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Saudi Gazette
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 closes in Jeddah, cements role as global cultural platform
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled And All That Is In Between, concluded on May 25, 2025, after a four-month run at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, affirming its position as a leading global platform for Islamic arts. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the Biennale brought together over 500 historical and contemporary works across five exhibition halls and expansive outdoor spaces spanning more than 100,000 square meters. With participation from 30 international institutions representing 21 countries, and featuring 29 new commissions, the event offered a rich exploration of Islamic culture through faith, time, and material heritage. One of the most notable highlights was the first-ever public display outside Makkah of the complete Kiswah, the cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba, shown alongside rare sacred artifacts from Makkah and Madinah. The contemporary section, curated by Muhannad Shono, included standout works such as the AlMusalla Prize–winning structure by EAST Architecture Studio, made from palm fiber and partially featured in Venice as part of the Rooted Transience Biennale's closing symposium was marked by the announcement of several forward-looking initiatives by Rakan Altouq, Vice Chairman of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and Assistant Minister of Culture. These include grants for joint research, a digitization platform to archive the exhibition's works, and international conferences aimed at expanding knowledge-sharing on Islamic Biennale also had a significant community and educational impact, with over 23,110 students visiting and more than 15,000 participants engaging in 446 public programs, including guided tours, symposia, and hands-on workshops. Notable cultural initiatives included Turuq, a culinary and cultural exploration of movement and trade, and MADE., a design forum connecting global creatives with Islamic Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, praised the collaborative spirit behind the Biennale's success. 'The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale has surpassed expectations in its scale and impact. We are proud to have welcomed a broad and diverse audience, from local schoolchildren to international scholars.'
Leaders
24-04-2025
- Science
- Leaders
Jeddah's Coral Reefs Shine at Biennale Environmental Dialogue
As part of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale—hosted by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation under the theme 'And All That Is In Between' —an engaging workshop dedicated to Jeddah's coral reefs took place last night. The event was held at the Cultural Program building in the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, drawing participation from academic experts at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Coinciding with Environment Week 2025, the workshop shed light on the vital role coral reefs play in sustaining marine ecosystems and their deep-rooted connection to Jeddah's coastal heritage. Moreover, the session attracted researchers and specialists in marine biology and environmental sustainability. Topics ranged from the ecological and historical significance of coral reefs to the growing challenges they face, such as coral bleaching driven by climate change. Presentations also highlighted contemporary scientific initiatives aimed at environmental restoration and biodiversity protection. Organized by the Islamic Arts Biennale, the workshop aimed to bridge the worlds of art and environmental science—encouraging meaningful dialogue and raising public awareness about sustainability. Finally, the initiative aligns with the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing the protection of natural resources and the importance of environmental stewardship. Related Topics : KAUST Undertakes Study on Coral Reefs, Algae Control Assuming ICRI Secretariat: Saudi Arabia Drives Global Coral Reef Conservation Saudi Crown Prince Launches Ambitious Red Sea Sustainability Strategy 18-hole International Golf Course is 1 of the most prominent features of Coral Bloom Short link : Post Views: 6 Related Stories
Khaleej Times
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Exploring the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025: Everything you need to know about the Jeddah show
The scene in Jeddah is both surreal and sacred. Under the shade of the Western Hajj Terminal's canopies at King Abdulaziz International Airport, visitors are making a beeline towards the dimly-lit, custom-built galleries, which contain some of the world's most coveted and rarely-seen objects that will blow the mind of any cultural crusader. We are at the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, called And All That Is In Between, which opened on January 25 and will remain on display for the public in Jeddah until May 25. The title is derived from the Quran and its significance can be judged by the fact that the phrase recurs 20 times throughout the text. A veritable gateway to this biennale, the first section is titled AlBidayah, and it embodies the essence of a house of God and the word of the Almighty. The space invites us to transcend the material world for a moment and contemplate on the importance of religion, rituals, piety and spirituality while encouraging us to engage with the cultural productions through our hearts, minds and hands. One of the essential highlights of the biennale can be found in AlBidayah. Against a white backdrop, the kiswah of the Ka'bah hangs suspended from the ceiling as the sound of Quranic verses gently drifts through the air. Visually breathtaking, the kiswah (an Arabic term for 'dress or drape') is a sight typically reserved for Muslim pilgrims who travel to Mecca during Hajj or the voluntary Umrah but here, people from all faiths are welcome to admire the sacred drapery used for centuries to adorn Islam's holiest shrine. And as for the kiswah itself — well, it appears majestic, divine and suddenly so accessible. According to one historic account, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)furnished the cuboid-shaped Ka'bah in cloth from Yemen but over the ages, the materials of the kiswah changed from reed mats and leather to silk and cotton. During an insightful walkthrough, the Islamic and Asian art scholar Dr Julian Raby, who serves as one of the artistic directors of the Islamic Arts Biennale alongwith Dr Amin Jaffer and Dr Abdul Rahman Azzam, explains the special significance of AlBidayah's design choices. 'What we have here is a delicate balance between the black of the kiswah and the white translucency of the walls. Pilgrims wear a white ihram (robe) during the tawaf (circumambulation) around the Ka'bah, a colour that epitomises purity and innocence while black is not just a design aspect, it actually reflects the contemplative power of God — as underlined in the phrase, 'Zul-Jalaali-wal-Ikram' which means 'Lord of Majesty and Bounty,'' says Dr Raby, a former lecturer in Islamic art and architecture at the University of Oxford and former director of the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. The other prominent artefacts in the AlBidayah galleries are a madraj or staircase from Chepauk in India, a monumental copy of Quran and the Ka'bah's key (dated between 1240s and 1340s CE and beautifully inscribed with Quranic verses) that has belonged to the Banu Shaibah family for generations ever since the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself pledged them this privilege. The madraj was commissioned by Nawab Azam Jah Bahadur Wallajah IV from southern India and features Baroque-inspired motifs. It was packed and transported by the East India Company on a ship bound for Jeddah. Along with precious historical treasures, the AlBidayah segment also includes displays of contemporary expressions by artists like Nour Jaouda, Hayat Osamah, Saeed Gebaan, and Ahmed Mater who are all Arabic artists, a few of them based in Saudi Arabia. They are complemented by Western names such as Abdelkader Benchamma, Arcangelo Sassolino, and Asif Khan. The Libyan artist Nour Jaouda's work is centred around hand-dyed textiles, fibre, and found material. Oriented towards the Makkah-al-Mukarramah, her textile installation Before the Last Sky encapsulates the Islamic ritual of daily prayers. It represents three postures in salah or prayer that Muslims perform five times in a day — bowing, kneeling and prostration. Festive fabrics Based in Jeddah now, Hayat Osamah's 'Soft Gates' is a vibrant tapestry that uses fabric to pay homage to the community and secular neighbourhood of Riyadh where the artist grew up. To create this festive installation along the passageway, Osamah has collected familiar fabrics including leftover materials from her neighbours' celebratory occasions. Saeed Gebaan's chandelier Nafas, on the other hand, reflects on Jeddah's history as a secular port city while architect and artist Asif Khan's Light Upon Light celebrates the Quran's relationship with light, which is a fundamental element in physics and associated with creation in Islam. For example, Quranic chapter Al-Nur describes Allah as the light of the heavens and earth, a light upon light so to speak and Khan's work on folded paper explores the concept of light physically and metaphorically. One of Saudi's leading artists, Ahmed Mater's Magnetism reimagines the K'abah in a miniature version that shows iron particles in motion, strongly attracted by Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It simultaneously symbolises the ummah profoundly drawn to Mecca's magnetic allure in a state of harmony and serves as a manifestation of the planets and celestial bodies orbiting around an unnameable, ineffable entity that is omniscient and eternal (as Allah is depicted in Quran). Spread over an area of 100,000 square metres of dedicated exhibition space, the biennale this year consists of seven components. Apart from AlBidayah (The Beginning), there's AlMadar (The Orbit), AlMuqtani (Homage), AlMidhallah (The Canopy), AlMukarramah (The Honored), AlMunawwarah (The Illuminated) and AlMusalla (Place of Prayer). Over 30 major international institutions are taking part, whereas around 30 artists from Saudi Arabia and beyond are showing, with 29 new commissions. Through more than 500 gorgeous objects, the biennale — its exhibition scenography has been designed by the international architecture firm OMA — tells the story of the richness of Islamic civilisation across ages, unravelling the wisdom and divinity embedded in these exquisite masterpieces and the scientific and intellectual heritage of the Muslim world that the curators hope would contribute to a better and more nuanced understanding of Islam in the 21st century today. At AlMadar, different countries have lent precious treasures, many of them highlighting Islamic achievements and breakthroughs in mathematics, geometry, geography, science and astronomical knowledge. The journey for this gallery starts with the oldest known bronze astrolabe (probably made in Baghdad) and from here, things only get more exciting as you move past old manuscripts like the Arabic translation of the Conics, doors from Sayyida Nafisa's mausoleum, cartographic gems, and you learn how the Greek tradition of astronomy reached the Muslim world through the translations of Ptolemy, an Alexandrian mathematician and astronomer from 2nd century CE. The Vatican Apostolic Library has shared 11 fascinating objects currently on view in AlMadar, including the Map of the Nile River — a gesture that reflects the Middle East's cultural diplomacy as well as Vatican City's generosity. Two of the world's leading collections, The Al Thani and the Furusiyya Art Foundation acquisitions, strike a contrasting and yet, cohesive balance in the AlMuqtani pavilion. While the Al Thani collection focuses on the rich diversity of Islamic art, particularly Mughal-era jewels, the Furusiyya Art Foundation celebrates the arms and armour of the Muslim world. The Al Thani collection is the vision of Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, a member of Qatar's royal family whose passion for the arts and fine aesthetics, and an unerring eye for beauty and provenance runs deep. This section's main preoccupation is with gemstones, pearls and everything ancient and exceptional. We see a gorgeous jewel-encrusted rose water sprinkler from the Mughal treasury, the earliest dated Mughal jade called Cup of Jahangir, an antique dish with inlaid metalwork celebrating the river Nile, a fine silk robe of a Seljuk prince from Iran/Central Asia, a chess piece from a game that originated in the Gupta period and is still known all over India by its Arabic name 'Shatranj',' and stunning pendants made using the Indian kundan technique. The collector Dr Amin Jaffer, director of The Al Thani Collection, says that Sheikh Hamad began collecting at 18, fuelled by his initial enthusiasm for Renaissance architecture. Today, his collection boasts over 5,000 objects. Meanwhile, the Furusiyya Art Foundation collection was assembled by Saudi business magnate Rifaat Sheikh El Ard. Reportedly, the Furusiyya holds over 1,000 pieces, including Islamic daggers, armour, shields and swords. Many of its finest masterpieces are on display at the biennale, some of them shown publicly for the first time such as the extant Mamluk metalwork. Speaking to Wknd. about these two collections, Dr Jaffer says, 'We wanted to bring these collections together not only to celebrate the achievements of the collectors but also because they represent the extraordinary breadth of Islamic artistic achievement. We are not just displaying objects, but telling a rich narrative of human ingenuity and creativity. Each piece is a testament to craftsmanship and culture across Islamic civilisations. Our hope is that visitors will see beyond individual works of art to recognise the profound interconnectedness and beauty of artistic traditions across different Islamic cultures and historical periods.' The Saudi artist Muhannad Shono is the curator of contemporary art at the biennale. By flanking contemporary art with historical objects the biennale aims to continue the dialogue between past and present and between local and global. With exhibitions in both outdoor and indoor spaces, contemporary art pieces and installations add to the notion of cultural exchange and speak a much younger idiom that should resonate with a younger crowd. Among the standout ones are Sleepers of the Cave by Pakistan-born artists Iqra Tanveer and Ehsan Ul Haq, which is inspired by a parable from the Quran's Al Kahf chapter and Indian artist Asim Wasiq's Min Rukam, an immersive and interactive bamboo assemblage. A historical city by the Red City that stands at the threshold to Mecca and Medina, Jeddah serves as a perfect backdrop for a biennale of this nature. Obviously, beyond its spiritual importance, Saudi Arabia is not only the guardian of the two Holy Cities but is also increasingly emerging as a cultural powerhouse. The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale is on view at the iconic Western Hajj Terminal's canopies at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah until May 25.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Saudi art biennale seeks to modernise Islamic tradition
Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artefacts are on display alongside contemporary art pieces, part of the kingdom's bid to transform its ultraconservative image. The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled "And All That Is In Between", features as its centrepiece segments of the "kiswa", the black cloth embroidered with gold and silver that covers the Kaaba, the cubic building towards which all Muslims pray. Hundreds more works are on display at the west terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in the coastal city, including valuable objects on loan from London's Victoria & Albert Museum and the Louvre in Paris, and rare artefacts from the Vatican Library such as a medieval Quran in Hebrew script. "This bringing together of the contemporary and the past really emphasises the change that Saudi Arabia is going through," said Saudi artist Muhannad Shono, curator of the exhibition. Home to Islam's holiest sites, the kingdom has long been dominated by Wahhabism, a strict interpretation of Islam that prohibits the representation of human and animal figures. As a result of the prohibition of such depictions in most Sunni Muslim schools of thought, geometric patterns came to be widely prevalent in Islamic art. But the biennale in Jeddah features medieval Persian illuminations, including royal portraits, as well as a fountain designed by Yemeni-Indonesian artist Anhar Salem whose mosaic tiles, assembled by colour using artificial intelligence, are made up of avatars sourced online. - 'Traditional conceptions' - "We have traditional conceptions of Islam and its history, which I feel we should begin to re-examine from a new perspective," said visitor Abdelelah Qutub, a 31-year-old architect from Mecca. A few metres (yards) away, Franco-Lebanese artist Tamara Kalo had recreated the camera obscura, the precursor to the modern camera invented in the 11th century by Muslim philosopher Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen). Kalo told AFP her installation, made out of copper, sought to raise the question of "what it means to see and what it means to be a witness". The exhibition has also encouraged artists to be bold with scale, as can be seen from a massive disc covered in petrol -- a nod to Saudi Arabia's position as the world's leading crude exporter -- that spins endlessly. Its creator, Italian artist Arcangelo Sassolino, said: "For me it represents time... it's something that keeps evolving while we're watching the piece." Under his "Vision 2030", de facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sought to transform the kingdom's image, weighed down by decades of repression and ultraconservatism. According to James Dorsey of the National University of Singapore, Saudi authorities are seeking to address what he described as a "reputation deficit", having long been considered a "secretive, ultraconservative kingdom". Efforts to project "openness", including the biennale, are "key to the success of Vision 2030", he said. - 'Share space with the West' - Strategically located in a terminal adjacent to the one reserved for Muslims on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Jeddah biennale attracts a mix of both art enthusiasts and pilgrims. "We had pilgrims coming from over the road here to see the Mecca and Medina pavilions last time," said art historian Julian Raby. The first edition in 2023 attracted 600,000 visitors -- approaching the Venice Biennale's 700,000 visitors in 2024. Now, the Islamic Arts Biennale aims to exceed a million visitors, many from abroad. "That internationalism is exactly the opposite of how many people consider Saudi Arabia. They look at Saudi Arabia and consider it as a cloistered country," said Raby. "The Islamic world has never been cloistered, it's been in dialogue, dynamic." In front of her monumental sculpture, a black steel bush of roses floating above a fountain, Jordanian artist Raya Kassisieh was proud to benefit from the platform provided by the biennale. "We are able and at the level to converse and share space with the West," she said. sar/jsa/ami
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Saudi art biennale seeks to modernise Islamic tradition
Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artefacts are on display alongside contemporary art pieces, part of the kingdom's bid to transform its ultraconservative image. The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled "And All That Is In Between", features as its centrepiece segments of the "kiswa", the black cloth embroidered with gold and silver that covers the Kaaba, the cubic building towards which all Muslims pray. Hundreds more works are on display at the west terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in the coastal city, including valuable objects on loan from London's Victoria & Albert Museum and the Louvre in Paris, and rare artefacts from the Vatican Library such as a medieval Quran in Hebrew script. "This bringing together of the contemporary and the past really emphasises the change that Saudi Arabia is going through," said Saudi artist Muhannad Shono, curator of the exhibition. Home to Islam's holiest sites, the kingdom has long been dominated by Wahhabism, a strict interpretation of Islam that prohibits the representation of human and animal figures. As a result of the prohibition of such depictions in most Sunni Muslim schools of thought, geometric patterns came to be widely prevalent in Islamic art. But the biennale in Jeddah features medieval Persian illuminations, including royal portraits, as well as a fountain designed by Yemeni-Indonesian artist Anhar Salem whose mosaic tiles, assembled by colour using artificial intelligence, are made up of avatars sourced online. - 'Traditional conceptions' - "We have traditional conceptions of Islam and its history, which I feel we should begin to re-examine from a new perspective," said visitor Abdelelah Qutub, a 31-year-old architect from Mecca. A few metres (yards) away, Franco-Lebanese artist Tamara Kalo had recreated the camera obscura, the precursor to the modern camera invented in the 11th century by Muslim philosopher Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen). Kalo told AFP her installation, made out of copper, sought to raise the question of "what it means to see and what it means to be a witness". The exhibition has also encouraged artists to be bold with scale, as can be seen from a massive disc covered in petrol -- a nod to Saudi Arabia's position as the world's leading crude exporter -- that spins endlessly. Its creator, Italian artist Arcangelo Sassolino, said: "For me it represents time... it's something that keeps evolving while we're watching the piece." Under his "Vision 2030", de facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sought to transform the kingdom's image, weighed down by decades of repression and ultraconservatism. According to James Dorsey of the National University of Singapore, Saudi authorities are seeking to address what he described as a "reputation deficit", having long been considered a "secretive, ultraconservative kingdom". Efforts to project "openness", including the biennale, are "key to the success of Vision 2030", he said. - 'Share space with the West' - Strategically located in a terminal adjacent to the one reserved for Muslims on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Jeddah biennale attracts a mix of both art enthusiasts and pilgrims. "We had pilgrims coming from over the road here to see the Mecca and Medina pavilions last time," said art historian Julian Raby. The first edition in 2023 attracted 600,000 visitors -- approaching the Venice Biennale's 700,000 visitors in 2024. Now, the Islamic Arts Biennale aims to exceed a million visitors, many from abroad. "That internationalism is exactly the opposite of how many people consider Saudi Arabia. They look at Saudi Arabia and consider it as a cloistered country," said Raby. "The Islamic world has never been cloistered, it's been in dialogue, dynamic." In front of her monumental sculpture, a black steel bush of roses floating above a fountain, Jordanian artist Raya Kassisieh was proud to benefit from the platform provided by the biennale. "We are able and at the level to converse and share space with the West," she said. sar/jsa/ami
