teamLab Borderless Jeddah, known as a museum without a map, opened on June 10 in Jeddah Historic District as a collaborative initiative between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Tokyo-based art collective teamLab. Spanning approximately 10,000 sqm of gross floor area, the museum is the Middle East’s first-ever teamLab Borderless to be permanently established on the shores of Alarbaeen Lagoon, overlooking the panoramic views of Historic Jeddah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Immense installation unveiled at teamLab Borderless in Historic Jeddah. When people touch the flowers, they scatter and die. When people touch the sand, the falling sand breaks up. (teamLab, Persistence of Life in the Sandfall / Photo: teamLab)
teamLab Borderless Jeddah is one of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Programme initiatives to develop and foster cultural and arts exhibition infrastructure, with the aim of strengthening the Kingdom’s contribution to arts and culture, one of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
teamLab Borderless is a world of artworks without boundaries, a museum without a map created by teamLab. Artworks move out of rooms, communicate with other works, influence, and sometimes intermingle with each other with no boundaries, forming one continuous borderless world. As visitors immerse their body in this borderless art, they ‘wander, explore, and discover’.
The immense museum, which first opened its doors in 2018 in Tokyo and set a world record for the most visited single-artist museum (*1), comprises over 80 independent artworks that form complex interrelationships with one another as well as with visitors, eternally transforming the scenery. teamLab Borderless Jeddah is composed of multiple seamlessly interconnected areas: Borderless World, Light Sculpture, Athletics Forest, Future Park, Forest of Lamps, EN TEA HOUSE, and Sketch Factory.
Toshiyuki Inoko, Founder of teamLab, said, ”Jeddah is one of the leading global cities in the Middle East with a profound history and rich culture. We are very honored to be able to open teamLab Borderless in Historic Jeddah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This time, we were able to launch teamLab Borderless on a monumental scale, with truly beautiful architecture in this wonderful location.
teamLab Borderless is based on the concept that everything exists in a borderless continuity. We want to create the ‘beautiful’ in which the various artworks relate to each other and are continuous without boundaries.
Our artworks are based on the continuity of knowledge over the long history of humanity. For this reason, it is very significant to be able to establish a large-scale teamLab Borderless in Historic Jeddah. Through Historic Jeddah and teamLab Borderless, we want to make this place the most amazing place in the world, creating an experience where people travel between the seamlessly interconnected past and present, and feel a strong sense of meaning.”
Abdulrahman Almotawa, Official Spokesperson of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, said, “We are immensely proud to open teamLab Borderless Museum in the heart of Jeddah’s historic district. This first-of-its-kind venture, realized in collaboration with teamLab, is part of a new chapter for Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape. It is a revolutionary space where the boundaries between art, technology and our natural world converge, offering a truly immersive experience. We are grateful to teamlab for sharing in the Ministry of Culture’s dedication to fostering innovative artistic expressions that resonate both locally and globally.
We envisage teamlab Borderless Jeddah as a dynamic meeting point, where visitors can explore uncharted territories of creativity and engage in a dialogue that bridges the Kingdom’s rich heritage with contemporary artistic discourse. As the Ministry of Culture continues to work towards achieving the cultural goals of Saudi Vision 2030, we aim for the museum to enhance the Kingdom’s position as a center for arts and culture in the region and the world.”
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*1 “teamLab Borderless in Tokyo takes Guinness World Record” blooloop. July 22, 2021.
teamLab Borderless Jeddah
Culture Square, Jeddah Historic District, Saudi Arabia
For Media
Press Kit: https://bit.ly/borderless_jeddah
Highlight Video: https://youtu.be/xpfYR-nLzR8
Official Website: https://teamlab.art/e/jeddah/
About teamLab
teamLab (f. 2001) is an international art collective. Their collaborative practice seeks to navigate the confluence of art, science, technology, and the natural world. Through art, the interdisciplinary group of specialists aims to explore the relationship between the self and the world, and new forms of perception.
About the Saudi Ministry of Culture
Saudi Arabia has a vast history of arts and culture. The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the Ministry works towards the support of and preservation of a vibrant culture that is true to its past and looks to the future by cherishing heritage and unleashing new and inspiring forms of expression for all.
About the Quality of Life Program
Launched in 2018 as part of Saudi Vision 2030, is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals and families. This program focuses on creating an enabling environment that supports and develops new opportunities, encouraging participation in cultural, entertainment, sports, tourism activities, and other activities that contribute to improving quality of life. The program aims to generate employment, diversify economic activities, and elevate the status of Saudi cities in global rankings of the best cities to live in.
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