This work was created in Riyadh between February and April 2026, during the Intermix Art Residency, developed through conversations with residents. I asked: How do you describe the present time in Saudi/Riyadh? Many responses focused on the future rather than the present, and this shift became the foundation of the piece.
The garment brings these perspectives together through visual and material language. I photographed areas of Riyadh and its surroundings, assembling them into a collage that forms the front of the garment, reflecting the city’s current transformations. Over this surface, I hand-embroidered a lavender plant, an element widely associated with national identity and Saudi Vision 2030, and is frequently mentioned in conversations about the present.
On the back, a second collage references the columns of traditional mud houses, connecting the work to historical architecture. Inside the garment are small bags of dried lavender, creating a direct material link to the land.
The top and headdress are hand-knitted in bronze wire, introducing a sense of durability and protection. The floral forms of the headdress suggest protection through nature.
The installation includes a tent-like structure with the initial weaving loops (warp) intentionally left visible. This reflects both the process of making and the early stages of construction seen across the city, structures still in formation, where the present is actively being built.
This work reflects a specific moment in Riyadh in 2026, shaped by public voices and lived experience.
