Breath in the art
Sharjah Art Foundation’s prestigious art exhibition Sharjah Biennial is back and it is taking us global. This year, the pieces are selected by three separate curators, who will introduce visitors to over 80 established and emerging artists from around the globe. The exhibition also includes 60 major new commissions and many never-before-seen works.
Sharjah Biennial is free and accessible to the public. Moreover, it offers free guided tours, so you can take in the whole experience. Also, if you are a fan of the arts and would like to take one back with you, the Sharjah Art Shop sells a lot of unique gifts and art publications. While you are there, make sure to stop by Fen Café and Restaurant, for a coffee and lunch break.
This year, in its 14th edition, the Sharjah Biennial is tackling the debatable question of how social media and technology affect global politics. This edition, which is titled “Leaving the Echo Chamber” kicked off on March 7 and will run till June 10 – it is plenty of time for you to visit more than just one time! Visitors can expect to stumble upon a diverse collection of work, thanks to this year’s curators, who specialise in s0me what different regions.
Zoe Butt, one of the curators, is based in Vietnam; while Claire Tancons, looks at Afro-Caribbean work; and Omar Kholeif, specialises in art from the Middle East. In this age of technology, Sharjah Biennial explores the possibilities and purpose of producing art at a time where news comes from different sources, history is fictionalised and when borders and beliefs are dictated by cultural, social and political systems.
Zoe, Claire and Omar are presenting three distinct exhibitions that bring together a range of experiences and works. They include new commissions, large-scale public installations, performances and films. The program seeks to put into conversation a series of provocations on how the shape, form and function of the echo chamber could be renegotiated. Not only that, but attendees can enjoy a series of sessions and events too.
Here are some of the workshops that you shouldn’t miss:
Film Programme
If you are a film fan, then you should definitely stop by the film programme, which is free and open to the public. It is held in Sharjah Art Foundation’s open air Mirage City Cinema. This will be held until April 26, so enjoy what is left of this good weather while watching documentaries and experimental films inspired by the three distinct. The films will be screened at 8:30 pm, so do not miss it!
Letter Writing Project
This educational workshop is available for People with Disabilities. In this program. guests will learn the basics of letter writing, while creating their own postcards and then heading to a nearby post office to mail them to loved ones
Tuesday, 10:00—12:00 pm – 23 April 2019
Experiment with Botanical Printmaking
This workshop was inspired by exhibiting artist, Nalina Malani’s 11-panel reverse painting All We Imagine as Light (2017). It introduces guests to the specialised craft of reverse painting on a transparent surface, which can be a glass or acrylic sheet. Moreover, participants will be given a tour of Nalina’s work at Sharjah Biennial and then have the opportunity to learn about the painting technique that she uses, which dates back centuries.
Saturday, 10:00—1:00 pm – 27 April 2019
Stop Motion Animation
This session is inspired by the work of another Sharjah Biennial artist, Michael Rakowitz. Here, participants will have the opportunity to explore the techniques required to create a stop motion video through live demonstration and hands-on practice. It will be a true learning experience, as participants will get to produce a final video and receive feedback on their work from the instructor at the end of the workshop.
Saturday, 10:00—2:00 pm – 4 May 2019
Exploration of Sound
In this workshop, participants will view the work of Akram Zaatari, who is one of this year’s Sharjah Biennial artists. His performance film explores sounds from objects found in space, and then they translates the sounds heard into visuals. This session is perfect for those between the ages of 11 to 15.
Saturday, 10:00—12:00 pm – 4 May 2019
There are so many more events and activities to be a part of at the 14th edition of the Sharjah Biennial. The exhibition is open to the public for free, and workshops and sessions will be happening at different locations, so check out the full schedule for the events here.
Don’t forget to visit!
Media: Supplied
