Islamic Arts Biennale kicks off in Jeddah: Unique fusion of art and faith

The biennale culture, often associated with the West, is taking root in the Islamic world. The second edition of the “Islamic Arts Biennale 2025” will open its doors on Jan. 25 and run until May 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, bringing art lovers together. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation under the title “And all that is in between,” the event will feature both contemporary artworks and historical objects.

The biennale will explore how faith is experienced and expressed through perception, thought and artistic production. Over 30 institutions from around the world will participate, and Türkiye’s Directorate of Manuscripts will also be involved.

Historical objects from sacred sites to be displayed

The biennale, with the artistic direction of Julian Raby, Amin Jaffer, Abdul Rahman Azzam, and Muhannad Shono, will take place in a space of 1,000 square meters and will present more than 500 contemporary art pieces and objects to art enthusiasts.

Visitors to the event will also have the opportunity to view historical objects brought from the sacred sites of Mecca and Medina.

The works of artists such as Nour Jaouda, Charwei Tsai, Imran Qureshi, Takashi Kuribayashi, Ahmed Mater, and Fatma Abdulhadi, as well as new works produced by artists from around the world, will be featured.

In addition, a competition will be held within the framework of the Islamic Arts Biennale to award innovative architectures from Muslim societies. The competition will be chaired by Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf, and the winning design will be announced at the opening of the biennale.