Unveiling Saudi Youth Driving the Shift in Rapidly Evolving Saudi Arabia
In the heart of Milan, the first Saudi Arabian pavilion at the Triennale 2025, titled "Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation," is a testament to the country's rich agro-cultural heritage. This project, co-curated by Sara Al Omran and Lulu Almana, offers an in-depth exploration of the Al Ahsa region in Saudi Arabia, focusing on its complex agrarian society and traditional practices in agriculture, music, crafts, and foodways.
Sara Al Omran, born and raised in the rural Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, brings deep personal knowledge of the less urbanized parts of the country. Her aim is to emphasize the importance of heritage, community, and ecology amidst rapid development. Lulu Almana, a London-based landscape architect trained in the U.S., collaborates with Al Omran to create an installation that serves as both a cultural exploration and a symbolic seed for the regeneration of the Al Ahsa community facing economic and climatic changes.
The pavilion functions not just as an exhibit but as a call to preserve Saudi heritage and culture. It focuses on the evolving cultural landscape of Al Ahsa Oasis, known for its historical significance. This act of preservation is crucial given the pressures of modernization and environmental challenges.
Looking toward the future, the project partly envisions itself as a platform for continued cultural regeneration and experimentation. It promotes sustainable interaction with traditional ways of life and encourages community engagement. The 'Maghras' book project, an extension of the pavilion, aims to deepen bonds within Saudi Arabia's artistic community and delve into historic landscapes beyond the nation's big cities.
Tara Al Dughaither, a contributor to the 'Maghras' pavilion, focuses on sound art to examine agricultural communities in the KSA. Like Al Omran, she is from the Eastern Province and uses her skills in 'deep listening' to bring the aural environment of exurban Saudi Arabia to the world.
Designer Leen Ajlan, educated in the UK and presently on the staff of international fashion brand COS, brought a keen analysis of desert farming techniques to the Milan show. Ajlan emphasizes the importance of building close-up relationships and trust when working with farmers and artisans in her research. Ajlan's independent work focuses on the native region of Sara Al Omran.
New generations are following through with an older lineage of self-organization, as noted by Al Dughaither. The phenomenon of support for scholars and thinkers with a more reflective, inquisitive bent in Saudi Arabia appears to be picking up speed.
Leen Ajlan is currently working on public-space projects around the Middle East. Lulu Almana, meanwhile, continues to work on projects that aim to regenerate communities and promote sustainable practices. Sara Al Omran, a curator and advisor, continues her work in upending the Saudi cultural scene with an emphasis on community, ecology, and heritage.
The pavilion, on view until November 9th, feels like a seed for the regeneration of the community, according to Lulu Almana. "Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation" serves as both a cultural document and a forward-looking experiment aimed at sustaining the heritage of Saudi Arabia's agrarian communities through artistic and ecological dialogue.
[1] [Al-Dughaither, T. (2025). Sounding the Field: Agricultural Communities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation.] [2] [Al Omran, S., & Almana, L. (2025). Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation. In Milan Triennale 2025.] [3] [Ajlan, L. (2025). Desert Farming Techniques: A Sustainable Approach. In Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation.]
- The 'Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation' pavilion, co-curated by Sara Al Omran and Lulu Almana, delves into the fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, and technology aspects of the Al Ahsa region in Saudi Arabia, showcasing traditional practices and sustainable solutions.
- Tara Al Dughaither, a contributor to the Maghras project, focuses on education-and-self-development through her exploration of sound art in agricultural communities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Designer Leen Ajlan, with her background in fashion-and-beauty and ecological studies, brings a fresh perspective to the agriculture sector of Saudi Arabia, focusing on desert farming techniques and sustainable practices.
