Jeddah opening of the first session of the Biennale of Islamic Arts, which is organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. It was held in the Western Pilgrims Hall at Jeddah International Airport. This took place during the period from January 23 to April 23, 2023, AD, and similar to the cultural momentum that the capital, Riyadh, witnessed in the past year 2022, in the events and activities that accompanied the first session of the Diriyah Biennale for Contemporary Art.

The Bride of the Red Sea is waiting for art lovers to flock to explore the activities of the Biennale of Islamic Arts The first, comes under the title “The First House and Gate to the Two Holiest Cities for Muslims” Mecca and AL Medina. The Biennale of Islamic Arts will reflect the historical richness of those sacred sites as well as the diversity of their cultural heritage, aiming to connect the past, present, and future in an unprecedented way, by celebrating Islamic art and heritage, to be a link that enriches cultural and artistic exchange between the Kingdom and various world civilizations.

On this occasion, Youssef Hussein, Head of Lexus Marketing Operation in Lexus KSA, appreciated the successful partnership between Abdul Latif Jameel Motors “Lexus” and the Biennale Foundation, which reflects the company’s keenness to enhance the cultural, artistic, and societal aspects in the Kingdom. Youssef Hussein indicated that this successful partnership is not new, but instead began Last year with the Diriyah Biennale in Riyadh and continues today with the Islamic Arts Biennale held in Jeddah, which will shed light on Islamic arts through innovative, contemporary works by local and international artists and creators, and falls under the quality of life initiatives in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and is also considered a leading creative platform. It raises awareness of the Kingdom’s thriving cultural scene.

The Biennale was held under the theme of Awwal Bayt (First House). The theme will examine how the Ka’bah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah create a sense of belonging among Muslims worldwide about their own homes (bayt).
The Islamic Arts Biennale will be divided into two parts: indoor and outdoor. The indoor installments will be focused on the Sacred Direction (qiblah), while the outdoor one will be focused on Migration (Hijrah).

The event aims to highlight the art and creativity of Islamic culture, from both the past and present. Additionally, it aims to highlight a mix of traditions and modernity.

The Islamic Arts Biennale 2023 also just announced the lineup for the event. There will be 44 artists participating including Saudi artists Ahmed Mater and Sultan Bin Fahd, Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi and Iranian-born Shahpour Pouyan, among others will be a part of the event.

Since the Islamic Arts Biennale 2023 is fully inspired by Ka’bah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, there will be artworks on loan from some of the most prestigious local and international institutions that have contributed to the Islamic Arts.

The inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale will be curated by a range of international curators, scholars and including those from the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, and London, England. Victoria and Albert Museum.

The space will feature a purpose-built 70,000 square meter venue with facilities to include exhibition spaces, a theatre, a mosque, workshops, classrooms dedicated to programming, as well as retail and dining.

The team of curators supervising the activities of the Biennial of Islamic Arts also includes Dr. Saad Al-Rashed, a leading Saudi archaeologist, Dr. Omnia Abdel-Bar, a researcher at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and Dr. Julian Rabe, director emeritus of the National Museum of Asian Art of the “Smithsonian Institution” in Washington, and Soumaya Vali, co-founder of architecture and experimental research firm counter space.

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