In an era when the art market is increasingly tethered to reputation, provenance, and spectacle, Coollect proposes a radical recalibration: what if we looked first—and only—at the work? Returning for its second edition in Saudi Arabia, this quietly disruptive platform reframes collecting as an act of intuition rather than acquisition, privileging encounter over endorsement.
Conceived and produced by ātrum, a Riyadh-based creative space within JAX District dedicated to supporting artists through exhibitions and digital platforms, the initiative unfolds within the cultural momentum of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, offering an alternative point of entry into the region’s most significant contemporary art gathering. Co-founded by HRH Princess Sara Sultan Al Saud, a Fine Art graduate of the University of New Haven, and Nayfa Al-Brahim, who holds an LLB from Prince Sultan University, ātrum positions itself at the intersection of contemporary art, culture, and education—actively reshaping how audiences engage with artistic practice in Saudi Arabia. Rooted in the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, the platform acts as a bridge between Saudi artists, cultural organisations, and both local and international art enthusiasts.
Yet Coollect operates according to its own, almost ascetic logic. No artist names. No signatures. No biographical cues. Visitors are invited to select works based purely on instinct—anonymity as methodology, perception as currency. Each work is experienced on its own terms, with identities revealed only after purchase. Inverting the traditional hierarchy of fame preceding form, the platform reinforces its belief that art should be valued for what it is, not who made it.
The gesture is both conceptual and spatial. Stripped of authorship, each artwork occupies the room as a self-contained proposition. Surface, materiality, scale, and affect become the primary languages. In this context, collecting becomes less about status and more about alignment—a private recognition between viewer and object.
The inaugural edition set a compelling precedent. One hundred and twenty emerging, professional, and pioneering artists presented works—many created specifically for the experience, often exploring materials and approaches beyond their habitual practice. Prices, disclosed only on site, ranged from accessible to premium tiers. More than 70 percent of the collection sold, and over 15,000 visitors passed through in a single week—evidence of a public ready to engage with art beyond the orthodoxies of the market.
Designed to support artists, activate the local creative ecosystem, and empower both new and seasoned collectors, Coollect lowers the psychological and cultural barriers traditionally associated with collecting. As the ātrum team notes, “As Coollect enters its next chapter, our focus remains on centering the artwork and amplifying artistic voices, while fostering meaningful connections between art, artists, and audiences.”
Situated within the industrial textures of JAX District—a dynamic hub where galleries, studios, and creative voices converge—Coollect aligns with ātrum’s broader mission to cultivate dialogue, nurture talent, and provide businesses and institutions with art-driven solutions that elevate cultural presence. It is not a marketplace in the conventional sense. It is a spatial essay on value: an argument that art’s power resides not in the signature affixed to its corner, but in the silent, immediate charge of seeing.
For more information, visit www.atrumart.com or follow @atrum.sa and @coollect.sa on Instagram.
