Biennial – magpie

Summer in Venice: a trip to the Architecture Biennial

26 May 2025

The Biennale Architettura is probably the hottest event in the architectural calendar. Big ideas and big ambitions, pavilions with national pride at stake, the beautiful and well-heeled in attendance (though it’s not as glitzy as the art biennale), big brand [… more]

Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial: phase two

11 February 2025

The Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial kicked off its second phase this week with nine new works for locations across the emirate. There were unveilings by Anga Art Collective, Arquitectura Expandida, Ayesha Hadhir, Lúcia Koch, Nnenna Okore, Sophia Balagamwala, Tarik [… more]

Sharjah Biennial Prize winners

9 February 2025

Sharjah Art Foundation announced Aziz Hazara, Pallavi Paul and Pratchaya Phinthong as winners of the Sharjah Biennial Prize during the opening gala dinner of the Biennial’s 16th edition last week (no, we weren’t invited, since you asked). The winners were selected by architect/curator Paula Nascimento, co-curator [… more]

Abu Dhabi’s second major public art initiative opens

13 November 2024

This week sees the launch of the first edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial. It features site-specific installations by more than 70 artists, both UAE-based and international, in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. There’s a theme for the [… more]

Azza Aboualam to exhibit for UAE at 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale

14 October 2024

The Emirati architect Azza Aboualam has been named as curator of the UAE’s participation in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia by the National Pavilion UAE. Pleasingly, Aboualam was a Venice Intern at the National Pavilion [… more]

Sharjah Biennial 16: theme, participants, commissions

1 October 2024

Sharjah Art Foundation has announced the title, approach and participant list for Sharjah Biennial 16, due to run 6 February to 15 June next year (the opening events are 6-9 February). There will be work from more than 140 participants, [… more]

Advance notices for Sharjah Biennial 16

17 April 2024

An initial artist list and a curatorial framework have been announced for next year’s Sharjah Biennial 16, which runs 6 February to 15 June 2025. The curatorial framework isn’t too specific – there’s no overarching title for SB16, for instance. [… more]

Abdullah Al Saadi’s Venice Biennale exhibition

7 February 2024

The National Pavilion UAE has detailed its exhibit at this year’s Venice Biennale. It’s titled Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia, and comprises eight artworks by Abdullah Al Saadi. We were enthusiastic about the choice of Abdullah Al Saadi (in [… more]

After rain: much promise for the 2nd Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale

8 November 2023

The second Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale next year (20 February to 24 May) looks like going a long way towards its progenitors’ ambitions to further establish Saudi Arabia as a significant destination for art. It will have 92 artists from [… more]

Abdullah Al Saadi to exhibit for UAE at 2024 Venice Biennale Arte 2024

9 October 2023

The UAE will be represented by the eminent Emirati artist Abdullah Al Saadi at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024. Currently in planning, Abdullah’s solo exhibition will be curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh. Considered a key figure in the [… more]