SPACE May 2025 (No. 690)
View of AlMidhallah (the Canopy) section. The original canopy structure designed by SOM in 1981 remains intact.
OMA, the firm that was entrusted with the scenography of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2023, has been reappointed for the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025. Scenography is a compound word derived from the Greek words skēnē (scene) and graphein (to draw), which refers to the narratives with the scenes as opposed to simply the creation of scenes. OMA has consistently used the term scenography in the design of spaces like retail spaces, exhibitions, and shows for fashion brands such as Prada and Dior. The firm has sought its own mode of expression when working within the dynamics of fashion and architecture, discovering elements from the grammar of fashion to replace the architectural language, thereby building its own narrative. In light of this, the following analysis discusses the diverse creative dynamics and the scenography surrounding the Biennale.
View of exhibition building by Giò Forma Architects
Islamic Arts Biennale 2025
As complex as the geopolitical conditions in the Middle East are, many different interests are at stake in the Islamic Arts Biennale (hereinafter Biennale). In 2016, Saudi Arabia (hereinafter Saudi) announced the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ to move away from its oil-dependent economy, as the Middle East experienced a drop in international oil prices due to an oversupply of oil, China’s economic slowdown, and conflict between Middle Eastern regions. In practice this meant promoting the cultural ind...
