Running from 26 January to 18 April 2026, the show explores marriage as a universal act of love through contemporary art.
A new exhibition is coming to SAMoCA at Jax in Riyadh, inviting visitors to consider marriage not only as a milestone but also as a living ritual shaped by culture, memory, and emotion. Titled A Night of a Lifetime, the exhibition runs from 26 January to 18 April 2026 and explores weddings as both a private commitment and a public celebration, translated into contemporary art.
Bringing together more than 30 artists from Saudi Arabia, across the Arab world and the global modern art scene, the show is curated by Philippe Castro and Alaa Tarabzouni. Through a multidisciplinary programme, A Night of a Lifetime examines the many layers of the wedding ceremony, from the tenderness of intimate moments to the symbolism of tradition and performance. Expect works spanning photography, sculpture, installation, video, mixed media, drawing and painting, each offering a different perspective on love, ritual and human connection.
Presented by the Saudi Museums Commission, the exhibition spotlights artists whose interpretations of marriage range from the classic to the contemporary, reflecting how ceremonies evolve across generations while remaining rooted in shared meaning. Alongside loans from celebrated names, the exhibition also features newly commissioned works created specifically for the show, offering fresh perspectives on weddings as social, emotional, and aesthetic experiences.
Visitors can look forward to a multi-sensory journey that nods to the details that define wedding culture, from jewellery and embroidered textiles to music and the photograph as a lasting record of the day. While the exhibition takes inspiration from Saudi and Arab traditions, it also connects to the universal language of partnership and ceremony, offering an experience that is as reflective as it is celebratory.
Ibrahim Alsanousi, Acting CEO of the Museums Commission, said: “We are thrilled to present ‘A Night of a Lifetime’ at SAMoCA at Jax, an institution dedicated to showcasing diverse forms of creative expression to the Saudi public. Marriage is both a universal and a personal subject, touching every culture, generation, and community. The artists included in this exhibition reflect on its many forms, from grand public gestures to the quiet moments of reflection, through a wide range of mediums, ideas, and perspectives. We welcome visitors to explore this fascinating multi-sensory journey across ceremony, memory, and emotion.”
GO: Visit https://jaxdistrict.com for more information.