The works of UAE artist Mohamed Ahmad Ibrahim will be the main attraction at the country’s pavilion.
The works of UAE artist Mohamed Ahmad Ibrahim will be the main attraction at the country’s pavilion. Image Credit: Instagram @nak

The 2022 Venice Biennale opens on Saturday, 23 April, and will run until November 27, 2022, following a hiatus last year. This year’s exhibition will see strong participation from the Arab world, and the MENA region at large.

The UAE pavilion will feature the works of artist Mohamed Ahmad Ibrahim. Ahmad is known for his work with non-contemporary and traditional arts and will be one of the attractions at the UAE pavilion. His work will be curated by the Executive Director of the NYUAD Art Gallery, Maya Allison.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will meanwhile be represented by Muhannad Shono. His work will mostly be focused around the transformation that the country is experiencing. It will also be an ode to the new-found appreciation and efforts to promote arts and culture in the country and will use his creations to spread this message.

Another first for the 2022 Venice Biennale is the participation of The Sultanate of Oman. The country’s exhibition, which will be curated by Aisha Stoby, an art historian, will feature several generations of Omani artists.

Palestine, too, will be present at the Biennale and will showcase the works of 19 artists at the event.

Dubbed "the Olympics of the art world", the Venice Biennale is now in its 59th edition.