uslims, whether residing in Zambia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, Trinidad, Albania, Finland, the Maldives or Brazil, turn toward the Ka’bah while praying. In the early days of Islam, the direction of prayer was Jerusalem, but in 623 CE (the 2nd Hijri year), the focus of worship shifted to Makkah – the city of Islam’s origin. In later centuries, Makkah came to be revered as the centre of the world (if not the universe), as illustrated in the cartographies and manuscripts of believers from the 15th Century CE onward. These atlases present a worldview parallel to and independent of earlier maps made by Christians, who depicted Jerusalem as the centre of the world.

The 2nd Islamic Arts Biennale, held from January 26 to May 26 in Jeddah (88 km from Makkah), can be seen as an attempt to introduce another orientation of the world—of ideas, knowledge, aesthetics and images. This perspective aligns with the Biennale’s theme, And All That Is In Between, a phrase that recurs 20 times in the Qur’an, almost always preceded by the words al-samawat wa-l arz (the heavens and the earth).

With its three artistic directors (Dr Julian Raby, Dr Abdul Rahman Azzam, Dr Amin Jaffer) and one contemporary art cCurator (Muhannad Shono), the Biennale occupies both the interior galleries and the open space under the canopy of the Western Hajj Terminal. It showcases objects from across the continents that relate to the Islamic traditions of faith, curiosity, inquiry, exploration, experimentation, expression and aesthetics – hence, it “covers every element of Allah’s creation.”

In its thematic approach and curation, the Biennale is divided into four sections: Al-Bidaya (The Beginning) by Dr Raby; Al-Madar (The Orbit) by Dr Azzam; Al-Muqtani (Homage) by Dr Jaffer; and Al-Midhallah (The Canopy) by Shono. Each section presents the contributions, achievements and diversity of Muslim society, reflected in its ethnicities, languages, customs and other cultural manifestations. Attending the Biennale becomes a journey into the mind and soul of a civilisation – one of multiple dimensions, philosophies and systems.

Begin with religion – in its two aspects: the Word of Allah and the House of Allah. The first section, Al-Bidaya, is dominated by objects associated with both. A viewer encounters a set of four enormous panels of the Ka’bah’s textile veil (Kiswah), which, due to its blackness, scale, and density, evokes the supremacy of the Entity it represents. However, the more one gazes in awe, the more one is drawn beyond its physical presence. The silence, solitude and serenity through which a believer connects with the Creator can be felt in this space, defined primarily by two hues: black and white. The vast, material presence of the suspended black fabric, arranged in rows, contrasts with the ethereal, white mesh-like layers that form the long beams and display walls.

Beyond the Kiswah, other sacred items – such as the silver mount for the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) – are placed within these delicate, seemingly ephemeral white structures. Black is ever-present, eternal and substantial, while white is fragile, fleeting and transitory. Consider the example of the Holy Qur’an, typically written in black ink on white pages, or the black cube of the Ka’bah, encircled by pilgrims dressed in white robes.

If the first section of the Biennale showcases objects closely linked to the House of Allah – such as its key, water spout and the wooden staircase leading to its entrance – it also features a collection of Qur’an manuscripts, most on loan from the King Abdulaziz Waqf Libraries Assembly. Here, one witnesses the dedication, devotion and artistry of calligraphers who inscribed the divine text in Arabic script (with one copy existing in Hebrew script as well). The variety of calligraphic styles on display reflects the diverse visual traditions that have developed across the Muslim world.

The second section of the Biennale, Al-Madar, meaning the orbit, examines the role of numbers in Islamic art and culture

Alongside historic pieces, the Biennale features contemporary artworks that explore the concepts of the holy, the invincible and the invisible. Notably, Ahmed Mater’s Magnetism consists of a small magnetic cuboid, subtly rotating at the centre of tiny metal shavings that slowly shift, emulating the human circle surrounding the Ka’bah. Additionally, “the swirling particles allude to forces much larger than ourselves” and can be compared to Arcangelo Sassolino’s Memory of Becoming – a large steel disk coated with highly viscous industrial oil, rhythmically rotating. This motion echoes both the perpetual movement of human beings around the Ka’bah and the cycles of life itself.

Even though the exhibition comprises solid objects, they appear to levitate within their space, unburdened by gravity, base or weight. They seem to exist in the realm of light. In Light upon Light, Asif Khan has rendered Chapter Al-Nur, verse 34 of the Holy Qur’an, “in transcalent paper, carefully cut, folded and layered,” transforming the physicality of paper into an ethereal manifestation of light. There is a long tradition of preserving the Holy Qur’an in non-material forms, most notably in the memories of countless individuals.

For Muslims, the Book holds profound significance, as the first word of revelation was Iqra – to recite. (Not unlike The Gospel According to St John: “In the beginning was the Word.”) God is unseen, but His Word is made tangible; thus, the tradition of inscribing the Holy Qur’an is not only an act of worship but also a pathway to knowledge and an artistic endeavour.

The second section of the Biennale, Al-Madar, meaning “the orbit,” examines the role of numbers in Islamic art and culture. “Numbers allow us to understand our place in the universe, bring structure to our lives and map and measure the constellations above us and the lands and seas around us.”

Astrolabes from various periods, along with treatises on medicine, geometry, algebra, mathematics, astronomy and navigation, illustrate how the followers of The Book produced a vast body of research – deciphering the laws of nature and seeking to understand the truths of the universe as part of their pursuit of God. For to know His creation is to know the Creator. Objects such as books, scientific instruments, maps, charts, textiles, tiles, wood carvings, doors and pottery serve as testimony that each artefact was not merely an attempt to create a functional or decorative object but also an intellectual inquiry.

The sheer quantity of displays – 266 pieces in this section – demonstrates that cultures remained in conversation, both internally and with others. This discourse was conveyed through multiple languages, techniques and mediums. It also highlights how the Muslim quest for knowledge and its practical application – from Al-Andalus to Java – manifested in diverse formats and directions.

Interestingly, in today’s art world – or rather, the art market – handcrafted artefacts are generally classified as functional objects, in contrast to large-scale works created for aesthetic contemplation. At the Biennale, one encounters exquisite pieces: handwritten, intricately crafted and immaculately produced, demanding close attention and almost inviting physical interaction. This contrasts with monumental artworks, which are typically viewed from a distance – both literally and figuratively.

This shift in Islamic art and culture was once explained by Seyyed Hossein Nasr in a lecture at the National College of Arts, Lahore. The author of The Heart of Islam observed that, in Islamic society, it is considered a greater artistic achievement to shape a perfect and beautiful knife or spoon than to paint an ambitious Sistine Chapel fresco – because a vast number of people use knives and spoons in their daily lives, whereas only a select few ever visit a mural.

(To be concluded)

The writer is visual artist, an art critic, curator, and a professor at the School of Visual Arts and Design, Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. He can be contacted at quddusmirza@gmail.com.