From South Asian art to award-winning films: Sharjah Art Foundation puts on exciting events this season

The programmes take place in Al Mureijah Art Spaces and cover a wide range of topics such as technology and pop culture

A Staff Reporter

Published: Mon 26 Sep 2022, 3:51 PM

Last updated: Thu 29 Sep 2022, 3:05 PM

Sharjah Art Foundation has organised a wide range of exhibits, bringing together artists from different disciplines and various regions of the world. Here are some of the displays visitors can enjoy at the Al Mureijah Art Spaces.

Hangama Amiri, Bazaar, 2020. Cotton, chiffon, muslin, silk, suede, digitally woven textile, camouflage fabric, sari textile, inkjet prints on paper and canvas, paper, plastic, acrylic paint, marker, polyester, table cloth, faux leather, and found fabric; 426.72 × 792.48 cm. Co urtesy of the artist and T293 Gallery, Rome

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Pop South Asia: Artistic Explorations in the Popular is one of the first major exhibitions of pop art from South Asia, featuring over 100 artworks by artists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the South Asian diaspora.

Artists explore the aesthetics of print, cinematic and digital media, alongside those engaging with devotional practices, crafts and folk culture. The exhibition also includes artists addressing modes of local capitalism, from large-scale industries to vernacular ‘bazaars’, as well as those commenting on identity, politics and borders.

Jeanno Gaussi, Dreams On Wheels, Kabul, 2013. Wood, acrylic paint; dimensions variable. Painted by Ustad Abdullah; commissioned by Jeanno Gaussi. Courtesy of the artist.

Organised by Sharjah Art Foundation and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, Pop South Asia is curated by Iftikhar Dadi, artist and John H. Burris Professor at Cornell University, and Roobina Karode, Director and Chief Curator of KNMA.

Ahmad Ghossein, The Fourth Stage (still), 2015. Single - channel video, 37 minutes. Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation. Sharjah Art Foundation Collection.

The Watch and Chill 2.0: Streaming Senses exhibition includes both a subscription-based streaming platform and in-person screening programme. International audiences can access a selection of moving-image artworks from the collections of three major international institutions, while local audiences can view a range of rarely-seen media-based artworks at Al Mureijah Art Spaces.

The presentation speaks to what ‘sensing’ might mean in the digital era. Twenty-two artworks respond to the relationship between technology and human perception, venturing beyond the screen to evoke various forms of synesthesia.

Jenna Sutela, nimiia cétiï (still), 2018. Video; 12 minutes 4 seconds.Created in collaboration with Memo Akten and Damien Henry as part of n-dimensions, Google Arts & Culture's artist in residence program at Somerset House Studios, London.Courtesy of the artist. Sharjah Art Foundation Collection

Watch and Chill 2.0: Streaming Senses is organised by Sharjah Art Foundation with the support of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, in partnership with ArkDes, the Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design, and is curated by Jihoi Lee, Curator of Architecture, Installation and Sculpture, MMCA; James Taylor-Foster, Curator of Contemporary Architecture and Design, ArkDes; and Hoor Al Qasimi, Director, Sharjah Art Foundation.

Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual events has something for every type of artistic preference.

Maryam Firuzi, Najmeh Kazazi, 2021. From ‘Scattered memories of a distorted future’, 2021. Digital print; 42 x 31.5 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Photography enthusiasts can enjoy Vantage Point Sharjah in its 10th edition. It will run from September 16 to December 11 at Al Hamriyah Studios. Audiences can discover diverse approaches to photography, from photojournalism and photo essays to analogue and experimental forms by up-and-coming photographers from the region and around the world.

Mirage City Cinema, Sharjah Art Foundation

Sharjah Film Platform's fifth edition will run from September 21 to October 30. This year’s screening programme will offer a wide spectrum of films, featuring the outstanding works selected from an open call from more than 3,000 submissions, alongside recent critically acclaimed films and historical films.

FOCAL POINT Art Book Fair takes place from November 25 to 27 and supports the practice of independent bookmaking from the region and around the world. The annual event showcases a selection of printed material by artists’ presses, bookmakers, self-publishers, and other non-commercial cultural producers. Hosted in heritage house Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, the fair includes talks, book launches, artists’ signings, workshops, music and artist-made products. The fair places a special focus on UAE-based publishers and functions as a critical space for knowledge sharing and community building. Further details about participants and programme will be announced in October.

Random International, Rain Room. Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation

The Foundation’s permanent installation Rain Room Sharjah (2012) will continue to be open. Artist collective Random International’s immersive installation allows visitors to walk through a downpour of continuous rain without getting wet. The responsive environment follows visitors as they navigate the darkened space, preventing rain from falling on anyone.

Visitors can take a break from viewing exhibitions to dine at Fen Café & Restaurant. The Flying Saucer, an award-winning architectural landmark housing the first art library in Sharjah is open as well. There is also a large open area for events such as film screenings, workshops, performances and readings. The Sharjah Art Shops have a large collection of art publications, books and printed material as well as design-led gifts and educational items.

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