It appears Saudi Arabia is intent on making a mark on the world. After Saudi Crown Prince MBS’s visions had to be altered with the $1.5 trillion megaproject Neom City and the cancellation of the Mukaab that was meant to dethrone Burj Khalifa, it seems art is where the kingdom may finally find accomplishment after architecture failed it. To make yet another larger-than-life dream come true, Spanish artist Domingo Zapata has been commissioned by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture to create what is billed as the world’s largest mural in the Diriyah cultural zone on the outskirts of Riyadh. So massive is this 540,000-square-foot artwork that some say it could be visible from space. Diriyah is a $63 billion cultural hub set to boast museums, luxury hotels, residences, and academic institutions. With this project, Diriyah will also flaunt the largest mural ever created.
A blank check for the world’s largest mural
The famous artist has been given nothing less than a blank check to literally map out the kingdom’s art scene like never before, working alongside a team of around 100 collaborating artists over the course of four to six years. It is truly incredible what is in store for the crown jewel of Diriyah. Sources suggest the mural will be designed as a continuous “hieroglyph,” resembling an Egyptian-style narrative that chronicles both the global history of art and the rich tradition and heritage of the Saudi kingdom. Moreover, this is not one block of beautiful art but part of a new avenue that leads to a central square planned to host universities, research centers, and tech institutions, with the mural integrated into a landscaped park environment rather than confined to a single façade.
A Middle Eastern “Sistine Chapel” in the desert
Such a humongous scale has not been afforded to many artists, which is why Zapata did not shy away from calling his future work “the Middle Eastern version of the Sistine Chapel,” as reported by Artnet News. The artist, who rose to prominence only this decade, stated, “As an artist, having the freedom to create without boundaries is incredibly rare. That’s why I reference the Sistine Chapel, not to compare myself to Michelangelo, but to evoke that moment in history when an artist was entrusted with complete creative freedom to interpret humanity as it was understood at the time.”
Such larger-than-life canvases can arguably only be offered in Saudi Arabia, a country set on accomplishing the unthinkable, and it comes at a time when the kingdom has begun trimming spending in other areas. According to Artnet, the commission came from Jerry Inzerillo, the CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, and is supported by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. Will the Mona Lisa make it to the Middle East with an appearance in this massive mural, given the artist’s fondness for her? Only time will tell.
From Wall Street to Diriyah’s crown jewel
The artist, who once dabbled in Wall Street finance, made a name for himself in 2019 as the creator of the largest vinyl mural in New York City, covering three façades of One Times Square in a 15-story, roughly 30,000-square-foot artwork titled Life is a Dream. That piece was visible to the estimated 350,000 people who pass through Times Square daily. Today, his famous collectors include Leonardo DiCaprio, Scarlett Johansson, Kim Kardashian, and George Soros. With the Saudi version of the Sistine Chapel, Zapata, who resides in the home owned by Pablo Picasso, may soon be appreciated by several Earthlings and possibly aliens, too.
