Dubai Culture supports UAE's participation in Venice Biennale

Dubai, UAE, 23 April 2024: Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has visited the 60th edition of the International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, which continues until November 24 under the theme ‘Foreigners Everywhere.’ This attendance is part of the Authority's commitment to supporting the UAE's international cultural engagements, introducing the creativity and capabilities of local talent, and enhancing their presence on the global map. This includes exchanging expertise and strengthening relations with international cultural and creative institutions, and showcasing best practices in the artistic sector that the Authority is working to develop and promote for growth and prosperity.

During his visit, Bin Kharbash witnessed the UAE National Pavilion opening ceremony at the International Biennale held in the Arsenale – Sale d’Armi area of the Italian city. He was briefed on the details of the solo exhibition ‘Abdullah Al Saadi: Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia’, which marks a milestone in Al Saadi's career as it encompasses the essence of 40 years of travel and interaction with the surrounding environment that has influenced his artworks. The exhibition, curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh, presents eight major artworks containing hundreds of art pieces produced during his expeditions into the natural world and represents the eighth participation of the UAE National Pavilion in the Venice Biennale.

Bin Kharbash was also a part of the Experiential Artist Dinner by Emirati artists Ayesha Hadhir and Camilla Singh, commissioned by the Dubai Collection initiative, the first institutional art collection of modern and contemporary art in Dubai. Bin Kharbash praised the idea of the dinner, attended by curator Tarek Abou El Fetouh, along with numerous art patrons and collectors. The event aimed to showcase the richness of coastal cities through a shared human experience, highlighting the connection between the Emirati and Italian cultures and their relationship with the sea.

Accompanied by Shamma Al Zaffin, Senior Officer in the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, Bin Kharbash took an extensive tour of the biennale, visiting the art exhibition organised by the Alserkal Arts Foundation. They saw the Beyond Emerging Artist Exhibition under Abu Dhabi Art, toured the halls of the Saudi National Pavilion, and learned about the installation ‘Shifting Sands—A Battle Song’ by artist Manal AlDowayan. They also visited the Uzbekistan National Pavilion, which presents a collection of artworks overseen by the Uzbek artist Aziza Qadiri, and the Oman National Pavilion, which features art pieces by a group of Omani artists, including Aliya Al Farsi, Dr. Ali Al Jabri, Issa Al Mufarji, Adham Al Farsi, and Sarah Al Awlaqi, in addition to many other pavilions spread across the biennale’s locations in Arsenale and Giardini.