Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Jeddah: The National Museum is taking part in the “Al-Madar” exhibition, the first Biennial of Islamic Arts of its kind in the world, which is held at the Hajj Terminal in King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The Biennial is held till 23 April 2023, with the participation of 12 institutions from all over the world.
The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Prince Badr Abdullah Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, with the participation of HH Sayyid Faisal Turki Al Said, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and its Permanent Representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Sayyid Said Sultan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture.
Jamal Hassan Al Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, said that this is the first participation of the National Museum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The selected collections shed light on the concept of beauty in Oman, which remained faithful to the Islamic origins and the identity of the country by raising the value of authentic beauty, celebrating purity, simplicity and avoidance of pretention.
He added: “The National Museum is honored to celebrate the art of the Islamic world by participating in the “Al-Madar” exhibition, which is held in the first Biennale of what is known as Islamic art.”
Visitors to the National Museum’s corner will see selected works with designs that appear simple at first glance, but reflect the experience of unity and interdependence, and highlight the importance of contemplation and attention to the smallest details, Al Moosawi added.
On her turn, Aya Al Bakri, CEO of the Diriyah Biennial Foundation, said that this event, the first of its kind, aims to highlight and enrich Islamic cultural heritage throughout the ages.
She affirmed that the mission at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation is to enrich the cultural and artistic exchange between the KSA as it is a center for the Islamic world and artistic communities around the world, and to celebrate the many facets of arts.
The corner of the National Museum at the Biennale includes a selection of archaeological artifacts that embody the duality of harmony and contrast in the manifestations of Omani culture, which reflects a wonderful balance between simplicity and decoration.
