National Pavilion UAE announces 21 interns for 2019 Venice Biennale art exhibition

2 April 2019, Abu Dhabi: The National Pavilion United Arab Emirates (UAE) – La Biennale di Venezia has selected 21 interns for the 2019 cycle of its Venice Internship program. The annual internship offers hands-on experience and training. Interns will each spend one month in Venice assisting with the daily operations of the UAE’s exhibition at the Venice Biennale. This year’s exhibition, curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, will present a newly-commissioned site-specific video installation by award-winning poet and filmmaker Nujoom Alghanem.

Laila Binbrek, Co-ordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE, said: “As the regional cultural landscape develops, it is vital that we as institutions work to equip our youth with the skills that they need to fulfil their potential and develop into future leaders. The National Pavilion UAE’s internship program aims to offer concrete training and valuable opportunities to each class of interns and to act as a platform for their ongoing careers, with alumni working across the UAE’s leading cultural and governmental organisations.”

The National Pavilion UAE has worked with more than 180 interns since 2009, and many have gone on to successful careers in the arts, architecture and diplomacy.

Amal Al Khajah, Curatorial Coordinator at Sharjah Art Foundation, who interned in 2015, said: “The Venice Internship program is a unique opportunity to gain experience by working at the most prestigious event in the international cultural landscape, especially in the UAE National Pavilion. The program has long been considered a necessary step in the development of professional skills, especially as it was the starting point of my career and an unforgettable experience in enhancing my knowledge and widening my horizons.”

The Venice Internship is open to Emiratis and long-term UAE residents with an interest in arts, architecture, diplomacy, international relations or representing the UAE on a significant global platform. Rotated on a monthly basis throughout the six months of the Biennale, the interns will undergo an educational program in partnership with notable cultural institutions in the UAE and in Venice, including workshops, lectures, assignments and studio visits, enabling interns to engage with the content of the exhibition and the dynamic cultural scene of the UAE.

Through the National Pavilion UAE’s ongoing partnership with Venice’s Ca’ Foscari University, seven Italian interns will work alongside the UAE interns at the pavilion, supporting cultural exchange throughout the Biennale.

The selected interns for 2019 are: Afra Al Zarooni, Aliyah Al Awadhi, Amira Al Awadhi, Amna Al Banna, Ayesha Al Haddad, Ayesha Abdulaziz, Basil Al Taher, Fatima Al Badi, Hassana Arif, Khawla Al Mheiri, Mariam Al Zayani, Maryam Al Mannaee, Meitha Al Saeedi, Mohammad Al Shamsi, Nour Al Harmoodi, Raneen Zaaterah, Salma Al Shamsi, Sarah Al Blooshi, Shaikha Al Maazmi, Youssef Abbas and Zuhoor Al Sayegh.

Each year, the National Pavilion UAE participates in the Venice Biennale with an exhibition exploring the arts or architectural practices of the UAE. The Biennale is one of the world’s most significant cultural events, with over 615,000 visitors attending in 2017. The 2019 edition of the International Art Exhibition will run from May 11 through November 24 under the title ‘May You Live in Interesting Times’ selected by Ralph Rugoff as a starting point for creative dialogues about truth, playfulness and uncertainty in art.

The National Pavilion UAE is commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development. The UAE has participated in the International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale since 2009 and maintains a permanent pavilion in the Arsenale – Sale d’Armi. 2019 marks the UAE’s sixth participation at the International Art Exhibition.