Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Young Saudi digital artists work showcased at major music festival

A Saudi art student’s digital work has been showcased on a giant screen at one of the world’s biggest music festivals.
Ahaad Alamoudi’s colorful falcons creation went on display at the third edition of MDLBeast’s Soundstorm event held in the desert outside of Riyadh.

The moving digital images featured on a horizontal 128-meter screen near to the festival’s DownBeast stage.

Alamoudi, who is currently studying for a Ph.D. at the Royal College of Art in London, said the falcon was a traditional symbol that not only represented the transformations taking place in Saudi Arabia but also the importance of preserving the country’s natural environment.

The Jeddah-born artist’s work appeared alongside acts by top international music stars, Saudi DJs, and rap and hip-hop performers in the first presentation of its kind at the festival.

It was one of three commissioned artworks displayed at the event through a collaboration between independent arts initiative Edge of Arabia, and YallaSwap, a web3 platform bringing the next generation of digital content to the Arab world through digital collectibles, unique experiences, and community.

One of them, by Riyadh-based pixel artist KldPxl, aimed to capture the beauty and loneliness of the modern world through complex digital compositions such as empty gas stations and desert highways.

The artist told Arab News: “Music and art are two of my biggest passions and combining them in one project was especially rewarding.

“I felt really honored to have my work displayed at MDLBeast and potentially seen by over 100,000 local and international attendees.”

Also on display was the work of graphic designer Yusef Alahmad who specializes in Arabic typography with a focus on the cross-cultural aesthetics between the Western and Arab worlds.

Alahmad gained a master of fine arts degree in graphic design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and currently works as art director for Edge of Arabia.

YallaSwap founder, Bader Tazrouti, told Arab News: “The majority of visitors to MDLBeast are local Saudis and we wanted to provide them with local digital art to appreciate.

“We are a web3 marketplace for the Arab world localized through content. We were with top-tier local artists and through curation, with Edge of Arabia, we want to emphasize the local context for these creatives and their aesthetics.”

The works used the latest technology to try and push the boundaries of creativity, while adhering to tradition.

Edge of Arabia founder, Stephen Stapleton, told Arab News: “The works are surreal, technological, and exciting; a collision of past, present, and future and a reflection of what is happening in society.

“The work is made for the people, and this is why we chose these three artists — they want to reach the broader population through their art, not just the art crowd.”

Through their digital medium, the works aimed to reflect the electronic music experience — dizzying, escapist, and inspiring.

Similar to the growing community of Saudi electronic music stars and DJs, these contemporary artists are attempting to pay tribute to their country’s rich heritage while innovating and expanding through technology and contemporary culture.

The first YallaSwap meetup was organized in October in collaboration with Edge of Arabia, and Badiya Studio/Jazzy Spa Sounds, whose founders Warchief and Chindy performed at the DownBeast stage on the opening day of this year’s Soundstorm.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×