HISTORIC SAUDI AIRLINES AIRCRAFT LANDS AT JEDDAH AIRPORT IN SYMBOLIC GESTURE OF NATIONAL UNITY AHEAD OF WORLD-FIRST ISLAMIC ARTS BIENNALE
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA, APRIL, 19, 2023
In an extraordinary show of collaboration and unity, national airline Saudia, a principal partner of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Islamic Arts Biennale, landed a historic Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring retro livery design, at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah today, parked in direct proximity to the Biennale site, to celebrate the official opening of the world-first exhibition.
In the spirit of continued support of the Kingdom’s development, and inspired by the airline’s original visual identity, the retro 1970-1980 era design was painted in 2021 by Saudi nationals of the Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) to mark the airline’s 75th year anniversary. Its presence at the Western Hajj Terminal on the official opening of the world’s first Islamic Arts Biennale today, is symbolic of the airline’s commitment to the Kingdom’s continued development, this time through the arts.
Themed ‘Awwal Bait’, meaning ‘First House’, in reference to the Holy Ka’bah in Makkah, the Biennale takes visitors on an immersive, multi-sensory journey through the past, present, and future of the Islamic Arts, featuring over 40 established and emerging artists from around the globe, over 50 new commissions, 280 artefacts and over 15 never-before-exhibited artefacts. Saudi Arabian heritage and artistic talent is on full display with 18 Saudi artists presenting over 40 pieces of work, in addition to items loaned from 13 institutions in the Kingdom including Haramain Authority in Makkah, the National Museum, the King Abdulaziz Library, the Museum of Antiquities and Heritage, the King Fahad National Library, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic studies, among others. Joined by a curated selection of pieces from esteemed international artists and institutions dedicated to the Islamic arts, this historic first edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale provides a holistic, novel perspective into the Islamic Arts for local and international audiences.
Arwa Al Ali, Senior Advisor, Strategy and Partnerships at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, states: “we extend our deepest gratitude to Saudia for this extraordinary gesture and its unwavering support to the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s launch of the world’s first biennale dedicated to the Islamic arts. Creative expression is the beating heart of a community, and we are thrilled to witness this meaningful collaboration in support of this historic moment for the Kingdom’s culture and creative sector.”
Arwa Al Ali, Senior Advisor, Strategy and Partnerships at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, states: “we extend our deepest gratitude to Saudia for this extraordinary gesture and its unwavering support to the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s launch of the world’s first biennale dedicated to the Islamic arts. Creative expression is the beating heart of a community, and we are thrilled to witness this meaningful collaboration in support of this historic moment for the Kingdom’s culture and creative sector.”

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Notes to Editors

ABOUT DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION

Established in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia and inspired by Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage and its artists and makers, Diriyah Biennale Foundation (DBF) assumes a critical and catalyzing role in nurturing creative expression and instilling an appreciation for the transformative power of the arts. Central to the Foundation’s mandate is to stage two recurring world-class biennales in contemporary and Islamic arts, alongside year-round interactive educational programs focused on engaging public audiences. The Foundation’s Contemporary Art Biennale held at the JAX district of Diriyah in 2021/2 was the Kingdom’s first biennale dedicated to contemporary art, providing a platform for discovery of and connection with Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning cultural scene and creative communities.

The inaugural edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale will be hosted at the Western Hajj Terminal of the King Abdulaziz International airport in Jeddah from January 2023 to April 2023 and is the first-of-its-kind in the world, interweaving contemporary works and never-seen-before historic artefacts.

For more information and latest updates, visit biennale.org.sa. To join our conversation, follow Diriyah Biennale Foundation on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and follow #DiriyahBiennaleFoundation.

ISLAMIC ARTS BIENNALE

Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Islamic Arts Biennale provides a holistic platform for new discourse around the Islamic arts, offering an unparalleled platform for learning, research, and insight into the genre. The exhibition will take place every two years and will be hosted at the Aga Khan award-winning Western Hajj Terminal in the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, a city that for centuries has represented a junction point for cultural exchange and a venue that acts a port of entry for millions of pilgrims on their journey to Mecca and Medina.
For more information, visit biennale.org.sa. To join our conversation, follow Diriyah Biennale Foundation on Youtube Twitter Instagram and Facebook and follow the hashtags #IslamicArtsBiennale #DiriyahBiennaleFoundation.