REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, VENESIA -- The Saudi Ministry of Culture has announced a major international exhibition titled A Necessary Fiction: Maps, Art, and Models of Our World, set to take place in Venice, Italy. The exhibition will run from May 6 to November 22, 2026, at the historic Abbazia di San Gregorio, coinciding with the 61st edition of La Biennale di Venezia.

Curated by Sara Almutlaq and Aurora Fonda, alongside associate curators Zaira Carrer and Amina Diab, the exhibition brings together a wide range of historical maps, cultural objects, and contemporary artworks. The collection spans from the 13th century to the present day, including newly commissioned pieces.

The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how maps have shaped human understanding of the world. Beyond their practical use, maps are presented as imaginative constructs that blend mythology, science, and cultural interpretation across different eras. By placing early cartographic works alongside contemporary art, the exhibition highlights the evolving relationship between geography, identity, and knowledge.

Among the highlights are early-modern European maps depicting the Arabian Peninsula, shown in dialogue with artifacts such as incense burners and 18th-century manuscripts from the region. These elements underscore the long history of trade and cultural exchange that has influenced the Arabian Peninsula.

A range of international artists contribute site-specific and conceptual works. Installations by Nasser Al Salem and Matilde Sambo guide visitors through the venue, while Monira Al Qadiri presents a façade installation that reconnects audiences with historical Arab journeys to Northern Europe. Other artists, including Shilpa Gupta and Reena Saini Kallat, explore the fragile and transient nature of maps, while Manal AlDowayan examines the sense of belonging tied to geographic landscapes.

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