Venice Archives

With Rooted Transience, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation presents its first international exhibition in Venice as part of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia 2025. Hosted at the historic Abbey of San Gregorio, the project extends a journey that began in Saudi Arabia, establishing a space for cultural exchange and dialogue between tradition and innovation within a uniquely Venetian context.Curated by Faysal Tabbarah, Rooted Transience explores the relationship between rootedness and transformation through the architectural typology of the musalla a space for prayer and contemplation characterized by adaptability and temporality. The exhibition brings together full-scale installations, models, and digital content from the AlMusalla Prize 2025, including the winning project On Weaving Al Musalla by EAST Architecture Studio alongside works by the shortlisted finalists, offering a multifaceted reflection on contemporary Islamic architecture.

At the heart of the exhibition stands a faithfully reproduced architectural fragment of On Weaving, fabricated in Jeddah specifically for the Venice presentation. Constructed using reclaimed date palm wood and traditional natural fiber weaving techniques, the fragment translates the material, structural, and symbolic qualities of the musalla into a form suited to the historic setting of the Abbey. Installed in the cloister, it acts as a tangible mediator between Saudi architectural heritage and Venice’s layered architectural memory.

The exhibition journey opens with the AlMusalla Prize Room, introducing the origins of the Prize and the cultural context from which it emerged. Through archival materials, narratives, and contextual references, the room traces the inception of Al Musalla as an architectural initiative rooted in adaptability, spirituality, and contemporary design, originally situated at the Western Hajj Terminal in Jeddah.

The second room presents the four shortlisted projects from the AlMusalla Prize competition. Displayed through scale models, the projects explore diverse interpretations of the musalla typology, addressing themes of light, geometry, materiality, and spatial perception. Together, the models reflect a plurality of architectural approaches, highlighting how a temporary space of prayer can generate varied and culturally resonant forms.

The path then leads to the central model room, where a complete scale reconstruction of Al Musalla reveals the geometry and structure of the winning project. Displayed in its entirety, the model highlights the architectural logic behind On Weaving and serves as the exhibition’s core physical counterpart to the full-scale fragment installed in the Abbey’s cloister.

The exhibition concludes with the VR Room, offering an immersive digital experience that transports visitors inside Al Musalla. Through virtual reality, guests can explore the architecture from within, perceiving scale, light, and spatial continuity, and completing the exhibition journey by bridging physical presence with digital interpretation.

The reproduced fragment of Al Musalla was produced in Saudi Arabia and carefully transported to Venice through a controlled international process. From fabrication to on-site delivery, each phase was managed to ensure quality, safety, and full compatibility with the historic context of San Gregorio Abbey.

Once on site, the fragment was installed through a custom-designed structural solution, ensuring stability and full protection of the historic setting. The installation was completed with a calibrated lighting setup that enhanced the material qualities and spatial presence of the work, guaranteeing visual clarity and safety throughout the Biennale.

The public program

BLΛCK conceived, curated, and delivered every aspect of the Public Program, from the exhibition layouts and technical direction to the development of a dedicated brand identity for each activation. The team also produced a cross-channel communication strategy, managing social media content and a city-wide MUPI campaign across key Venetian touchpoints including Santa Lucia station, vaporetto routes, and the airport ensuring strong on-site visibility and sustained public engagement. Over seven months, the program welcomed more than 85,000 visitors, confirming the Abbey as a vibrant platform for cultural exchange throughout the Biennale.

Saudi short movies

A curated program of Saudi short films presented in collaboration with the Saudi Film Commission. Screenings were accompanied by panels and live Q&A sessions with filmmakers, positioning cinema as a tool for cultural dialogue.

Pop-Up Store KAF BY KAF x adidas

A limited-edition retail activation developed in collaboration with the Fashion Commission, showcasing the partnership between Saudi label KAF BY KAF and adidas. The pop-up highlighted Saudi creativity through contemporary fashion, storytelling, and spatial design.

Threads of Identity: Saudi House of Fashion

The exhibition curated with the Fashion Commission, explored Saudi fashion through heritage and innovation. Garments and jewelry from the Saudi 100 Brands initiative were presented as expressions of identity and contemporary craftsmanship.

Kingdom Photography Award “In A New Light”

A photography exhibition presented in collaboration with the Visual Arts Commission, showcasing contemporary perspectives on Saudi Arabia through selected works from the Kingdom Photography Award. Public engagement activities fostered visual exchange and dialogue by an activation called “photo walk”

Flavors Without Borders

Two day culinary experience developed with Slow Food and the Culinary arts Commission, where chef Taleen Miliani chef and Chiara Pavan co created a shared tasting menu, blending two culinary culture to create a space for dialogue around culture, sustainability, and creativity.

A Fusion of Saudi & Venetian Sound Landscape

A site-specific sound installation developed in collaboration with the Music Commission, weaving traditional Saudi instruments with Venetian soundscapes. The immersive experience invited visitors into a contemplative journey, where sound guided the discovery of shared cultural resonances.

Year of Handicrafts,WRTH,Heritage commission

An installation developed in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, celebrating Saudi craftsmanship through materials, objects, and regional traditions. The project highlighted traditional techniques and artisanal knowledge as living cultural practices.

Lines That Unite: Arabic Calligraphy in Space

An exhibition presented with the Heritage Commission, exploring Arabic calligraphy as a spatial and living art form. Performances and workshops invited visitors to engage directly with calligraphy as cultural expression.

Gift Shop

The exhibition gift shop was designed as a curated extension of the show, blending contemporary design with Saudi cultural identity. Custom displays and furnishings enhance the products and echo the exhibition’s visual language. Saudi handcrafted items are presented with concise storytelling and refined packaging, highlighting their origin, technique, and meaning. The space functions as both retail and cultural experience, making Saudi heritage accessible, memorable, and high-quality.

Together, the ground-floor exhibition and the first-floor activations shaped a single, continuous experience within San Gregorio Abbey. Architectural research, material heritage, and contemporary creative practices converged into a shared narrative — one that invited visitors to move between physical fragments, digital immersion, and live cultural exchange, expanding the meaning of the musalla beyond its original context.

Through the realization of Rooted Transience and the production of the Public Program, BLΛCK helped transform the Abbey into a landmark platform for international dialogue during the Biennale. The project stands as a lasting example of how historic venues can be reactivated through design and cultural programming, creating new bridges between Saudi Arabia and Venice while leaving a legacy of collaboration, visibility, and shared knowledge.

BLΛCK managed the executive production of the exhibition design and the adaptation of the Abbazia di San Gregorio venues. The team coordinated the transformation of a historic residence into an exhibition space compliant with the museum standards required for hosting and conserving artworks from major international institutions. Through its project management activities, BLΛCK coordinated the dialogue between the curatorial team, designers, and suppliers, overseeing all phases of development, production, and installation. The intervention included a technical and systems upgrade program covering HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), lighting, security, and environmental monitoring systems, as well as the infrastructure necessary for the proper functioning of the exhibition spaces. Operating within a historic building subject to strict architectural and conservation constraints, BLΛCK managed the adaptation and exhibition setup interventions, ensuring full respect for the site’s original features and compliance with the museum, operational, and conservation requirements of the project.

The exhibition explores the theme of cartography as a tool for cultural representation and interpretation of the world, creating a dialogue between historical maps and contemporary artworks from international institutions and collections. BLΛCK coordinated the entire loan management process, handling the logistics, insurance, and conservation aspects related to the transport and display of the artworks. Concurrently, BLΛCK supported the artists and their teams in producing site-specific installations and multimedia works, coordinating their executive production while ensuring compliance with the defined technical, curatorial, and conservation requirements.

BLΛCK managed the public launch of the exhibition by coordinating the communication, promotion, and institutional relations activities linked to the opening event, contributing to the positioning of the initiative within the context of the Venice Biennale. Concurrently, BLΛCK organized and supervised all operational activities related to the exhibition’s opening and the subsequent daily management of the venues, coordinating reception, security, visitor management, and public support services. Through constant operational oversight and the management of dedicated staff, BLΛCK ensured high service standards for visitors, institutional stakeholders, and international guests throughout the entire exhibition period.

The project represents a model of integrated management for a complex international cultural initiative, in which BLΛCK acted as the sole manager responsible for the strategic, technical, and operational coordination throughout the entire lifecycle of the exhibition. From initial planning to managing client relations, from curatorial coordination to exhibition design and installation, from loan and artwork management to communication activities, through to daily operations and visitor management, BLΛCK ensured complete oversight of all project components. This approach guaranteed decisional consistency, operational control, and execution quality across all phases of the exhibition’s development and management.