Will the Arab Spring Bloom at the Venice Biennale?: A Preview of Four Politically Charged Displays

Ahmed Alsoudani's "Untitled," 2011  

Arab artists will have a heightened presence at the Venice Biennale this year, with five national pavilions from the Middle East  — representing Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates — as well as the international event's first-ever Pan-Arab exhibition and other independent shows.  Considering the democratic upheavals and revolutionary fervor that have overtaken the Middle East during the last five months, the political moment will be sharply reflected in several of these displays.  source artinfo