The exhibition takes place at King Abdulaziz Airport. 

Art lovers, get ready to paint the town. Jeddah is bringing back the Islamic Arts Biennale from Saturday, 25 January until Sunday, 25 May 2025. The venue is located at the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport.

The Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah originally took place in 2023. The first theme was Awwal Bait, which translates to First House. The name refers to the Holy Ka’bah in Mecca, which is one of the most sacred sites in Islam. The second edition, titled “And All That Is In-Between, ” delves into how faith is experienced, expressed, and celebrated through emotions, beliefs, and creative works.

More than 30 major global institutions from countries such as Turkey, France, Egypt, Indonesia, the UK, and Spain will participate. The showcase will feature over 500 historical artefacts and contemporary artworks, including pieces from Makkah and Madinah, on loan from renowned museums like the Louvre in Paris and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

This year, the exhibition will also present an international architectural competition, ‘The AlMusalla Prize’ for designing a Musalla, a space for prayer. The jury is chaired by Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf as well as esteemed members such as Farroukh Derakhshani, Lina Ghotmeh, Azra Akšamija, and Ali Malkawi. The evaluation of the submissions will be based on versatility, sustainability, and the ability to welcome both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors. 

Key highlights include exhibits on celestial navigation, Islamic gardens, and a competition to design a new prayer space. The winning design will be constructed on-site.

The Vatican Library will also participate, presenting several works from its collection in “The Art of Numbers” display, featured in the Al-Madar section of the biennale. Additionally, over 20 artists and collectives from Saudi Arabia and around the world will present newly commissioned works, including Libyan artist Nour Jaouda.

The Islamic Arts Biennale will also see the return of the Al Madar exhibition and Homage Gallery. The collection details the history of Mecca and Madinah. This edition includes works of art, artefacts and new pieces. This Islamic Arts Biennale features seven unique components that are spread out through the exhibition. (AlBidayah, AlMadar, AlMultaqi, AlMukarramah, Al Munawwarah) 

The expanded team behind the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale hails from diverse backgrounds and brings expertise in Islamic culture, including fine art, philosophy, crafts, and archaeology, to the Biennale. The 2025 Biennale is led by Artistic Directors Amin Jaffer (Director of the Al Thani Collection), Julian Raby (former lecturer at the University of Oxford and former director of the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institution), Abdulrahman Azzam (author, historian, and Senior Expert Advisor for AlMadar at the Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023), and Contemporary Art Curator Muhannad Shono (Saudi artist).

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, who also chairs the board of trustees of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, emphasised the transformative impact of the arts in a statement to Arab News: “Building on the remarkable success of the inaugural edition, the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale comes with greater ambition, expanded partnerships and a diverse selection of artistic and cultural institutions, patrons, as well as artists from Saudi Arabia and countries that have rich Islamic culture and traditions.”

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GO: Visit https://biennale.org.sa for more information.