Saudi Arabia's Ithra Hosts Islamic Art Conference Celebrating Craftsmanship

The second edition of the Conference on Islamic Art, titled 'In Praise of the Artisan', took place in November 2024 at Ithra (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The event gathered art historians, academics, archaeologists, curators, and museum directors from around the world to explore contemporary trends in artisanal practices within Muslim communities. Curator Idries Trevathan emphasized the goal of building a sustainable cultural industry that preserves authentic art through human mastery. The conference included an exhibition of historical and contemporary Islamic artworks, running until August 2025. Ithra, designed by Norwegian firm Snøhetta, spans 8 hectares and features a library, Idea Lab, energy gallery, museum with five exhibition halls, cinema, theater, and children's museum. Museum director Farah Abushullaih stated the museum aims to attract diverse social classes and serve as a second home for local residents, positioning its collections as a form of 'soft power'. A concurrent exhibition, 'Extension: Traditional Costumes in the Kingdom', curated by Konstantinos Chatziantoniou, documents the evolution of Saudi attire and its reinterpretation by contemporary designers, highlighting regional influences from Syria, Jordan, Iraq, India, and Yemen. The conference aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program, launched in 2016, to diversify the economy beyond oil and enhance global cultural projection.