Red Sea Museum to Present ‘Photographing Distance’ by Argentine Artist Matilde Marín

The Red Sea Museum, operating under the Museums Commission, will host “Photographing Distance: Matilde Marín” from October 8 to December 31, 2026, marking the Argentine contemporary artist’s first exhibition in Saudi Arabia. The exhibition, announced by the Saudi Press Agency, brings Marín’s two-decade photographic and video study of lighthouses into dialogue with the maritime histories, journeys, and coastal memory of the Red Sea, including new works focused on the lighthouses of Jeddah and Yanbu.

Context and Background

Since 2005, Matilde Marín has developed the Pharus Project, an ongoing body of work documenting lighthouses across diverse geographies. Her practice treats these structures not merely as architecture or maritime markers, but as enduring symbols of guidance, hope, and orientation. The Red Sea Museum presentation localizes this global inquiry, using the lighthouses of Jeddah and Yanbu to connect Marín’s wider body of work to the Red Sea as a historic route of movement and exchange.

The exhibition opens a conversation between contemporary art, maritime heritage, and the ways people remember places, positioning the museum as a living space where international artistic practice meets local history.

Key Details

Eng. Abdullah Al-Hammad, CEO of the Museums Commission, said: “Photographing Distance is a wonderful example of how museums are becoming living spaces where contemporary art speaks to our own history and helps people see the Red Sea, and themselves, in a new light. Matilde Marín’s lighthouses invite our visitors to come, look closer, and discover something of their own story in hers.”

Marín added: “For 20 years, I have followed lighthouses across very different coasts, and each one has taught me something about distance, about how we look toward what we cannot yet reach.”

The exhibition opening on October 8 will bring together art, dialogue, and music. A multidisciplinary public program will run throughout the exhibition, featuring film screenings, poetry and musical performances, creative workshops, and participatory experiences. Highlights include sessions on photography and landscape, an exploration of how food carries memories across journeys, and lighthouse-making workshops for children and families. The program invites audiences of different ages and abilities to explore distance, guidance, belonging, and memory through multiple creative forms.

For visitor information and bookings, visit: https://webook.com/ar/sa/jed/activities-adventures/events/photographing-86distance-moc89

Implications and Impact

The exhibition reflects the Museums Commission’s ongoing efforts to support Saudi Arabia’s arts and cultural landscape and to strengthen the role of museums as platforms for cultural exchange and creative dialogue. By presenting both local and international artistic practices, the Commission continues to create opportunities for audiences to engage with art and culture in meaningful ways, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a global cultural destination.

Vision 2030 Alignment

This initiative aligns with Vision 2030‘s cultural objectives, which aim to enrich the quality of life, promote cultural exchange, and develop the Kingdom’s creative economy. The Red Sea Museum’s presentation of Matilde Marín’s work exemplifies how Saudi Arabia is fostering international partnerships and showcasing its heritage on the global stage, contributing to a vibrant and diversified cultural landscape.

20 Questions

Q1. What is the title of Matilde Marín’s exhibition at the Red Sea Museum?

A1. The exhibition is titled “Photographing Distance: Matilde Marín.” It will be held from October 8 to December 31, 2026.

Q2. Where is the Red Sea Museum located?

A2. The Red Sea Museum is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and operates under the Museums Commission.

Q3. Who is Matilde Marín?

A3. Matilde Marín is an Argentine contemporary artist known for her photographic and video work, particularly her long-running Pharus Project documenting lighthouses worldwide.

Q4. What is the Pharus Project?

A4. The Pharus Project is Marín’s ongoing artistic study, begun in 2005, that documents lighthouses across different geographies, treating them as symbols of guidance, hope, and orientation.

Q5. Which lighthouses are featured in the exhibition?

A5. The exhibition includes works focused on the lighthouses of Jeddah and Yanbu, connecting Marín’s global inquiry to the Red Sea’s maritime heritage.

Q6. What does the exhibition explore?

A6. It explores maritime histories, journeys, coastal memory, and the symbolism of lighthouses through photography and video, linking contemporary art with Red Sea heritage.

Q7. Who is the CEO of the Museums Commission?

A7. Eng. Abdullah Al-Hammad is the CEO of the Museums Commission. He commented on the exhibition’s role in making museums living spaces for cultural dialogue.

Q8. What did Eng. Abdullah Al-Hammad say about the exhibition?

A8. He said it exemplifies how museums are becoming living spaces where contemporary art speaks to history and helps people see the Red Sea and themselves in a new light.

Q9. What did Matilde Marín say about her work?

A9. Marín stated that for 20 years she has followed lighthouses across different coasts, each teaching her about distance and how we look toward what we cannot yet reach.

Q10. When does the exhibition open and close?

A10. The exhibition opens on October 8, 2026, and runs until December 31, 2026.

Q11. What events are planned for the opening?

A11. The opening on October 8 will bring together art, dialogue, and music, featuring a multidisciplinary public program.

Q12. What does the public program include?

A12. It includes film screenings, poetry and musical performances, creative workshops, and participatory experiences for all ages and abilities.

Q13. Are there workshops for children?

A13. Yes, there are lighthouse-making workshops designed for children and families, among other creative activities.

Q14. How does the exhibition connect to Saudi Arabia?

A14. It connects through the lighthouses of Jeddah and Yanbu, linking Marín’s work to the Red Sea’s history as a route of movement and exchange.

Q15. What is the role of the Museums Commission?

A15. The Museums Commission supports Saudi Arabia’s arts and cultural landscape, strengthening museums as platforms for cultural exchange and creative dialogue.

Q16. How does the exhibition align with Vision 2030?

A16. It aligns with Vision 2030’s cultural objectives by enriching quality of life, promoting cultural exchange, and developing the creative economy.

Q17. Is this Matilde Marín’s first exhibition in Saudi Arabia?

A17. Yes, “Photographing Distance” is Matilde Marín’s first exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

Q18. What themes does the exhibition address?

A18. The exhibition addresses distance, guidance, belonging, and memory, using lighthouses as metaphors for orientation and hope.

Q19. How can visitors book tickets?

A19. Visitors can book tickets and find more information at the provided link: https://webook.com/ar/sa/jed/activities-adventures/events/photographing-86distance-moc89

Q20. What is the significance of the Red Sea in the exhibition?

A20. The Red Sea serves as a historic route of movement and exchange, providing a local context for Marín’s global exploration of lighthouses and coastal memory.

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