exhibition
Echoes of Time

In the autumn of 2023, the artists Susanne Kriemann and Daniah Alsaleh embarked on a captivating journey to the archaeological sites and ancient desert landscapes of Tayma and AlUla in Saudi Arabia. This expedition marked a pivotal moment in the German Archaeological Institute's (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut -- DAI) 20th anniversary of excavations in Saudi Arabia, and was a collaborative venture with the German Cultural Institute in Riyadh (Goethe-Institut). The artist’s mission was to bridge the passage of time, connecting the past and present through their artistic lens.
As Kriemann and Alsaleh delve into the rich tapestry of these historical landscapes, they document the archaeological discoveries of both ordinary and extraordinary objects. Their work transcended traditional research, by engaging deeply with the artifacts and stories embedded in the sands. They breathed new life into these remnants, weaving narratives that link the historical depth of the desert with contemporary expression.

Echoes of Time invites viewers to see the desert not merely as a relic of the modernist notion of untouched nature, but as a realm where history and the present in myriad ways. This exhibition highlights the importance of caring for our environments and recognising their significance in global discussions on history and ecology.

Alsaleh and Kriemann's findings challenge how historical narratives and modern interpretations resonate and shape our current experiences and perspectives. Their reflections create a dialogue between historical legacies and present realities, highlighting our enduring human drive to create, interpret, and connect across time.
 

Goethe-Institut Saudi-Arabia

The Goethe-Institut is the worldwide cultural institution of the Federal Republic of Germany

We are present in Saudi Arabia with an institute in Riyadh. We promote knowledge of the German language, provide information about cultural and social life in Germany and foster international cultural cooperation.


Through our projects, the Goethe-Institut gives new impetus to the cultural and educational sectors. How can we use artistic working methods to open up spaces for encounters and creativity between Saudi Arabia and Germany? How can we develop a culture of togetherness through creative processes? Can we succeed in promoting mutual understanding in a globalized world through an attitude of respect and recognition of differences? Further – how can we succeed in inspiring each other through our cultures?
These are questions that we at the Goethe-Institut answer with our idea of "cultural work through dialog". In other words, not presentation, but dialog. Not only a result, but also a process. And always in the center: the joint creation of projects with our Saudi partners.

DAI
The German Archaeological Institute (DAI):
Research and Cultural Dialogue Worldwide

The DAI is an internationally active research institute within the portfolio of the Federal Foreign Office. In addition to worldwide archaeological research and our commitment to the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, we are an important partner in Germany's international cultural and educational policy.

With its headquarters in Berlin and ten branch offices, the DAI is active in Germany and abroad. The Orient Department has offices in Baghdad, Damascus and Sana'a and maintains a close network with locally-based colleagues and institutions.

The goals of the DAI are based on a dialogue-oriented, global and multidisciplinary archaeology. Flexible working environments and research programs allow us to respond innovatively to the scientific and cultural-political challenges of the present and the future.
The DAI has been active in Saudi Arabia for 20 years - in Tayma with the Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Culture and, more recently, in Al-Ula with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). Together we are contributing to the study of human history in Saudi Arabia through close and productive cooperation. (www.dainst.de)
 

Daniah Alsaleh

Daniah Alsaleh (b. 1970, Saudi Arabia) is a Saudi-based artist whose work delves into how memory and cultural conditioning shape our perceptions and behaviors. She explores the ways messages and beliefs are absorbed and communicated through media and various networks. Alsaleh challenges everyday behavioral patterns and paradigms, questioning commonly accepted notions and destabilizing the mainstream assumptions that underpin them. Her work deconstructs established meanings and explores alternative viewpoints, focusing on the ordinary, the mundane, and the pervasive aspects of life. By examining cultural tropes, memory, and notions of connectedness and division, she employs a variety of materials and computational techniques to craft analogies that unveil secondary perspectives. Beneath its aesthetic surface, her work offers a commentary on human fragility, insecurity, and vulnerability.

Alsaleh participated in Diriyah Biennale in Saudi Arabia (2021 and 2024) and the Biennale Sur in Argentina (2021). She has completed several residencies, including those at AlUla (2022), with the French Embassy in Riyadh (2023), and the Delfina Foundation (2024). In 2019, she received the Ithra Art Prize, and her work has been showcased in numerous group exhibitions both in the Gulf region and internationally, such as at the Hermitage Museum (2020) and Noor Riyadh (2022). Her most recent solo exhibition (2023) explored the impact of emojis on everyday communication. Alsaleh holds an MFA in Computational Art from Goldsmiths, further underscoring her interdisciplinary approach to art and technology.
 

Susanne Kriemann

Susanne Kriemann (b. 1972, Germany) is a Berlin-based artist and professor of Code & Image at the University of Arts and Design Karlsruhe, also lecturing at NYU Berlin. Since 2010, she has co-organized the artist initiative ABA AiR Berlin Alexanderplatz with Aleksander Komarov.

With an expanded concept of the photographic document, Susanne Kriemann explores landscapes as analogue ‘recording systems’ for human-caused processes. Ecology is prevalent in both her subject matter and working methods. An intrinsic feature of her work is the inclusion of the site-specific research material in prints and exhibitions. This approach is interwoven with archaeological and geological research, allowing the (distant) past to be layered with the shared present and a speculative future. Matter, whether organic or industrially produced like (micro)plastics or radioactive fission products, incorporates this broader perspective of agency. For some years, Kriemann has been exploring the idea of collaborating with entities or aspects of nature that are not traditionally considered human. With her work she raises hopeful questions as we witness climate change and technological disruption.

Kriemann’s work was exhibited internationally, at The Wattis San Francisco, Kunsthalle Wien, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Kunsthalle Winterthur, CO Berlin and MK&G Hamburg. She participated in the 2nd Diriyah Biennale Riyadh, 11th Shanghai Biennial, and 5th Berlin Biennial, among others. Further she participated in various artist residency programs, including (2019) NTU CCA Singapore and Goethe-Institut Colombo. Since 1998 she has co-authored seventeen artist’s books.

 

Salma Al Khalidi

Salma Al Khalidi (b. 1994, Germany, Egypt) is an independent curator and gallery director based in Dubai, UAE. Since starting her career in the arts in 2016, she has taken on prominent roles regionally and internationally, working with Hedonist Gallery in Dubai, Diarbid in Dubai, Art D’Égypte in Cairo, Open Gallery in London, and Carrie Able Gallery in New York City. In early 2023, she broadened her scope to curate exhibitions globally, showcasing a diverse range of Contemporary and Modern artists. Her experience spans gallery exhibitions, public art installations and private exhibits.

Her curatorial journey includes notable exhibitions such as In A New Light (2017-19) at Open Gallery, Forever Is Now I, II & III (2021-23) at Art D’Égypte, and the Cairo International Art District (2021), along with various collateral events. Additionally, she curated Kairo the Kulture (2023) at DAF Gallery in Cairo, Narratives of Transformation (2023) at Carrie Able Gallery, and Shades of Memory (2024) at Diarbid in Dubai. Alongside rotating exhibitions at Hedonist Gallery, her most recent project is Echoes of Time (2024) at Ahlam Gallery.

Al Khalidi holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior and Spatial Design from Chelsea College of Art and Design, UAL, London, and a Masters Degree in Art History from SOAS, London. Her curatorial work primarily explores the intersection of heritage and culture within modern and contemporary art.