We are thrilled to announce the launch of the new book Oasis of Stories: Manal AlDowayan and the People of AlUla, published in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla.
Edited by Iwona Blazwick, this book, developed in parallel with an exhibition, showcases the results of the participatory workshops that Manal AlDowayan conducted with the community of AlUla for her project Oasis of Stories in 2023. Seven hundred participants were asked to draw their personal stories onto paper. The depictions in the exhibited works range from participants' homes, neighborhoods, memories, and family histories to flora, fauna, culinary customs, and abstract creative expressions, with each piece reflecting the lives, cultures, and identities of the people of AlUla. These drawings and stories will eventually be inscribed into the walls of her Wadi AlFann commission, titled Oasis of Stories, a labyrinthine installation inspired by the walls of AlUla’s Old Town that will invite viewers to walk through its passages.