Earthen Testaments Exhibition: Essay Contribution

Contributed an essay entitled “Counter-Narrative: Diriyah as a Model of Permanence and Centrality” to the publication accompanying the “Earthen Testaments” Exhibition at UNESCO Headquarters, by  The Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO and Diriyah Gate Development Authority.  “Earthen Testaments “ looks into the material traces of Diriyah’ by taking audiences on a journey of discovery into Diriyah’s tangible and intangible heritage and culture.  Through archeological fragments, archival photographs, film, poetry, and commissioned works by Saudi artists, the exhibition explores the legacy of Diriyah and its people, with the earth that formed its iconic architecture as the shared medium. The experience of ‘The Earthen Testaments’ also tells the story of Wadi Hanifah, the verdant source of Diriyah, and At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands as a symbol of the founding legacy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At-Turaif remains today an emblem of the traditions, values, and material forms that define Najdi culture and heritage.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/earthen-testaments-look-material-traces-diriyah