The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale is set to return in 2025. Keep reading to learn all about the exhibit.
Photo: Instagram.com/biennale_sa
Calling all art enthusiasts, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced the dates of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale (IBA). Succeeding the inaugural event — which took place in 2023, the second edition is set to take place on January 25, 2025 and will run for four months until May 25. The event will take place at the picturesque Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which will also be a part of the event which visitors can explore.
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The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale will showcase the work of contemporary artists combined with historical objects in the expansive outdoor space, across five galleries. Among other displays of art, the two most prominent cities in the country, Makkah and Madinah, will be commemorated through their own pavilions to highlight the history of both cities which are of deep significance among Muslims and Saudis.
The edition will also encompass a homage gallery to display the patronage behind two noteworthy collections of art that highlight the Islamic civilization and AlMadar. Additionally, the largest gallery from the first edition of the biennale will return to highlight the beauty of the Islamic culture and its diversity around the globe. In that line, there will be a prayer space, designed with sustainability elements by the winners of the AlMusalla Prize international competition, finalists include architects from the MENA region, originating from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and the UK — the winning firm will be declared at the end of this year.
The biennale is curated by an international team of experts including Abdulrahman Azzam, the director of The Al Thani Collection, Amin Jaffer, and historian and author Julian Raby, who worked at the inaugural event and was part of the AlMadar team last year. The Diriyah Biennale Foundation has also appointed Saudi artist Muhannad Shono as the event’s contemporary art curator. Shono was previously selected to represent the Kingdom at the International Venice Biennale in 2022 for its 59th edition. With esteemed curators and experts involved, the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale is set to showcase the best the region has to offer once again — after a successful edition in 2023 which welcomed 600,000 guests and was extended for a month.
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