The Majlis - The Caravane Foundation at the Venice Biennale

Before opening its seasonal Art Village in the Qatari Desert, the Caravane Foundation brings the first of its eight principal structures, the Majlis, to the re-designed wild-flower garden of the Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore at the 2020 Venice Biennale. Inspired by nomadic architecture, the Majlis is made from the most renewable building material on earth – bamboo – and shrouded in textiles handwoven in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Traditionally, a majlis is the place where people come together to deepen their connection with each other. In this case, it will help to reflect on the Biennale theme: How will we live together? In recognition of its cultural significance in the Arabian Peninsula, the majlis is inscribed on UNESCO’s ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. This intervention explores the careful sourcing of materials, ethical processes of production and the legacy of the Majlis. The Foundation, with its international array of individuals and in dialogue with the Benedictine community, aims to restore a collective awareness of the sacred interconnectivity between Humans, Culture and Nature through craftsmanship, art, innovation, agriculture and education.