Contemplating the Sacred through Art
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale launched on January 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, offering audiences a unique opportunity to view over 500 works, spanning treasured historical artefacts, religious objects and contemporary pieces of art, from more than 30 institutions worldwide. Titled ‘And All That Is In Between’, the second edition of this landmark event will run for four months at the Western Hajj Terminal – a location chosen to strengthen the Biennale’s connection to Islamic heritage and faith. Ahead of the opening, Amin Jaffer, one of the Artistic Directors and Director of The Al Thani Collection, told Artscoops what visitors can look forward to discovering at the event and what he hopes they will take away from it.
The inaugural edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia was deemed a great success. How did you set about building on these achievements for the 2025 edition?
The 2025 edition significantly expands the scope of the Biennale, featuring over 30 partner institutions compared to 11 in 2023. The previous edition attracted over 600,000 visitors, making it one of the world’s most visited cultural events in the world. Building on this success, the 2025 edition offers a broader international perspective while maintaining strong local engagement, with extended programming during Ramadan.
The 2025 Biennale is titled ‘And All That Is In Between’. Can you share the backstory to this name and explain why it was chosen?
‘And All That Is In Between’ comes from a Quranic verse affirming God’s creation of the heavens, earth and everything between. The title explores spiritual truths beyond physical senses and invites contemplation of the sacred through art. This edition will have a particular focus on how numbers shape our understanding of the cosmos and daily life.
Audiences can look forward to viewing a fascinating range of over 500 Islamic artefacts, religious objects and works of art from prestigious institutions worldwide, including pieces from the holy sites of Makkah and Madinah. How did the team set about selecting the pieces that are featured in this rich and diverse display?
The curatorial team brought together treasured historical objects and religious objects from collections across the Islamic world, from Tunis to Tashkent, as well as from prestigious European institutions. The selection includes never-before-exhibited artworks and the largest collection of objects from Makkah and Madinah ever assembled, representing over 20 countries through over 30 participating institutions. In AlMadar specifically, the objects were chosen to reflect how numbers have been used both to understand God’s order and to bring structure to daily life - from astrolabes for celestial navigation and world mapping to intricate mathematical calculations. The gallery also shows how numbers were used to create symmetry and harmony in works of art and objects for daily use.
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale also includes more than 20 new commissions by local artists which are described as complementing and creating a dialogue with the historical objects on view. What can you tell us about the added dimension they bring to the event?
The contemporary commissions explore the theme through three main sections: AlBidaya (focusing on the heart and intangible dimensions), AlMadar (examining the art of numbers) and AlMidhalla (exploring the concept of Islamic gardens). These 20+ new works create dialogue between past and present, demonstrating how Islamic artistic traditions continue to evolve.
The location across five exhibition halls and outdoor spaces is significant, in part for its positioning at the Western Hajj Terminal and also because it comprises a themed itinerary. Can you describe what visitors can expect to find when they arrive at the event?
The Western Hajj Terminal, designed by the American architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, provides a deeply meaningful setting as a gateway for pilgrims. The exhibition spans five indoor galleries and outdoor spaces under the terminal’s canopy, moving visitors through different experiential zones that explore faith through feeling, thinking and making.
The geopolitical climate is a challenging one regionally and globally, with tensions and divisiveness currently heightened. What part do you think art can play - broadly and the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale specifically - as a soft power in building bridges in this regard?
The Biennale demonstrates how culture crosses geographical and metaphysical boundaries, bridging places, times and languages. Through its diverse institutional partnerships and artistic voices, it showcases the influence of Islamic culture beyond the Arab world, proving art’s power to unite across differences.
These are exciting times for Saudi Arabia, with its transformative Vision 2030 and efforts to expand the non-oil sectors well under way. How does the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale align with the Kingdom’s broader plans to make art and culture a key part of its social and economic development?
The Biennale aligns with Saudi Arabia's transformation by investing in creative industries and platforming both established and emerging artists. It contributes to developing sustainable cultural infrastructure while preserving heritage, particularly important given that over 63% of Saudi Arabia's population is under 30 years old.
What do you hope audiences will take away from a visit to the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale?
I hope visitors leave feeling inspired and enriched, with a deeper understanding of Islamic civilisation’s creative achievements past and present. The experience aims to demonstrate how faith remains vital in contemporary society while showcasing the diversity and global nature of Islamic artistic expression.
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale runs from January 25th until May 25th, 2025 at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. For more information, go to biennale.org