Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan inaugurated on Friday the Kingdom's pavilion in the Venice Biennale of Architecture.

The 17th edition of the show, which opens on Saturday (May 21) for the public and will run through Nov. 21, 2021, is titled "How will we live together?"

The inauguration ceremony was organized by the Architecture and Design Commission (ADC) and attended by Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Italy Prince Faisal Bin Sattam, president of the Venice Biennale Roberto Cicutto, CEO of the ADC Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman and a number of officials and those interested in the field from the Kingdom and the world.

The culture minister expressed pride and joy after inaugurating the Saudi pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, which “includes inspiring works that reflect the convergence between our ancient heritage and our vision for the future of the art of architecture, evidently present with its unique diversity and beauty in the details of our cultural heritage.”

He also noted the pivotal role of art in “creating better opportunities for dialogue, broadening perceptions, and opening new realms for communication, especially during this difficult time of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Prince Badr expressed his deep appreciation for the efforts made by the Venice Biennale in this context, "which contributed to preserving the vitality of the message of art and culture."

He also praised the distinguished cultural relations between the Kingdom and Italy, as "last year, the two countries together, with the support of the G20, succeeded in placing culture on the G20 agenda for the first time, and this year, we provided and continue to give our full support to Italy in the cultural path of the G20 during its presidency year, welcoming new opportunities for cultural cooperation with our friends in Italy. "

Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the ADC, delivered a speech highlighting the Saudi pavilion as a destination for research and exploration, in addition to its role in supporting and celebrating the undergoing artistic and creative development in the Kingdom.

She added that the pavilion traces the history of enclosures, examining how the built environment and urban fabric adapt to accommodate emergency conditions and how the meaning and use of such spaces shift over time.

The culture minister and attendees toured the sections of the Saudi pavilion "Accommodations," which is overseen by the Architecture and Design Commission, and comes as an experiential exhibition analyzing spatial and social encounters with the "other," in which histories, protocols, gestures of quarantine, hosting and housing are intertwined.

Beyond the concept of “Residences,” the exhibition “Accommodations” encompasses temporary and permanent structures to manage the threat of contagion during major pandemic outbreaks.

Looking into the history of these enclosed spaces, the exhibition examines the ways in which the built environment and urban fabric adapt to accommodate emergencies, and addresses the change in meaning and use of such spaces over time, revealing the tensions between the acts of separation inherent in quarantine and the acts of accommodation required to continue living.