2023-05-23 16:28:09
Sheikh Salem Khalid Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth, inaugurated Aridly Abundant, the 12th Participation of the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale and fifth participation in the International Architecture Exhibition. Curated by Faysal Tabbarah, Associate Professor of Architecture at the College of Architecture, Art and Design of the American University of Sharjah, the exhibition “Aridly Abundant” will transform the space of the Emirates Pavilion into for six months an environment that exhibits the spatial, material and tactile qualities of arid environments, thus responding to the theme of the 2023 Architecture Biennale, ”The laboratory of the future”.
Minister Al Qassimi stressed that his presence at the venue demonstrates his support for the UAE National Pavilion, a particularly important artistic and cultural platform, testifies to the value that the United Arab Emirates attaches to its creatives and the recognition of the Venice Biennale as a significant cultural platform for the UAE. Minister Al Qassimi said, “2023 marks the UAE’s 12th overall participation in the Venice Biennale, as the years have gone by our presence has become stronger and stronger. This exhibition is a testament to the UAE’s commitment to creative fields. The leadership is committed to developing a strong creative movement in the country and promoting art and culture locally, regionally and globally, supporting artists, architects and showcasing their work on prestigious international platforms. Our talent keeps pace with international standards and is gaining global recognition.”
The UAE has been participating in the International Art Exhibition since 2009 and the International Architecture Exhibition since 2014. In 2013, the UAE Government signed a historic agreement to establish a permanent national pavilion within the ‘Arsenale – Halls of Arms. Minister Al Qassimi commented: “The permanent presence of the United Arab Emirates at the Arsenale – Sale d’Armi, one of the main venues of the Venice Biennale, is a source of great pride for the United Arab Emirates, ready to show the best of his architectural creations to an international audience”. The United Arab Emirates’ work “Wetland”, awarded the Golden Lion at the 2021 Architecture Biennale for the best national participation, explored the relationship between waste and production on a local and global scale The team had also created an innovative and environmentally friendly concrete, inspired by the materials found in traditional sabkhas, i.e. salt pans.
Al Qassimi added, “The Venice Biennale is not only a great platform to promote local UAE talent, but also a platform to promote our cultural and artistic values. Architecture is an essential element of culture that speaks volumes about a civilization, its past, present and future. This facet is beautifully presented in this 2023 UAE exhibition titled Aridly Abundant which draws from the past and builds the future. It also helps to strengthen the bilateral ties between the UAE and Italy. Our presence at the Arsenale is an important aspect of our cultural diplomacy, an essential tool in the current global situation. Cultural diplomacy can go a long way in breaking down communication barriers and has the ability to promote long-term peace and stability.”
By drawing international attention to life in arid and desert lands, the message of the Pavilion is deeply connected to climate change. As known, the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) of the UNFCCC will be held in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December 2023. The minister wanted to underline that at COP 28, young people will be at the forefront of policy-making and of climate dialogue. Culture is another crucial part of the climate change discourse, considering the need to safeguard traditional cultural heritage and practices that are affected by the changes.
In this regard, the Minister added: “Our ancestors learned to adapt and develop sustainable practices to survive the harsh climatic and topographic conditions of the Arabian peninsula. They have learned to live sustainably and their lifestyle is aligned with nature. Our culture is rich in traditional practices that are still valuable lessons for sustainable living today. Water was a scarce resource, even food was not so plentiful in the desert, yet our ancestors not only survived but thrived and developed a treasure trove of traditional knowledge. We can tap into the reservoirs of traditional knowledge and borrow some lessons.”
Commenting on the UAE’s cultural offering, growing exponentially in both quality and variety, and the UAE’s upcoming prestigious projects, set to transform the landscape and load the cultural weight of the country, he said, “Our future-oriented approach and the legacy of our ancestors guide our national policies and strategies that focus on building sustainable and inclusive communities.The UAE is culturally relevant today for two reasons.First and foremost, we owe it to strategic leadership of our leadership then to the talent and creativity of our people. The cultural and creative sector is a key element of our nation’s development path. With sustainability at its core, the cultural sector fuels the creative economy”.
Minister Al Qassimi declared: “Culture and creativity are renewable resources par excellence, they are fundamental for sustainable development. The launch of Creative UAE or the National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries to coincide with the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development in 2021, confirms the UAE’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, constitute the guidelines to build a strong creative economy infrastructure, creating an enabling environment for our talents. For example, the strategy provides grants, addresses weaknesses in the system, and provides solutions – from funding to creating the right channels for exposure and distribution,” he added.
Among the most important initiatives in the cultural field, in 2019 the United Arab Emirates launched the Sharjah Architecture Triennial (the Architecture Triennial that takes place in the Emirate of Sharjah, ed), the first major architectural platform in the Middle East and in the South of the world . In this regard, the minister commented: “Art and culture have the power to bring people together. They promote cultural diplomacy and foster peace and stability. By supporting mutual understanding, trust and exposure to cultural diversity, cultural diplomacy goes a long way towards improving international relations in many areas of cooperation. Initiatives like the Sharjah Architecture Triennial represents one such platform representing talent from the UAE and the Middle East region as well as Africa and South Asia. By representing the Global South, they promote cooperation and enhance cohesion.”
Finally, Minister Al Qassimi highlighted the ability of large platforms, such as those of the Venice Biennale, to strengthen ties and relations between countries. “Regarding the UAE National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the Biennale is a significant initiative that further cements our ties with Italy. The bilateral ties between the UAE and Italy are now decades old and such initiatives further strengthen them. We collaborate with Italy on several fronts including education, cultural exchanges and artistic events. Through sharing ideas and experiences, we can create synergies, train and educate young people to enable them to carry out sustainable projects on heritage protection and safeguarding their cultural treasures” he concluded.
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