Drawn by the peculiar rock formations found in Al-Ais, Moath Alofi embarked on a 250-kilometer journey from Madinah to encounter what he interpreted as faces and features emerging from the granite mountains that were once shrouded in volcanic lava.
Strange in relation to their surroundings, these formations spoke to the artist, expressing an intention to reemerge from centuries of silence and reclaim an environment that humans believed was solely theirs.
Through this artwork, Alofi draws a connection between these rocks and the broader concept of entropy, exploring how nature regenerates and reforms itself amidst the continuous cycle of creation, destruction and renewal.
The rocks become symbols of nature’s ability to rejuvenate, as well as a reminder of how it is constantly changing in order to achieve equilibrium through transformation. Alofi’s photographs challenge our preconceived notions of order, familiarity and stability while also urging us to reconsider our position in an earthly complex system shaped by the interplay between chaos and regeneration.
Press release from JAX District
Image: Moath Alofi. Installation view of Lunayyir at JAX District, Riyadh, 2024. Image courtesy of JAX District
