Photos: Riyadh's street art festival 'Shift22'

Saudis attend Shift 22, the annual street art festival, in Riyadh. The festival showcases commissioned and existing works from over 30 Saudi and international graffiti artists, focusing on murals, sound and video installations, and unconventional sculptures built by repurposing the abandoned hospital’s discarded materials.

The Saudi Visual Arts Commission is organising the annual street art festival Shift22 in Riyadh until October 30, 2022.

“Shift22 is part of the Commission’s efforts to celebrate and encourage local and international visual artists by providing platforms for creative exchange and dialogue,” said Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission.

The location of this year's festival, Irqah Hospital, inspired the festival's theme of geometry and geometric patterns.

More than 30 local and international artists participate in this year's festival, including Huda Beydoun, Rexchouk and Zeinab Al-Mahoozi, Crash, Trevor Andrew, and Refik Anadol.

Murals are painted on the walls of the hospital complex as part of Shift22. The site is transformed into a distinctive night museum with art projections, sound installations, and video works by well-known artists.

The phrase "Shift22" refers to the changes in the Kingdom's culture and the perceptions that have evolved over time about street art as it becomes increasingly popular as a genre of art.

Saudis attend Shift 22, the annual street art festival, in the capital Riyadh on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Saudis attend Shift 22, the annual street art festival, in the capital Riyadh on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP)