadh Municipality public art competition but were never installed, remaining in Al Saleem’s workshop for decades. The Royal Commission for Riyadh City acquired the works in 2022 and carried out a restoration and conservation process supervised by the artist’s daughter, Najla Mohammed Al Saleem, and his foundation, Dar Al-Funoon Al-Sa’udiyyah.

The six works installed in August are ‘Al Showkah Al Khumasiyah (The Pentagon Thorn)’, ‘Shurfa (Parapet Merlon)’, ‘Al Kurah (The Ball)’, ‘Al Mouthalathat (The Triangles)’, ‘Bur’aum Al Zahrah (The Flower Bud)’ and ‘Al Ahilla (The Crescents)’. A seventh work, ‘Al Nafourah Al Halazouniyah (The Spiral Fountain)’, will be installed at a later date.

Drawing on desert landscapes, Najdi architecture, geometric forms and celestial references, the series reflects Al Saleem’s approach to abstraction and the influence of Riyadh and Najd on his practice. The works have been placed in the outdoor plaza of Western Metro Station, designed by Saudi-based consultancy Omrania with earth-coloured forms inspired by desert sand dunes.

Riyadh Art Senior Director Bader AlShenaifi said the acquisition preserves an important part of Saudi artistic heritage while giving Al Saleem’s work a permanent presence in the city that shaped much of his practice.

The Riyadh Art permanent collection is installed across neighbourhoods, public spaces and transport corridors and now comprises 82 artworks across the capital.