QNL takes part in Islamic Arts Biennale
The Islamic Arts Biennale 2023 is taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January 23 to April 23, and the Qatar National Library (QNL) is taking part in the AlMadar exhibition, a satellite exhibition staged in conjunction with it.
In a designated gallery area, the exhibition brings together individuals and organisations from all over the world to display their collections of brilliant Islamic artwork and historical artefacts dating back more than four centuries. The Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which has historically served as the annual arrival point for millions of pilgrims travelling to perform the Haj in the holy city of Mecca, is the site of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2023, which is being organised by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture. The first Islamic Arts Biennale, with the theme Awwal Bait (The First House), weaves together newly commissioned pieces and historical artefacts that have never been displayed before to examine how the Kaabah in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina inspire Muslims on both a cultural and metaphysical level to create a sense of belonging in their own home, their own “bait,” wherever that may be.
