The Incense Road Experience

A couple of weeks ago, in the Old Town of AlUla, Saudi Arabia (UNESCO heritage site), “The Incense Road Experience” opened its doors to the public. And I can finally talk about it!

“This 2-hour immersive adventure through a maze of mud-brick houses blends live performances, state-of-the-art technology, and hands-on exploration, transporting you through a series of multi-sensory worlds culminating in an exclusive showcase of archaeological treasures. You can encounter ancient artefacts, talk to legends of history, explore aromatic gardens, immerse yourself in local scenes from the past, and create your own incense blends—all while unravelling clues that connect every visitor to AlUla's epic past.”

This is the official description of the project on the website. But for me, it is so much more than that.

As the artistic director, I had the opportunity to see the project grow from its earliest stages of conception to its final realisation. It took nine months, from March (right after the low residency) to November. A ridiculously short amount of time if I think of what we managed to accomplish.

What an incredible, challenging, and transformative journey it has been!

When I was first offered the job, I almost turned it down. It felt overwhelming to take on such a complex and massive project in the middle of a masters course.  Managing this job with my practice and research seemed impossible.  

Then I thought about the incredible synchronicity of this incense-related job being offered to me right when I was experimenting with incense in my practice. Normally, I would say that "nothing happens by chance", but writing this post now, after a series of senseless and painful events in my personal life, I am not too sure about that anymore.

I was also in a not ideal financial situation, which definitely played a role in my decision. But there was something more to it, something that told me this was an experience I needed to have.

And I’m so grateful I did. Although, I won’t lie, I’m absolutely exhausted..!

This experience led me grow a network of new and old collaborations. I worked with inspiring people from all over the world. Artists, performers, scenographers, artisans, musicians, curators, historians, technicians…and the local community of Alula, who carries on the living legacy of the Incense Road today.

This project has revived in me the empowering feeling of collaboration, which played such an important role in my working and artistic life. It had truly been too long.

The research phase of the project, focusing on the history of the Incense Road and its impact on cultural, economic and social exchange, proved to be an excellent base for my academic research.

Spending significant time in Alula, allowed me to gain a deeper understanding and explore new perspectives on a territory that was already part of my artistic practice (see previous posts about AlUla and the desert). But this time I got to see it from “the inside”.

The whole experience is inspired by and based on real stories, memories and traditions. In order to write and design the experience, we engaged with the local community, who advised us on patterns, colours, designs, and shared their personal stories and traditions. We of course worked with an incense maker who shared her knowledge of incense and prepared several blends that appear in the experience.  

Their connection to this land and the enduring incense rituals are alive in ways that enriched my awareness of its power and its relevance to the present.

Working on “The Incense Road Experience” has shown me how connected my day job and my artistic practice can be, even when they feel like two completely different comartments.

Through this project, I was able to look at incense from different perspectives. Not just as a fascinating ancient ritual material but as a symbolic and sensory medium that still connects people across time and cultures. It inspired new ways to think about atmosphere, particularly through the use of scent in a large-scale installation.

Smell is a powerful sense. It evokes memory, emotion, and reactions in ways other senses can’t. I’ve started to imagine how I might incorporate it into my own work.

The project also gave me the opportunity to explore multisensory approaches and work with diverse media and technologies, from live performances and video mapping to interactive exhibits and scent design.

As I reflect on my practice, I see how much this experience will influence my work. Not just in terms of the materials and approaches I use, but also about how I can explore themes of transcendence and transformation, creating not just objects but spaces.

This experience also practically introduced the idea of modern ritual, that I explore in my research paper.

Even as a commercial commission, "The Incense Road Experience" has deep roots in our shared cultural and symbolic history and provides space for connection, reflection, and human interaction.

Within its commissioned constraints,  this project let me test ideas on a large scale, work with a brilliant team with different skills, and maybe change my mind about the separation I tend to establish between my art and my job.

Balancing this massive project with the commitment of the course has been a challenge, to say the least.

At times, I felt like I was betraying the MA and my practice. But this experience taught me more about the life of an artist than any school ever could.

Only an average 10% of artists are able to live exclusively off the income coming from their artwork. Learning how to balance life, work and art practice is essential for me to grow as an artist.

I had to make sacrifices, sure, but I gave everything I had to stay connected to my practice despite the difficulties. Late night reads, stolen pictures, intensive darkroom sessions during my brief stays in Paris. I thought it was never enough, that I was not giving enough or producing enough. And all the while I was not considering the monumental creative work I was doing and the priceless lessons I was being given.

Looking back now, I believe that this is all part of the process. My artistic work is not separate from what goes on in my life, my mind, my emotions, including my job. All these elements feed into each other in ways I hadn’t previously considered and I am eager to explore further.

A big thank you to my terrific team (just a few in the pics!)