Sharjah Biennial 15: Engines Of Meditation

Serving as a makeshift shade from the pervasive sunshine on Sharjah’s east coast, Ibrahim Mahama’s installation on the outer flank of Kalba Ice Factory had visitors squinting upward. A Tale of Time and Purple Republic (2023) is a convergence of several elements of the Ghanaian artist’s practice pulled together over much of the last decade. It consists of an 80 x 9 meter swathe of dark grey cloth, upon which traditional handwoven smock fabrics were sewn, the entire piece was then threaded through an enormous, purpose-built metal loom. Despite its almost overwhelming size, the artwork gave off a gentle presence as it caught the breeze coming from the nearby mangroves.

ReviewsAnna SeamanApril 12, 2023Sharjah Biennial, SB15, Hadara Magazine, Juan Castro Photoholic, Doris Salcedo, Uprooted, Okwui EnwezorComment

Game Changer

Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi is a true game changer. Thanks to her work at the Sharjah Art Foundation, she has led the way to great regional impact that has created ripples around the world. She is passionate, hard working and visionary - a real asset to the art and cultural landscape in the UAE and beyond.

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi: The Interview

Collector, patron, supporter, commentator, inspiration. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi has worked at raising the profile of Arab art across the world, for more than a decade.

Leaving the Echo Chamber

The event came to a close in June 2019, here is a look back over the Sharjah Biennial’s 14th edition, which had three curators for the first time and achieved a wonderful symbiosis of place and content.