المملكة: January 25: 30 artists participate in the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
The Biennale will display some of the most important treasures of Islamic civilization, along with unique works of contemporary art, in a rich series that highlights the continuing artistic contribution of Islamic civilization, and allows visitors to learn about ways of artistic expression of faith through sense, thought and creativity.
The biennial will present works by more than 30 artists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and around the world, distributed across several indoor and outdoor spaces. Saudi artist Muhannad Shono will assume the position of curator of contemporary art works, with the assistance of associate curators Joanna Chevalier and Amina Diab.
New business
Shownault, along with artistic directors Julien Raby, Amin Jaafar and Abdul Rahman Azzam, commissioned the participating artists to create new works that will be presented in harmonious dialogue with Islamic historical artifacts.
The biennale’s title, “And What’s in Between,” represents the point around which contemporary art works revolve. This title goes beyond simplistic ideas and cultural debates, to present a method of cooperation for a common vision in comprehension, imagination, and reading. Many artists took inspiration for their works from constant elements in the sacred and nature, and at the same time they were keen to address the hearts of visitors by giving them a diverse experience through which they contemplate topics such as space, time and light.
These works also examine the relationship between creation and the Creator, and provide a vision about the mechanisms for preserving and continuing culture, by studying the current transformations taking place in the Kingdom.
Historical artifacts
The new artworks will appear alongside historical artifacts, including religious collectibles, maps, and jewelry, across five indoor galleries and several outdoor spaces under the canopies of the Western Pilgrims Hall, specifically in the canopy section.
These works are inspired by the concept of the garden in Islamic civilization, focusing on the natural world and the traditional design of Islamic gardens. They also address a number of contemporary environmental and social issues. This section is divided into four tracks that represent an invitation to visitors to think, learn, contemplate and dialogue.
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale consists of seven sections: The Beginning, The Orbit, The Collection, The Umbrella, The Mukarramah, The Monawara, and The Prayer, distributed among multiple galleries and outdoor spaces over an area of more than 100,000 square metres.
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