As part of the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s program in Abbazia, the exhibition In a New Light – Contemporary Photography from Saudi Arabia presents a selection of 50 works from the Kingdom Photography Award, an annual initiative launched in 2022 by the Visual Arts Commission to support both professional and emerging photographers.
Curated by Mohamed Somji, director of Gulf Photo Plus and co-curator of BredaPhoto Festival in the Netherlands, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on Saudi Arabia, moving beyond conventional representations to reveal a country that is complex and constantly evolving.
Through portraits, landscapes, and scenes of everyday life, the photographs convey both personal and collective narratives, inviting audiences to see the Kingdom “in a new light.” Since its launch, the award has received more than 2,000 submissions and supported over 50 artists from Saudi Arabia and from countries including Argentina, Egypt, the Philippines, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Featured image: Kingdom Photography Award, courtesy of The Saudi Visual Arts Commission