Born in 1974, Davide Rivalta is an acclaimed Italian sculptor renowned for his powerful, life-sized depictions of wild animals. Crafted in bronze with raw, textured surfaces, his sculptures convey an almost primal presence—capturing not only the physical form but the spirit and temperament of the creatures he portrays. Whether a lion, buffalo, or cheetah, Rivalta’s animals appear mid-motion or at rest, evoking narratives of survival, dignity, and instinct. He is particularly known for placing these monumental works in unexpected settings—within cityscapes, courtyards, or along urban edges—where the contrast between wild forms and built environments provokes reflection on humanity’s evolving relationship with nature. His sculptures transcend mere representation, becoming ambassadors of wildlife in spaces where it no longer exists. Rivalta’s work has been exhibited internationally, from Europe to Asia, and this latest installation marks his debut contribution to Riyadh Art’s public art program—bringing his evocative vision to the cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia.

WP_Query Object
(
    [query] => Array
        (
            [post_type] => cpt_artworks
            [post_status] => publish
            [meta_query] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [key] => artworks_artist
                            [value] => s:5:"13440";
                            [compare] => LIKE
                        )

                )

        )

    [query_vars] => Array
        (
            [post_type] => cpt_artworks
            [post_status] => publish
            [meta_query] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [key] => artworks_artist
                            [value] => s:5:"13440";
                            [compare] => LIKE
                        )

                )

            [error] => 
            [m] => 
            [p] => 0
            [post_parent] => 
            [subpost] => 
            [subpost_id] => 
            [attachment] => 
            [attachment_id] => 0
            [name] => 
            [pagename] => 
            [page_id] => 0
            [second] => 
            [minute] => 
            [hour] => 
            [day] => 0
            [monthnum] => 0
            [year] => 0
            [w] => 0
            [category_name] => 
            [tag] => 
            [cat] => 
            [tag_id] => 
            [author] => 
            [author_name] => 
            [feed] => 
            [tb] => 
            [paged] => 0
            [meta_key] => 
            [meta_value] => 
            [preview] => 
            [s] => 
            [sentence] => 
            [title] => 
            [fields] => 
            [menu_order] => 
            [embed] => 
            [category__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [category__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [category__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [post__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_name__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag_slug__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [tag_slug__and] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_parent__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [post_parent__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [author__in] => Array
                (
                )

            [author__not_in] => Array
                (
                )

            [search_columns] => Array
                (
                )

            [ignore_sticky_posts] => 
            [suppress_filters] => 
            [cache_results] => 1
            [update_post_term_cache] => 1
            [update_menu_item_cache] => 
            [lazy_load_term_meta] => 1
            [update_post_meta_cache] => 1
            [posts_per_page] => 11
            [nopaging] => 
            [comments_per_page] => 50
            [no_found_rows] => 
            [order] => DESC
        )

    [tax_query] => WP_Tax_Query Object
        (
            [queries] => Array
                (
                )

            [relation] => AND
            [table_aliases:protected] => Array
                (
                )

            [queried_terms] => Array
                (
                )

            [primary_table] => wp_posts
            [primary_id_column] => ID
        )

    [meta_query] => WP_Meta_Query Object
        (
            [queries] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [key] => artworks_artist
                            [value] => s:5:"13440";
                            [compare] => LIKE
                        )

                    [relation] => OR
                )

            [relation] => AND
            [meta_table] => wp_postmeta
            [meta_id_column] => post_id
            [primary_table] => wp_posts
            [primary_id_column] => ID
            [table_aliases:protected] => Array
                (
                    [0] => wp_postmeta
                )

            [clauses:protected] => Array
                (
                    [wp_postmeta] => Array
                        (
                            [key] => artworks_artist
                            [value] => s:5:"13440";
                            [compare] => LIKE
                            [compare_key] => =
                            [alias] => wp_postmeta
                            [cast] => CHAR
                        )

                )

            [has_or_relation:protected] => 
        )

    [date_query] => 
    [request] => SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS  wp_posts.ID
					 FROM wp_posts  INNER JOIN wp_postmeta ON ( wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id ) JOIN wp_icl_translations wpml_translations
							ON wp_posts.ID = wpml_translations.element_id
								AND wpml_translations.element_type = CONCAT('post_', wp_posts.post_type) 
					 WHERE 1=1  AND ( 
  ( wp_postmeta.meta_key = 'artworks_artist' AND wp_postmeta.meta_value LIKE '{ca44357b36f9a9fd751989332ed639a2467f668a1267c7c913cc99773cda3d41}s:5:\"13440\";{ca44357b36f9a9fd751989332ed639a2467f668a1267c7c913cc99773cda3d41}' )
) AND wp_posts.post_type = 'cpt_artworks' AND ((wp_posts.post_status = 'publish')) AND ( ( ( wpml_translations.language_code = 'en' OR (
					wpml_translations.language_code = 'en'
					AND wp_posts.post_type IN ( 'qrcode' )
					AND ( ( 
			( SELECT COUNT(element_id)
			  FROM wp_icl_translations
			  WHERE trid = wpml_translations.trid
			  AND language_code = 'en'
			) = 0
			 ) OR ( 
			( SELECT COUNT(element_id)
				FROM wp_icl_translations t2
				JOIN wp_posts p ON p.id = t2.element_id
				WHERE t2.trid = wpml_translations.trid
				AND t2.language_code = 'en'
                AND (
                    p.post_status = 'publish' OR p.post_status = 'private' OR 
                    ( p.post_type='attachment' AND p.post_status = 'inherit' )
                )
			) = 0 ) ) 
				) ) AND wp_posts.post_type  IN ('post','page','attachment','wp_block','wp_template','wp_template_part','wp_navigation','cpt_programs','cpt_artworks','cpt_artists','cpt_events','qrcode','cpt_trails','cpt_curators','cpt_podcast','opencall','surveys','cpt_awards' )  ) OR wp_posts.post_type  NOT  IN ('post','page','attachment','wp_block','wp_template','wp_template_part','wp_navigation','cpt_programs','cpt_artworks','cpt_artists','cpt_events','qrcode','cpt_trails','cpt_curators','cpt_podcast','opencall','surveys','cpt_awards' )  )
					 GROUP BY wp_posts.ID
					 ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC
					 LIMIT 0, 11
    [posts] => Array
        (
            [0] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13595
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-24 12:00:24
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-24 09:00:24
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Cheetah 3
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => buffalo-1
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:43
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:43
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13595
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [1] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13590
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-23 11:03:37
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-23 08:03:37
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Buffalo 1
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => buffalo-3
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:27
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:27
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13590
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [2] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13586
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-23 10:49:12
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-23 07:49:12
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Buffalo 2
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => buffalo-2
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:33
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:33
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13586
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [3] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13582
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-23 10:41:34
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-23 07:41:34
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Cheetah 1
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => cheetah-3
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:39
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:39
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13582
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [4] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13578
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-23 10:35:13
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-23 07:35:13
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Cheetah 2
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => cheetah-2
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:22
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:22
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13578
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [5] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13574
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-06-22 16:13:28
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-22 13:13:28
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Lion 2
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => lion-2
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:16
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:16
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13574
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [6] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13453
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-05-07 10:51:36
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-05-07 07:51:36
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Lioness
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => lioness
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:13:32
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:13:32
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13453
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

            [7] => WP_Post Object
                (
                    [ID] => 13449
                    [post_author] => 14
                    [post_date] => 2025-05-07 10:41:50
                    [post_date_gmt] => 2025-05-07 07:41:50
                    [post_content] => 
                    [post_title] => Lion 1
                    [post_excerpt] => 
                    [post_status] => publish
                    [comment_status] => closed
                    [ping_status] => closed
                    [post_password] => 
                    [post_name] => lion
                    [to_ping] => 
                    [pinged] => 
                    [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:16:23
                    [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:16:23
                    [post_content_filtered] => 
                    [post_parent] => 0
                    [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13449
                    [menu_order] => 0
                    [post_type] => cpt_artworks
                    [post_mime_type] => 
                    [comment_count] => 0
                    [filter] => raw
                )

        )

    [post_count] => 8
    [current_post] => -1
    [before_loop] => 1
    [in_the_loop] => 
    [post] => WP_Post Object
        (
            [ID] => 13595
            [post_author] => 14
            [post_date] => 2025-06-24 12:00:24
            [post_date_gmt] => 2025-06-24 09:00:24
            [post_content] => 
            [post_title] => Cheetah 3
            [post_excerpt] => 
            [post_status] => publish
            [comment_status] => closed
            [ping_status] => closed
            [post_password] => 
            [post_name] => buffalo-1
            [to_ping] => 
            [pinged] => 
            [post_modified] => 2025-07-27 15:14:43
            [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-07-27 12:14:43
            [post_content_filtered] => 
            [post_parent] => 0
            [guid] => https://riyadhart.sa/?post_type=cpt_artworks&p=13595
            [menu_order] => 0
            [post_type] => cpt_artworks
            [post_mime_type] => 
            [comment_count] => 0
            [filter] => raw
        )

    [comment_count] => 0
    [current_comment] => -1
    [found_posts] => 8
    [max_num_pages] => 1
    [max_num_comment_pages] => 0
    [is_single] => 
    [is_preview] => 
    [is_page] => 
    [is_archive] => 
    [is_date] => 
    [is_year] => 
    [is_month] => 
    [is_day] => 
    [is_time] => 
    [is_author] => 
    [is_category] => 
    [is_tag] => 
    [is_tax] => 
    [is_search] => 
    [is_feed] => 
    [is_comment_feed] => 
    [is_trackback] => 
    [is_home] => 1
    [is_privacy_policy] => 
    [is_404] => 
    [is_embed] => 
    [is_paged] => 
    [is_admin] => 
    [is_attachment] => 
    [is_singular] => 
    [is_robots] => 
    [is_favicon] => 
    [is_posts_page] => 
    [is_post_type_archive] => 
    [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => 987364bc7dc8fc46fcd5fbaae2cd531b
    [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => 
    [thumbnails_cached] => 
    [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => 
    [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => 
    [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array
        (
            [0] => query_vars_hash
            [1] => query_vars_changed
        )

    [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array
        (
            [0] => init_query_flags
            [1] => parse_tax_query
        )

)

---

RELATED

ARTWORKS

Cheetah 3

by Davide Rivalta

Buffalo 1

by Davide Rivalta

Buffalo 2

by Davide Rivalta

Cheetah 1

by Davide Rivalta

Cheetah 2

by Davide Rivalta

Lion 2

by Davide Rivalta

Lioness

by Davide Rivalta

Lion 1

by Davide Rivalta

Collection