Abdullah Al Saadi's UAE Pavilion Exhibition at Venice Biennale
Emirati artist Abdullah Al Saadi is presenting 'Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia' at the UAE Pavilion for the 60th Venice Biennale, which is set to continue until November 24, 2024. This exhibit showcases his four-decade-long artistic journey, highlighting his travels throughout the UAE since 1992, whether on foot, by bicycle, car, or even donkey. Central to the exhibit are tin chests filled with hidden travel journals—maps and writings—brought to life by performers acting as narrators. The collection also features drawings and paintings on stones, which Al Saadi has cherished since he was a child. His work captures the transformation of the UAE from barren deserts to bustling cities, reflecting his evolving maps. His studies in Japan during the early '90s influenced his artistic approach, and the exhibition is curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh, connecting personal and collective memories.
Key facts
- Abdullah Al Saadi is the Emirati artist exhibiting at the UAE Pavilion.
- Exhibition title: 'Sites of Memory, Sites of Amnesia'.
- Venue: UAE Pavilion, Venice Biennale.
- Event: 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.
- Exhibition runs until 24 November 2024.
- Al Saadi has been traveling across the UAE since 1992.
- Travel methods include donkey, bicycle, car, and walking.
- Tin chests contain hidden travel journals (map drawings and written words).
- Performers activate the chests and engage visitors as tour guides or storytelling elders.
- Exhibition includes drawings and paintings on rocks.
- Al Saadi collected rocks since childhood.
- His maps show the UAE's urban transformation.
- Al Saadi studied in Japan in the early 1990s.
- Japanese ideographic scripts influenced his art.
- Curator: Tarek Abou El Fetouh.
- Tarek Abou El Fetouh is Senior Curator and Director of the Performance Department at Sharjah Art Foundation.
- The interview was published in Canvas 113: Common Threads.
Entities
Artists
- Abdullah Al Saadi
Institutions
- UAE Pavilion
- La Biennale di Venezia
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Canvas
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- UAE
- Japan