The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 in Jeddah introduces Al Madar as one of its key sections, redefining how Islamic art is experienced in the contemporary era. Al Madar challenges the conventional biennale framework, shifting the focus from the historical moment when artworks were created to the contemporary moment of their viewing. This approach provokes fresh dialogues about the relevance and interpretation of Islamic art in the 21st century.
With over 34 participating institutions from more than 20 countries, IAB ensures that often-overlooked regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern and Southeastern Asia, receive due representation. This expansion not only highlights the diversity of Islamic art but also fosters new partnerships across cultural institutions worldwide. “We knew that it needed to be broad,” says Masa Al-Kutoubi, AlMadar’s lead.
For the 2025 edition, AlMadar explores the theme The Art of Numbers, a concept that bridges historical mathematical thought with contemporary digital possibilities, including generative AI. Numbers, fundamental to Islamic artistic traditions, manifest in diverse ways—sometimes overtly, in geometric patterns and architectural designs, and sometimes subtly, as underlying structures of artistic composition. The Biennale’s theme, And All That Is In Between—wama bainahuma, finds profound expression in Al Madar, where numbers serve as a conduit between the material and the celestial.
Dr. Abdul Rahman Azzam, Artistic Director of the Biennale, emphasises that the exhibition follows three key axes: horizontal, vertical, and timeless. “Horizontally, it is critical that when we talk about Islamic culture, we do not confine it to the ones that we expect. We were very lucky that we succeeded—from Mali to Tunisia—it represents the whole gamut of Islamic culture,” he explains. “The vertical axis was about ensuring these objects had a deeper story to tell, often connected to the Quran or religious practice. And the timeless axis was key—we wanted visitors to leave knowing that Islamic art is not a relic of the past but a continuing, evolving tradition.”
Rather than prescribing a rigid curatorial narrative, the Biennale encouraged participating institutions to interpret the theme through their collections, leading to varied yet interconnected explorations. Common threads emerged, including numbers as guides for orientation, tools for astronomy, and markers of time. These perspectives were further distilled into overarching thematic clusters such as Astronomy & Sciences, Faith & Practice, Land & Sea, Line & Form, Symbol & Object, and Design & Structure.
A key aspect in this edition was the introduction of collaborative “islands,” where works from different institutions were grouped to tell cohesive stories. These thematic clusters offer visitors an enriched, layered experience, blending artefacts from different periods and geographies to illuminate the interconnected nature of Islamic artistic traditions. Figures such as Abdulrahman al-Sufi and Muhammad bin Musa al-Khwarizmi feature prominently, alongside rare manuscripts, celestial maps, and architectural blueprints.
One of the highlights of this year’s edition is a rare Fibonacci manuscript on loan from the Vatican Library. This historic text, which introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to Europe, is exhibited alongside a foundational mathematical treatise from the Islamic world by al-Khwarizmi, illustrating the deep interconnections between different intellectual traditions. The juxtaposition of these two works underscores how mathematical knowledge was transmitted across cultures, shaping the foundations of modern arithmetic and scientific thought.
8th century AH/14th century CE. Black and red ink on paper with leather binding, h. 27 × w. 20.7 cm
Vatican City, Vatican Apostolic Library, Vat. lat. 4606
Dr. Abdul Rahman Azzam reflects on this connection: “It is incredible to see these two manuscripts side by side, as they remind us that knowledge is never confined to one civilisation. The Fibonacci manuscript is often seen as a cornerstone of European mathematics, yet its foundation is rooted in the mathematical advancements of the Islamic world. This exhibition is an opportunity to showcase how intellectual exchange has always been a defining feature of human progress.”
Black and red ink on paper, h. 25.5 × w. 18 cm. King Abdulaziz Waqf Libraries Assembly, Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, MS.4/512
In keeping with the Biennale’s broader mission, AlMadar integrates contemporary commissions alongside historical works, reinforcing the idea that Islamic art is a living, evolving tradition. Artists such as Mehdi Moutashar, Charwei Tsai, and Timo Nasseri contribute new works that engage deeply with the theme of numbers, establishing a dialogue between historical artistic practices and modern interpretations.
Timo Nasseri about Echoes of the Skies
Timo Nasseri’s installation explores the principles of muqarnas, a form of Islamic architectural ornamentation based on geometric subdivisions of a vault. Drawing inspiration from a Sufi poem, Nasseri’s work fuses tradition with contemporary interpretations, inviting viewers to contemplate the mathematical intricacies embedded in Islamic design. Nasseri explains his work: ‘This work is inspired by The Conference of the Birds, a Sufi poem. What you see is an installation of 1,200 mirrored murals suspended from the ceiling, forming a flock of birds. In The Conference of the Birds, the birds of the world embark on a journey to find their king, the Simurgh. To reach him, they must cross seven mountains and seven seas, ultimately arriving at the seventh valley. However, when they reach their destination, they do not see a king. Instead, as they look down at their own reflections, they realise that together, they are the Simurgh. In my installation, the mirrored pieces hanging from the ceiling create a similar effect. When you stand directly beneath them and look up, they form a muqarnas—a complex, mathematically precise architectural element found in Islamic design. The intricate geometry of muqarnas and Islamic mathematical patterns inspired this work.’
Charwei Tsai’s commission creates a poetic dialogue between contemporary abstraction and historical craftsmanship. Taking inspiration from a historical dish from Samarkand, Tsai meticulously translates its rhythmic proportions into a modern sculptural language, demonstrating the enduring resonance of geometric harmonies across time and cultures.
Mehdi Moutashar’s work, Alidade, references the astrolabe, an ancient astronomical instrument used for navigation and orientation. Moutashar’s installation revisits these historical tools, offering a minimalist yet profound meditation on the intersection of mathematics, spirituality, and artistic expression. His piece serves as a homage to the intellectual traditions of the Islamic world while emphasising their relevance to contemporary artistic discourse. Al-Kutoubi states: “Mehdi Moutashar mentioned that he was enamoured by the universal astrolabe. And we thought we had some spectacular astrolabes from three of the participating institutions. This is exactly what we’re talking about—how do you transcend the concept of time and make it so relevant today?”
Dr Azzam reinforces this point, stating, “We were determined that AlMadar would not be seen as a fossilised museum. We’re not talking about Islamic cultural art in the past; we’re talking about it in the present and hopefully in the future. That’s why we were so happy to work with Muhannad Shono to select contemporary installations. The same principles that motivated people in the past to create are still relevant today.”
One of the successes of AlMadar lies in the relationships it has fostered. Participating institutions have contributed their collections but have also formed new partnerships, setting the stage for continued collaboration beyond the Biennale itself.