This summer, two Saudi artists, Latifa Al Bokhari and Madhawi Al Gwaiz, have been selected by Misk Art Institute for its 2025 Italy Residency Program. The artists will be heading to Milan for a visual arts residency supported by Misk Art Institute. The program will offer the artists time, space, and support to deepen their practice and connect with the wider creative world. It reflects a growing focus on international collaboration and long-term investment in Saudi talent, with artists working steadily, exploring new ideas, and building their voices in global spaces.

The Heart of the Program

The residency is hosted by Casa degli Artisti, a historic space in Milan that brings artists together under one roof. Misk Art Institute, through this partnership, is creating a space where Saudi voices can meet global ones through conversation, process, and shared discovery.

Running from May 5 to July 4, the residency includes studio space, technical and curatorial support, workshops, and visits to galleries and museums. It ends with an open studio presentation, but the process matters more than the finale. It’s an invitation to experiment and reflect.

And this isn’t a one-time thing. Misk Art Institute has steadily expanded its global footprint through residencies like this. It’s part of a wider mission to support Saudi artists with the resources, mentorship, and visibility they need to grow their practice at home and beyond.

Latifa Al Bokhari, Italy Residency 2025

Latifa Al Bokhari is a mid-career Saudi artist known for work that carries memory, care, and presence. Her piece “To Care and Be Cared For,” a linen couch with body-shaped outlines, holds space for emotion and shared experience. It’s soft but firm in what it asks you to consider.

Al Bokhari has shown her work across Misk Art Week and local exhibitions, including at Athr Foundation in Diriyah. She also teaches the craft. During Noor Riyadh, she led workshops that explored how light, sound, and architecture affect perception.

Her selection for the Italy residency feels like a natural extension of the depth she already brings to her work. It offers time to breathe, to build new layers, and to take her practice into new environments.

Madhawi Al Gwaiz, Italy Residency 2025

Madhawi Al Gwaiz’s path into art came by way of engineering. She studied building design at Concordia University in Montreal, and her work still carries the precision of a trained architect, but softened by imagination.

Her art leans into nostalgia, memory, and digital identity. In Misk’s Masaha Residency Cycle 8, she explored how we see ourselves in a post-internet world. She uses acrylics, pencil, and a playful sketching style she calls “Altamast” to explore daily life and local culture with a curious eye.

She’s exhibited during Noor Riyadh and other shows, slowly carving out a name in the local scene. This residency gives her a chance to explore beyond familiar terrain and bring something back with her.

Building Creative Bridges Through Residency

This kind of international exchange doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It takes groundwork, support from public and private institutions. It takes a belief that Saudi artists have something to say and the right to say it anywhere.

Misk Art Institute has built a foundation of residencies and artist development programs that now stretch across Berlin, Italy, and the region. The Italy residency is part of that wider scope, one that centers cultural dialogue, place-based storytelling, and the belief that Saudi art belongs in global conversations.

These residencies also give artists time, mentorship, and the space to think. For Latifa and Madhawi, this residency is a season of reflection and experimentation. It will shape how they move forward in their work.

Returning With New Energy

Misk Art Institute’s 2025 Milan Residency Program gives Latifa and Madhawi time to create, reflect, and exchange ideas in a new setting. What they gain in Milan will continue to shape their work long after they return, through new methods, deeper questions, and broader connections.

Programs like this build momentum. They support artists where they are and help them grow in ways that feel lasting. Each step, each conversation, adds to a wider movement in Saudi Arabia’s creative landscape.

As these artists return home, they bring with them a wider view and a renewed sense of purpose. And through their work, others will see what is possible.

FAQs

Who are the Saudi artists selected for the Italy residency 2025?
Latifa Al Bokhari and Madhawi Al Gwaiz have been selected by Misk Art Institute for a visual arts residency at Casa degli Artisti in Milan.

What is the focus of Latifa Al Bokhari’s work?
Latifa Al Bokhari explores memory, care, and emotional intimacy through sculptural and conceptual art.

What makes Madhawi Al Gwaiz’s art unique?
Madhawi Al Gwaiz blends architectural training with personal storytelling and nostalgia in acrylic and sketch-based mediums.

What is the goal of Misk Art Institute’s residency programs?
Misk Art Institute supports Saudi artists through residencies that encourage cultural exchange, artistic development, and international exposure.

When is the Italy residency taking place?
The Italy residency runs from May 5 to July 4, 2025, at Casa degli Artisti in Milan. It offers mentorship, studio space, and global networking.

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