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In a city that has long mastered the art of spectacle, CLIO arrives with something more ambitious in mind: permanence. Unveiled in Dubai as a 10-kilometre immersive installation stretching across the desert, the project positions itself not simply as a work of art, but as a cultural landmark – one designed to evolve, expand and be co-authored over time.
Conceived by international contemporary artist Agron Hoti, CLIO transforms more than one million square metres of desert landscape into a linear narrative of human experience. Composed of 25,000 individual 2-by-2 metre modules, the installation unfolds as a monumental abstract composition – each segment contributing to a broader meditation on memory, inclusion, and collective identity. It is, in essence, a living artwork, one that invites participation as much as observation.
Set within the Skydive Desert Campus and supported by Shamal Holding, CLIO reflects Dubai’s ongoing investment in large-scale cultural infrastructure. Over a six-year programme, the project aims to welcome 4.8 million visitors, positioning itself as both a tourist destination and a hub for artistic exchange. At its core is the idea that art need not be confined to galleries; here, it is embedded into the landscape itself, experienced through movement, scale and interaction.
That sense of immersion is central to CLIO’s design. Visitors will traverse the installation via off-road buggy safaris, tracing its vast linear path through the desert. Aerial experiences, developed in partnership with Skydive Dubai, will offer a radically different perspective – allowing audiences to view the work from above, where its full scale becomes legible. It is an approach that collapses the boundaries between art, environment, and physical experience, echoing Dubai’s broader fascination with altitude and perspective.
Architecturally, the project is anchored by Clio House, a year-round cultural space designed by Matteo Antonelli. Envisioned as a gathering point for artists, thinkers and collaborators, the structure will host exhibitions, residencies and talks, reinforcing CLIO’s role as an evolving cultural platform rather than a static installation. Conservation efforts, led by Cinzia Pasquali – known for her work on The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne at the Louvre – underscore the project’s long-term ambitions.
The experiential dimension extends beyond the visual. Interactive screen walls will chart the making of each module, while participatory elements such as “Clio’s Hands” invite visitors to leave their own mark on the work. Elsewhere, ceremonial programming draws on Emirati traditions, incorporating dates, gahwa and storytelling into the visitor journey. Even symbolic gestures – like the “Shoot the Arrow for Peace” experience – are designed to reinforce CLIO’s emphasis on unity and shared authorship.
Progress is already underway. In February 2026, the project unveiled its first 250 square metres of canvas at Skydive Dubai’s Palm Dropzone, marking a key milestone in its development. The moment was punctuated by Hoti himself completing a tandem skydive over the artwork – a performative gesture that encapsulated CLIO’s fusion of art, movement – and spectacle.
Backed by XDubai, which is supporting the project’s digital storytelling, CLIO is as much about narrative as it is about form. A feature documentary is also in development, charting the creation of the installation and further extending its reach beyond the desert.
With construction underway and the first phase, CLIO Oasis, scheduled to open in 2027 ahead of full completion in 2033, the project arrives at a moment when Dubai continues to redefine its cultural identity. If the city’s skyline has long been its signature, CLIO suggests a shift towards something more grounded – an artwork etched into the land itself, designed not just to be seen, but to be experienced, inhabited, and, ultimately, shared.
