Obviously, Gulf countries have mastered the power of culture and art as soft tools, and tools of economic expansion, positioning themselves as global destinations, rather than just relying on oil. Following a recent series of diplomatic exercises, including a cultural agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, Qatar is now cementing its influence in the Venice Biennale and announcing its permanent national pavilion in Giardini. This marks the first new member of the biennial history since the Korean Pavilion designed by Seok Chul Kim and Franco Mancuso in 1995.
Sheikha Al Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad Hamad bin Khalifa althi hamadhamad ham khalifa ali hamad ham khal ali thani thaimbas Biennale di Venezia is a world outstanding gathering in the field of art and architecture, The Dinnis is a historic landscape. “A statement. Sheikha is also responsible for the Qatar's biennial speech on the Observer's list of the most influential artists in 2024.
This milestone comes after a series of agreements between Venice and Qatar, and the final signing of the “Cooperation Agreement between the Qatar Museum and the City of Venice” last June. The agreement formally promises to “strengthen their existing relationships and strengthen cooperation in the cultural and socio-economic fields between Qatar, Venice and the Italian Republic”. Just like Saudi Arabia’s financial support for French heritage and cultural sectors, the Qatar-Vinice partnership includes “funding for the implementation of structural interventions aimed at restoring certain symbolic areas of Venice”.
Qatar's new National Pavilion will be next to the Central Pavilion's bookstore, with no announced architects, which puts people on who will be in charge of the high-profile project. While it will not be completed in time for the 2025 Biennale ArchiteTura in May, it is expected to debut as part of the itinerary for the 2026 Venice Biennale curated by Koyo Kouoh. During this time, the location will be Community Center (2025), the main installation of Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari, who also contributed to the “Beyti Beytak”. My home is yours. (La Miacasaèlatua casa), “Inquiry of Middle Eastern Architecture,” the Biennale Architettura at the ACP-Palazzo Franchetti in Venice. The exhibition will be organized by the Museum of Art Mills in the Qatar, which is an upcoming institution dedicated to international modernity and Modern Art. The museum is scheduled to open in 2030 and will complete the cultural triangle of Qatar next to the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar. Meanwhile, the country has also advanced plans for the Lusail Museum, a five-story landmark designed by Herzog & de Meuron , it will house the world's largest collection of Orientalist paintings.
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All these new museums are at the heart of Qatar's national vision for 2030, a strategy that positions culture and art at the forefront of the country's development. By investing in world-class institutions, maintaining its heritage and promoting creativity, Qatar aims to consolidate its position as a leading cultural center in the region and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Venice Biennale continues to face criticism because it adheres to the “national pavilion” model, which many consider as an outdated structure that reinforces nationalist divisions rather than pressing in today’s interconnected world Intercultural dialogue is needed. In addition, the current arrangements still reflect the reflection of the world order and power dynamics, which has developed considerably since the launch of the Biennale. Giardini, established in the late 19th century biennial centered around most of the design and development, embodying a European-centered and Western-dominated view, historically marginalized artists from other regions, making art The outdated narratives of history run through the outdated narratives in art history, which focus on the rulers and institutions of the rulers and institutions.
However, the latest version of the Biennale has worked to change that view and elevate the historically neglected voice. Cecilia Alemani's Biennale attracts female artists and visionary people, while Adriano Pedrosa's curation deepens the Biennale with Global South and Indigenous Knowledge Interaction. This trajectory of re-examination and inclusion may continue until the upcoming 2026 edition.
For many of the “new countries” that have joined the Biennale over the years, participation is mostly taken place outside of Giardini, Arsenlai, or other dispersed places throughout the city. In the last Venice Biennale, Qatar was not in Giardini but in ACP-Palazzo Franchetti, just under Ponte Dell'Accademia, “Your Ghost is Mine”, which is a wide range of A survey of video works and films praised. , Africa and Southeast Asia – staged with the Portuguese Pavilion and the in-house exhibition “Breasts” of ACP-Palazzo Franchetti.
“In the spirit of curiosity, exploration and sincere human communication, which is characterized by Venice and its biennial, I welcome Qatar to the Giardianites as a powerful global source of global creativity and intercultural understanding,” Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of la Biennale di Venezia, said. In the statement.
