Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2022 shows a piece of artwork of the 2nd Desert X AlUla, a desert art exhibition in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.(Photo: Xinhua)

Desert X AlUla, the first site-responsive art exhibition of its kind in Saudi Arabia, opened its second edition on Friday in the kingdom's northwestern ancient city characterized by natural heritage, showcasing creative desert works created by 15 artists from around the world.

Under the theme of Sarab (mirage in English), the event runs from Thursday to March 30 and aims to explore ideas of mirage and oasis, where participating artists are invited to address dreams, camouflage, fiction, appearance or disappearance, extraction, illusion and myth, and examine the dichotomy between the natural and man-made worlds.

Neville Wakefield, co-artistic director of Desert X AlUla, said the landscape and history of AlUla, which has always been at the crossroads of trade and culture, have and will continue to draw people from across the globe.

Nora Aldabal, arts and creative planning director at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said the Saudi exhibition allows people to integrate art, nature and history together, hailing AlUla as "a destination built and inspired by artists."

"With initiatives like Desert X AlUla, we are crafting the next chapter in AlUla's history as a cradle of artistic inspiration, transfer and expression," she noted.

Xinhua