Latest news with #MemoryGrid
Muscat Daily
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Muscat Daily
Omani pavilion wins award at London Design Biennale
Muscat – Oman's pavilion – titled 'Memory Grid' – has won the Best Design Award at the opening of the London Design Biennale 2025 last week. The recognition marks a significant achievement for the sultanate in its debut participation at the global cultural platform. The pavilion has been designed by multidisciplinary artist Haitham al Busafi and curated by the Zawraq Collective. Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the project reflects the ministry's broader efforts to promote artistic and intellectual creativity among Omani youth. Haitham al Busafi 'Memory Grid' explores the ideas of memory, value and preservation in a fast-changing world. Visitors are invited to observe how perception shifts with perspective, with meaning transforming depending on how closely or distantly the work is viewed. Drawing inspiration from Oman's pottery traditions, the installation reimagines ancient clay vessels – once vital for carrying water and connecting communities – as symbols of cultural memory. The pavilion presents these traditional forms as metaphors for protecting what is valued, both in the past and present. In a modern context, the installation proposes that data is the new essential resource – requiring safeguarding much like water once did. Through the immersive experience, visitors are encouraged to reflect on how heritage, knowledge and identity are passed through generations. The project represents how traditional symbols can guide modern questions about preservation. The win at the biennale highlights Oman's increasing engagement with contemporary art and design on a global stage. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth said the pavilion represents the strategic direction to elevate creative output by young Omanis to international platforms.
Muscat Daily
01-06-2025
- General
- Muscat Daily
Oman to debut at London Design Biennale 2025
Muscat – Oman will participate for the first time in the prestigious London Design Biennale in 2025 with a national pavilion titled 'Memory Grid', a conceptual installation designed by multidisciplinary artist Haitham al Busafi. With over 30 pavilions representing nations, cities or institutions, the three-week exhibition starting June 5 will feature curated installations accompanied by a programme of events, thought-leadership talks, performances and workshops. Expressing his excitement in a post on LinkedIn, Busafi wrote, 'A moment of immense pride! I'm deeply honoured and privileged to share that I will be designing Oman's debut pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2025. This opportunity to represent my country on such a global platform is truly special.' Curated by Zawraq Collective and commissioned by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the pavilion represents the ideas of memory, value and preservation in a rapidly evolving world. It invites visitors to consider how perception changes with perspective, offering an experience where meaning shifts based on how closely – or distantly – one observes. Haitham al Busafi 'This pavilion is multilayered,' Busafi explained. 'We move through life constantly shifting our lens – sometimes catching the smallest details, sometimes stepping back to see the whole. Without realising it, we adjust our resolution of perception and thought, finding different meanings at different scales.' 'Memory Grid' draws inspiration from Oman's pottery tradition, reimagining ancient vessels as metaphors for how humanity protects what it values most. Historically, these vessels were lifelines – shaped from the earth, fired with care and used to carry water; these connected communities to land and to each other. Over time, they evolved from tools of survival into symbols of cultural legacy. The installation juxtaposes this traditional symbolism with modern needs, suggesting that today's essential resource – data – now demands similar protection. Through this immersive experience, visitors are invited to consider what these vessels can teach us about the preservation of knowledge, values and identity across generations. As visitors move through the space, the installation challenges them to reflect on shifting notions of value – what we keep, share or pass on. In doing so, it bridges the past and present, exploring how physical objects can hold conceptual weight and carry human stories forward.
Observer
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Oman to showcase ‘Memory Grid' at London Design Biennale
MUSCAT: London Design Biennale has announced the first confirmed pavilions for its 2025 edition, taking place at Somerset House, in the heart of London, from June 5-29. The theme of this edition of the Biennale, 'Surface Reflections', explores how ideas are fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences. The fifth edition continues the Biennale's mission to demonstrate how design can better the world we inhabit whilst broadening our understanding of design's role in addressing challenges and identifying solutions. Exhibitors will share perspectives and solutions to some of the global issues that face humanity today, exploring areas from the urban environment to the preservation of cultural heritage and environmental sustainability to post-conflict recovery. Victoria Broackes, Director of London Design Biennale, said: 'Since the last Biennale, the global context has drastically changed and the need for collaboration and exchange in a peaceful context feels more important than ever. International design teams continue to demonstrate the possibilities of and their faith in what can be achieved through design and design thinking. The Biennale reveals what is on people's minds, across the world, right now. We will see exhibitors presenting design in all its forms, from futuristic urban planning to collaborative efforts to preserve environments.' The first exhibitors announced are Argentina, Hong Kong, Poland, Malta, Nigeria, Oman, Peru, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon and Romania. Many independent projects have also been announced. Oman draws on traditional Omani pottery to explore the balance between heritage and the digital age, with an immersive installation referencing ancient water vessels for data storage, prompting reflections on memory and value in a hyper-connected world. Oman — Memory Grid re-imagines ancient vessels as a metaphor for how humanity preserves what it holds most precious. The exhibition highlights the shifting values of society and what we cherish most through the art form of Omani pottery — vessels that preserved valuable resources throughout time. The installation bridges the tangibility of ancient resources with the fragility of digital artefacts, exploring themes of survival, value and human legacy.
