Bahrain art, craftsmanship in focus at La Biennale Paris

Over forty works of contemporary Bahraini art by 21 selected artists and eleven beautifully curated wood collectible pieces of The Bahrain Room project will be showcased this September at La Biennale Paris, one of the most prestigious art shows in the world. The Kingdom is the ‘invited country’ at the 60-year old art festival, which takes place from September 13 to 17 this year.

The 364 square-metre ArtBAB Pavilion will be the largest at the show. It will also be the first time that traditional Bahraini artisans are part of the Kingdom’s art delegation at an international show of this stature. The Bahrain Room exhibits shall include 2 wall art installations and furniture collectible pieces highlighting the traditional handicraft techniques of Bahrain.

“The international dimension of the Biennale Paris has been further underscored through the confirmation of the first guest of honour: the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Mathias Ary Jan, President of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, which organises the biennale. “In a pavilion designed by Nathalie Crinière, the focus will be on Bahrain’s culture and the engaging cultural vision of this Gulf country.

We are confident that this robust presence along with the excellence of contemporary Bahraini art will attract collectors from the region and also other parts of the world.” The exhibition shall be curated by noted art critic, exhibition curator and editor, Pascale Le Thorel and artist and curator Amal Khalaf, both influential and knowledgeable in the global art world.

“The showcase of Bahraini contemporary art and the cultural narrative of the Kingdom’s handicrafts in La Biennale Paris represents a major accomplishment for our artists who have established their footprint across Borders,” said the founder of Art Select and ArtBAB, Kaneka Subberwal, under whose direction the Biennale project has come to fruition. “This is also a double celebration, as, for the first time, nine of Bahrain’s traditional artisans too will be part of the exhibitors, taking the narrative of the Kingdom’s rich legacy and heritage to an audience of art connoisseurs.”