Article
Arabian Celebration for 2013 Venice Biennale
Published: Thu 19 Sep 2013 at 11:38
Updated: Thu 19 Sep 2013 at 11:38
With the city’s 55th Biennale underway, many of those who have booked cheap flights to Venice through Jet2.com can look forward to enjoying some of the most important artworks in the world.
The visitors can also soak up thousands of years of Arabian tradition, as one of the world's most important arts festivals hosts the largest ever collection of Middle Eastern art.
It is not all about tradition though, as one modern installation from the United Arab Emirates shows incredibly well.
A Lot to Appreciate and Enjoy
An interactive installation called 'Walking on Water' immerses its visitors into a stormy seascape of the Arabian Gulf. Projecting 15 images onto a 360 degree wall, the artist delivers a truly embracing experience. It is realistic too - with sea-sickness a definite possibility.
The festival also shows how the latest digital technology can work with traditional crafts such as calligraphy and fabric weaving.
It offers up much discussion around the transformation of the area. This is no better portrayed than in Ahmed Angawi's main piece. Using two still images of Mecca, one from 1890 and another from 2013, the changing skyline is clear and stark.
Other poignant works are featured across the exhibition pavilions, including displays from Syria, Egypt and Lebanon.
There is also time for fun though, with satire a new avenue increasingly being explored; typically through the medium of T-shirts.
It should be a fantastic event for those who have booked a trip to the area this year. Given the increasing availability of cheap flights to Venice, it is becoming even more popular with Brits.
