MA Art Business alumna Michalina Franasik explores the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, a space where faith, culture, and contemporary artistic expression converge. The Biennale highlights Saudi Arabia’s evolving cultural landscape and the enduring role of art in shaping collective identity.
Faith: A Journey of Perception and Identity
One’s perception of faith in Islam begins to shift even before reaching Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Arts Biennale. Seated near the designated prayer area on a Saudia Airlines flight, one observes men and women entering and exiting the carpeted worship space at the back of the plane. Each person waits patiently for their turn, quietly adapting to the limited space. Some men wear two plain white, unsewn sheets, one wrapped around the waist, the other draped over the shoulders. The scene feels both unreal and sacred, one hesitates to look yet is drawn in by curiosity, observing the quiet devotion and familiar routines. This silent, shared ritual marks the beginning of a deeper engagement with faith, culture, and artistic expression in Jeddah.
One’s journey towards faith continues upon landing at King Abdulaziz International Airport, the closest international gateway to Islam’s holiest cities, Makkah and Madinah. The historic Western Hajj Terminal, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) in 1981, named after the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, serves as a key departure point for pilgrims and now hosts the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah. Suddenly, the white garments worn by men on the plane make sense. They are dressed in Ihram, the sacred attire required for their journey to the Ka’bah, the house of God in Makkah. Organised by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the Biennale bridges art and faith, creating a space where past and present converge. Running until May 25, under the theme "And All That Is In Between" , it explores the intersections of faith, cultural identity, and contemporary art.
Biennale garden space
Space: The Biennale as a Multisensory Experience
Muhannad Shono, Contemporary Art Curator of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025, envisions the biennale as “a space for a multitude of ways of seeing, collective ways of imagining, and the reading and rereading of new congregations of ideas.” This vision is reflected in the Biennale’s spatial arrangement, which seamlessly integrates intimate indoor areas with expansive outdoor spaces, fostering both communal gatherings and moments of solitary contemplation.
As visitors navigate the Biennale, they encounter installations that encourage reflection and engagement with the environment. The garden beneath the main canopy provides a particularly holistic experience; at sunset, visitors can sit in quiet repose, listening to the rustling wind and the soft footsteps of others walking through the sand, entering two special pavilions: Makkah, Medina as well as the place of worship, Al-Bidayah.
"Contemporary art must take shape around collective ways of working, not losing its genuine voice amidst the rediscovery of the role and value of creativity."—Muhannad Shono
A recurring visual motif within the Biennale is the interplay of light and shadow, specifically the stark contrast between black and white. These two colors hold deep cultural significance, symbolizing duality, tradition, and transformation. They evoke concepts such as yin and yang, reflecting the duality of traditional Arabic attire: black abayas for women and white thawbs for men, representing different sexes, roles, attributes.
Inside the exhibition begins in the Albidayah Pavilion, where monumental contemporary pieces immediately command attention. The pavilion is designed to evoke the experience of entering the Ka’bah, the sacred stone structure at the heart of Islam’s holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. The display features key elements of the Ka’bah, including traditional Ka’bah stairs (madraj), the Kiswah, the intricately woven cloth that drapes the Ka’bah and is replaced annually during Hajj, the water spout (mizab), the Ka’bah key, and the Quran. These sacred artifacts, rarely seen outside Makkah, create an atmosphere that is both intimate and transcendent. This experience is especially poignant for those who may never be able to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah.
Walking further, there are installations by contemporary artists around the world, who revisit concepts of culture, resources, art and faith in the Kingdom. Muhannad Shono’s artistic philosophy, where the drawn line represents both creation and restriction, shows this curatorial approach: “The Biennale draws a historical line towards objects of the past and the narratives they embody, towards contemporary thought and expression brought to life in contemporary art, whose role is to link the past to our present, extending the line of the imagination towards new horizons.”
One then transitions through the dimly lit halls of Almadar and Almuqtani, where towering cabinets stretch up to the 15-meter-high ceilings, resembling Nafs (souls) soaring into the dark skies. These cabinets house a remarkable collection of Islamic art treasures, loaned from major institutions worldwide, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, the Vatican Library, and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
This cross-institutional exhibition brings together objects from diverse regions, all shaped by Islamic culture, following both shared traditions and distinct local influences. Shono’s curatorial vision aims to unify these varied narratives, honoring Jeddah’s historical role as a cultural crossroads where ideas and traditions have long converged. “In this second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, it is time for the individual, as part of the community, to break down and rebuild our notions of a mono-narrative,” he asserts. The exhibition culminates in a final, strikingly different space, bathed in the luminous, color-saturated works of Brazilian artist Lucia Koch, offering a transition back to contemporary reality.
Air Temperature by Lucia Koch
Tradition: Art as a Bridge Between Past and Future
Walking through Jeddah’s streets, one experiences a seamless blend of tradition and modernity. As Saudi Arabia undergoes rapid transformation under Vision 2030, new buildings reshape the skyline, yet heritage preservation remains a vital focus. Initiatives like the Zawiya 97 workshop in the historic Al-Balad district celebrate this balance, where artisans craft traditional Al-Rawashin windows—intricate wooden lattices that have long defined the city’s architecture. By showcasing their craftsmanship to younger generations and visitors, these artisans ensure that this cultural legacy endures. The pride in this distinctive architectural feature is evident, as Al-Rawashin continues to grace both historic and contemporary buildings, bridging the past with the future.
Marek Wolynski, Curator and Director of Innovation at Futurecity, underscores the importance of embedding culture in urban development. He describes public art as “a bridge between the city’s past and its aspirations for the future.” Reflecting on Riyadh’s evolving art scene, he emphasizes that “bringing together voices from diverse fields expands the conversation around art’s role in public spaces.”
The fact that the Biennale is free and open to everyone transforms it into a form of public art, making it an inclusive space where diverse audiences can engage with its themes and exhibitions. This accessibility sets it apart, fostering a sense of collective experience and cultural exchange. He argues that “public spaces thrive when culture is embedded into their very fabric, transforming them into places of inspiration, identity, and shared experiences.” Advocating a collaborative approach to urban design, he asserts that “art brings storytelling, architecture provides the framework, and design ensures functionality.” This synergy, he explains, enriches how people live and interact within their urban environments, which can be seen in Riyadh, Jeddah and many other places in the Kingdom.
Future: Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Transformation
Saudi Arabia has been undergoing a profound cultural transformation, which is reflected in the perspectives of leading curators and artists. Marek Wolynski, describes the Kingdom’s cultural renaissance as “nothing short of transformative.” He underscores that Saudi Arabia’s commitment to becoming a global center for contemporary art is not about reinvention but rather an “authentic expansion of its creative identity, where historical influences and modern artistic voices intersect.” He highlights the critical role of young Saudi artists in shaping this new artistic landscape, emphasizing their “energy, vision, and willingness to push creative boundaries.”
Echoing this sentiment, contemporary Muhannad Shono stresses the importance of authenticity: “Contemporary art must take shape around collective ways of working, not losing its genuine voice amidst the rediscovery of the role and value of creativity. As old stereotypes subside, new stereotypes of cultural affluence and influence must be combated through faith in the authentic self.” These narratives extend across the city, leading visitors to key cultural institutions such as Hayy Jameel, a space where locals can gather, create, and converse, alongside Hafez Gallery and ATHR Gallery, both serving as dynamic hubs for contemporary art, exploration, and dialogue.
Addressing the Kingdom’s rapid cultural transformation, Shono acknowledges: “Change has become synonymous with contemporary Saudi Arabia. But nowhere is change more tangible and transformative than at the Islamic Arts Biennale, which brings together historical notions of Islam in dialogue with contemporary artists, whose task is to reimagine, reinterpret, and redefine our contemporary now.” The future remains to be seen, and all that is in between.
Words and photos by Michalina Franasik