Diriyah Biennale Foundation (DBF) has announced the successful completion of Saudi Arabia’s first contemporary art biennale featuring more than 60 acclaimed artists from Saudi Arabia and around the world, who presented artworks in a wide variety of mediums, including site-specific commissions by leading artists.

 

The groundbreaking Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale opened on December 11 in the JAX district of the Saudi city of Diriyah. 

 

The inaugural edition of the Biennale was curated under the leadership of Philip Tinari (Director and Chief Executive of UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, China), and supported by a team of international curators; Wejdan Reda (Founder of Sahaba Art Consultancy in Jeddah), Shixuan Luan (Curator at UCCA) and Neil Zhang (Assistant Curator at UCCA). 

 

The Biennale took its title from the concept of “Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones,” a slogan that emerged during the 1980s as a metaphor for action at a time of social and economic transformation. 

Visitors were invited to experience artworks across six sections: Crossing the River, Experimental Preservation, Peripheral Thinking, Going Public, Brave New Worlds, and Concerning the Spiritual. 

 

Serving as a platform for global dialogue and exchange, the Biennale cultivated an interactive art experience by bringing together Saudi and international artists in a celebration of contemporary culture, and an accessible and engaging platform for all. More than 100,000 visitors experienced the Biennale over a three-month period. 

 

Rakan Altouq, General Supervisor, Culture Affairs & International Relations at Ministry of Culture and Vice-Chair, Diriyah Biennale Foundation, said: "We established the foundation with the clear vision to create long-term impact, positively shaping the future of the arts movement in Saudi Arabia and placing it rightfully on the global cultural map."

 

"We are well into that journey. Through the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, we have celebrated Saudi artistic talent and we continue to engage with partners around the world whom we are proud and delighted to consider friends and ambassadors of the Biennale’s goals," he added.

 

CEO Aya Al Bakree said Diriyah Biennale Foundation opened its doors in December not only as the first international contemporary art biennale in Saudi but also as a new platform for discovery and connection to its burgeoning cultural scene and creative communities. 

 

"Far more than an exhibition, the Biennale explored how it could serve many important communities as a platform for discovery, discussion, and education. Local and international artists and audiences came together not only in the exhibition spaces but through film screenings, talks, workshops, immersive experiences and tours. Our visitors included those for whom this was their first contemporary art biennale alongside seasoned art enthusiasts. But this is just the start, we look forward to sharing details of our Islamic Arts Biennale edition soon," he added.

 

Tinari said: "As we reflect on the Biennale, we see how Saudi artists are contributing to the global conversation around contemporary art, and how the Saudi public has engaged with new forms of creative practice. We believe this has been a meaningful undertaking, bringing together artists and audiences in the name of dialogue and exchange."

 

In addition to the main presentation, the Foundation hosted a wide-ranging public programme of events and activities for all ages. The programme drew inspiration from art and culture in Saudi Arabia and beyond, facilitating educational explorations and the sharing of knowledge and best practices with access to leading voices in the field. 

 

Saudi and international artists featured in the Biennale participated in talks and panel appearances, including Richard Long, Lulwah Al Homoud, Ahmed Mater and Han Mengyun. Also participating were Jeddah-based architecture studio Bricklab, whose installation was based on the architecture of the Diriyah Biennale building, which they had recently refurbished.-TradeArabia News Service