Saudi Arabia has officially launched its first-ever pavilion at the Triennale Milano 2025, making a confident entrance onto one of the world’s most important stages for design and culture. Titled “Maghras, A Farm for Experimentation,” the exhibition opened to the public on May 13, 2025, and explores the evolving landscape of Al Ahsa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Province.
The Triennale Milano 2025 is the 24th edition of this international exhibition, which brings together countries from around the world to share ideas through architecture, art, and design. Saudi Arabia’s participation signals a growing interest in using creativity and storytelling to address issues of land, heritage, and change.
What Is Maghras?
The Saudi Pavilion, Maghras, is named after the space between four palm trees, an agricultural unit rooted in local tradition. The exhibition is a result of a year-long working program that took place in Al Ahsa, where artists, architects, researchers, and members of the community worked together to study the land’s changes over time.
At Triennale Milano 2025, Maghras presents those findings through new works that focus on how land, labor, and memory are connected. This includes three special commissions by Saudi artists and designers:
- Leen Ajlan, an architectural designer from Jeddah, presents a structure made from farming waste, questioning the effects of industrial agriculture on the environment.
- Mohammed Alfaraj, a visual artist from Al Ahsa, created a multimedia film inspired by a local folktale and the emotional ties people have with their landscape.
- Sawtasura, a research platform, contributed a sound-based piece made from recordings and oral histories, particularly focusing on women’s environmental knowledge.
Bringing Al Ahsa’s Story to the World
Triennale Milano 2025 is more than just an art show. It’s a space where cultural and ecological stories from around the world are shared on a global platform. For Saudi Arabia, this moment is important, not just because it’s the Kingdom’s first time at the event, but because the pavilion highlights a key part of its heritage in a modern, thoughtful way.
Al Ahsa’s landscape has always balanced rural life with urban growth. Once viewed as the country’s “breadbasket,” its ecosystem now faces challenges like desertification and water depletion. The Maghras exhibition puts these issues into conversation with global audiences, using creativity to ask meaningful questions about sustainability and tradition.
A Message from the Curators
Curators Lulu Almana and Sara Al Omran, along with Creative Director Alejandro Stein, describe Maghras as a tribute to the people of Al Ahsa and the cultural memory rooted in its soil.
“Maghras is a veneration of the people, cultural rituals, and lived experiences that make up Al Ahsa,” they said. “We hope it inspires collective reflection and care—not only for the land but for the communities that live on it.”
Their goal is for the impact of the pavilion to stretch beyond the walls of Triennale Milano 2025 and spark broader discussions around the world.
A Proud Moment for Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Triennale Milano 2025 is a proud milestone for the country’s growing cultural sector. It represents not only creative talent but also a commitment to meaningful dialogue about the future of land, community, and identity.
With its thoughtful presentation and deep ties to real-world issues, Maghras stands out as one of the more personal and powerful contributions to Triennale Milano 2025. It’s a clear sign that Saudi Arabia is ready to engage with the world on its own terms—through stories, design, and the land that connects them all.
What else is new?
The Kingdom is always buzzing with exciting events, and one you should check out is Bayn, Saudi’s first beach wellness retreat, coming soon. Read about it here.
