Oman's National Pavilion opens at 60th Venice Biennale
The National Pavilion of the Sultanate of Oman has opened at the 60th Venice International Biennale.
The pavilion, one of 88 from all over the world, was opened by His Highness Dr Kamel bin Fahd Al Said, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.
His Highness said: “The Sultanate of Oman’s participation in the Venice International Art Biennale represents a milestone in the cultural journey of Omani artists. It confirms their ability to depict the richness of our cultural heritage and the diversity of the natural environment, with its wonderful blend of tradition and modernity, and displays the qualitative transformations experienced by the artistic scene in Oman.”
His Highness said Oman's participation reflected the vision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said and the continuing efforts by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth to achieve the goals of Oman Vision 2040 in advancing artistic fields at home and enriching the cultural scene abroad.
The Pavilion, called “Sanctuary” and featuring the work of five Omani artists, aims to enhance international cooperation and understanding through cultural exchange and benefit from the global interest in contemporary trends in the most important and prestigious artistic forums.
Sayyid Saeed bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Commissioner General of Oman’s Pavilion and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, said the Sultanate's participation in the exhibition would shed light on the rich Omani culture by displaying a variety of artistic works.
He said it embodied the Ministry’s efforts to promote artistic development at the national level through various programmes in line with the Venice Exhibition.
He said the Pavilion would celebrate international artistic expression, provide a unique opportunity for Oman to showcase its rich cultural heritage, promote understanding and dialogue between diverse cultures and communities, and emphasise human interconnectedness through the universal language of art.
Oman's Ambassador to Italy, Sayyid Nazar Al Julanda Majid Alsaid, said the Sultanate's participation was an opportunity to highlight its rich cultural heritage and enhance cultural exchange between the peoples of the world by reflecting the country's wonderful artistic spirit, creativity and talent.
The Ambassador stressed Oman’s commitment to strengthening international cultural and artistic relations and the importance of art as a means of communication and understanding between peoples.
The title of the 60th Venice Biennale is drawn from a series of works made by the Paris-born and Palermo-based collective Claire Fontaine since 2004. The works consist of neon sculptures in different colours that render in a growing number of languages the expression “Foreigners Everywhere”.
