May 28–November 27, 2016
The Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) is excited to announce its third national participation at the 15th Venice International Architecture Biennale. The pavilion titled Between East and West: A Gulf looks past Kuwait’s borders to the contested hydrography of the Arabian/Persian Gulf and proposes a new master-plan for the region. In an area of physical, religious, and political division, the Kuwaiti pavilion tells the story of the Gulf’s islands and the possibilities they hold for a joint territorial project. The pavilion, located in the Arsenale, features a catalog of over 300 islands in the Gulf elaborating on their histories and character. In addition to this compilation, the pavilion features design proposals for a selection of these islands—made from young and established architectural practices in the region—aimed at how a masterplan could be implemented across these contested waters.
The third in a series of architecture pavilions which explores the national in Kuwait, this chapter considers the country’s role in the region as part of a larger conversation towards peace and cooperation. An unprecedented initiative for a national participation from the Gulf, the subject of this year’s exhibition was chosen by the NCCAL for its aim to initiate a conversation amongst the countries that border this body of water, and to imagine a collective project to unify the region.
The exhibition has been commissioned by Zahra Ali Baba of the NCCAL (National Council for Culture Arts and Letters – Kuwait). The curators are Hamed Bukhamseen from Kuwait and Ali Karimi from Bahrain. Accompanying the pavilion is a research publication both in English and in Arabic which is available within the exhibition space. For more detailed information about the curators, participants, or the pavilion, please visit: www.kuwaitpavilion2016.com.
Commissioner
Zahra Ali Baba —
National Council for Culture Arts and Letters / Kuwait (NCCAL)
Curators
Hamed Bukhamseen, Ali Karimi
Art Director / Graphic Designer
Fahad AlHunaif
Publication Coordinator / Editor
Muneerah Alrabe
Project Designers & Research Architects
Saphiya Abu Almaati, Shahab Albahar, Mai Albusairi, Nada Alqallaf, Rawan Alsaffar, Yousef Awaad Hussein
Financial Team
Mohammed Al Ajmi, Mohammed Al Jameel
Administrative Team
Abdullah Albeeshi (Head of team), Noora Al Musallam, Jaber Al Qallaf, Jassim Al Shamali
With exhibited design contributions from AGi Architects, Behemoth Press with Matteo Mannini Architects, Design Earth, ESAS Architects, Fortuné Penniman with Studio Bound, PAD10, and X-Architects.
With written contributions by Fahad Bishara, Ahmed Makia, Fatma Sahlawi & Rashid bin Shabib, Rand Abduljabbar & Maitha Mezroui, Nesrin Tabatabai & Babak Afrassiabi, Noor Boushehri, Abdulatif Al-Mishari.
