As part of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has designed an innovative scenography that moves away from conventional museum displays. Led by partner Iyad Alsaka and associate Kaveh Dabiri, the OMA team created a sense of unity throughout the various spaces by introducing abstract fabric versions of archetypal architectural elements.
“We achieved this by adopting an abstract architectural language materialised through lightness and translucency that moves away from conventional museum-like presentations,” said Kaveh Dabiri, Associate, OMA.
The biennale, titled “And All That Is In Between,” focuses on the role of faith in artistic expression and craftsmanship, featuring over 500 historical objects and 29 contemporary art commissions. The exhibition is organised into seven sections, arranged across indoor galleries and outdoor areas sheltered beneath the Western Hajj Terminal’s semi-conical canopies.
The AlBidayah zone contains curved translucent walls that reinforce the stature of the objects on show, including the Kiswah โ a cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba in Mecca. In AlMadar, objects from over 30 international institutions are displayed within a space containing 37 columns made from concentric layers of translucent textile. The columns are illuminated from within and below, creating a gradient effect as the light gradually fades away into the darkness of the ceiling.
The outdoor area of AlMidhallah expands on landscape interventions made by OMA in 2023, complementing site-specific artworks based on the theme of the garden in Islamic civilisation. Two pavilions dedicated to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina present items from these locations, including items associated with the Holy Kaaba found in Mecca and a collection of gold-embroidered textiles from Medina.
The 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale runs until May 25 and is curated by a team led by artistic directors Julian Raby, Amin Jaffer, and Abdul Rahman Azzam, with Muhannad Shono as curator of contemporary art.
The biennale is organised into seven sections, each reflecting different aspects of Islamic arts and culture. These sections are arranged across indoor galleries and outdoor areas sheltered beneath the Western Hajj Terminal’s semi-conical canopies.
Image Courtesy: dezeen.com
