Internet cafes in Jeddah, once popular spots for pay-by-the-hour internet access, have inspired the city's latest exhibition.

"Internet Cafe," an eight-day show, was a collaboration between Kham Space and Estiraha, featuring 17 artists and collectives.

The exhibition explored the concept of connection and intimacy in the digital age through various artistic interpretations.

Curated by Abeer Sultan alongside Mbarak Madhi and Fai Ahmed, the idea for the exhibition stemmed from an exasperation over incessant scrolling and the deluge of information that has taken over daily lives.

Instead of creating a literal internet cafe, the curators focused on the nuances cybercafes used to have.

The space was categorized into three themes: "Disconnected Understanding, Linked Source," "In the Shadow of Doubt, Light My Screen," and "Whirling Algorithms of a Distant Dream." Artists such as Zahiyah Alraddadi, Ahaad Alamoudi, Anhar Salem, and Hayfa Al-Gwaiz created installations exploring digital intimacy.

For instance, Hayfa Al-Gwaiz's "Long Distance" painted the ceilings above video callers in FaceTime calls.

The exhibition avoided artificial intelligence, focusing on manual customization and personal touch.

Abeer Sultan explained that the aim was to resist the fast pace of AI and highlight the value of doing things manually.

The last piece, "Land of Dreams," by Ahaad Alamoudi, took a humorous approach to directing audiences to their dreams.

The exhibition served as a love letter to a new digital age, one that is sustainable, communal, and deliberately slow.

Sultan emphasized the importance of exhibitions as spaces where people can meet and have conversations together, even if it's for a moment.