The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia “Venice Biennale” has announced the public program accompanying artist Dana Awartani’s work, titled “May Your Tears Never Dry, You Who Weep over Stones.” The program is curated by Antonia Carver, with Hafsa Alkhudairi serving as assistant curator. The program will begin in Venice with two new performances on November 20 and 21 at the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia in the Arsenale. Presented by artist and writer Mohammad Alfaraj and researcher and writer Nouf AlHarthi, the performances respond to the installation’s materials and themes and will be overseen by the curatorial team. Through storytelling, poetry, and sound, the two performances explore cultural memory, its continuity, and the transmission of cultural heritage across generations. Alfaraj uses storytelling to explore collective cultural memory and the relationship between people and their environment, while AlHarthi examines the role of language, sound, and listening in expressing memory and place, according to SPA. The performances also feature sound artist Nadine Lingawi, whose artistic practice combines environmental sounds and electronic elements to explore the relationship between sound and place. The public program will continue in Saudi Arabia in January 2027, with panel discussions bringing together Awartani, the curatorial team, and several participants. The discussions will explore how knowledge is transmitted through craft practices, the influence of traditional crafts on contemporary artistic production, and the role of storytelling, poetry, and performance in preserving cultural memory and passing it down through generations. Awartani’s earthen installation comprises 29,221 sun-dried mud bricks, created in collaboration with 32 artisans based in Saudi Arabia. It draws on mosaic patterns inspired by sites of historical significance. The installation will remain on display at the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia until November 22. An illustrated book exploring Awartani’s artistic practice is also expected to be published in January 2027. Commissioned by the Visual Arts Commission, the book will be edited by Carver and published by Kaph Books. The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia’s participation was commissioned by the Visual Arts Commission, one of the 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture. This marks Saudi Arabia’s fifth participation in the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
