The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) has launched Baseqat: The Palm Tree Exhibition, a major showcase celebrating the cultural and ecological legacy of the date palm, a symbol deeply rooted in Arabian heritage. Curated by Samer Yamani and Razan Masri, the exhibition features 15 works by 25 artists from Saudi Arabia and around the world.
Held in Ithra’s Great Hall, Baseqat draws inspiration from the Qur’anic verse, “And towering palm trees loaded with clustered fruit” (Surah Qaf:10). The immersive design uses palm wood and fibers to create interconnected spaces exploring the palm’s role in food, shelter, craft, and identity.
Divided into six zones — Oasis, Roots, Trunk, Fronds, Dates, and the Lab — the exhibition reinterprets the palm’s symbolism through contemporary art, design, and film. Highlights include works by Fatimah Al Nemer, Obaid Alsafi, Daniel Valero – Mestiz, and Bashaer Hawsawi, alongside others who explore themes of heritage, climate, and continuity.
The exhibition forms part of Ithra’s Khoos Initiative, which also includes artist residencies and design commissions that reimagine traditional palm weaving for the future.
Baseqat runs at Ithra in Dhahran, inviting visitors to reconnect with a tree that has shaped the region’s history and continues to inspire its creative present.
The Khoos Initiative extends beyond Recognition Day and the exhibition to include a residency running untill 14 October and artistic commissions by regional and international designers reinterpreting this timeless craft.
