• Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, Sharjah Biennial curator and Sharjah Art Foundation director, leads a tour of the Sharjah Art Museum. All Photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
    Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, Sharjah Biennial curator and Sharjah Art Foundation director, leads a tour of the Sharjah Art Museum. All Photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A work by Kimathi Donkor, an artist of Ghanaian, Anglo-Jewish and Jamaican descent, who lives in London and explores the history of Africa and its global diasporas.
    A work by Kimathi Donkor, an artist of Ghanaian, Anglo-Jewish and Jamaican descent, who lives in London and explores the history of Africa and its global diasporas.
  • Photographer Hiroji Kubota captured portraits of the Black Panther party in the 1960s, as well as reportage of American military bases in Okinawa, Japan
    Photographer Hiroji Kubota captured portraits of the Black Panther party in the 1960s, as well as reportage of American military bases in Okinawa, Japan
  • A series of portraits by South African-American painter Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi
    A series of portraits by South African-American painter Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi
  • Pieces by Emirati artist Obaid Suroor, who incorporates traditional textile patterns into his work
    Pieces by Emirati artist Obaid Suroor, who incorporates traditional textile patterns into his work
  • Robyn Kahukiwa’s Tihe Mauri Ora was produced as part of an ancestral meeting house created by the Maori women’s art collective Haeata
    Robyn Kahukiwa’s Tihe Mauri Ora was produced as part of an ancestral meeting house created by the Maori women’s art collective Haeata
  • A work by artist Malala Andrialavidrazana, who was born and raised in Madagascar, before relocating to Paris
    A work by artist Malala Andrialavidrazana, who was born and raised in Madagascar, before relocating to Paris
  • Angela Ponce's photography explores social issues, political issues and disability rights in the collective memory of Latin America
    Angela Ponce's photography explores social issues, political issues and disability rights in the collective memory of Latin America
  • Indian Photographer Pablo Bartholomew has spent decades capturing images of his country's emigres
    Indian Photographer Pablo Bartholomew has spent decades capturing images of his country's emigres
  • Moroccan photographer Imane Djamil explores the experience of post-traumatic transitions
    Moroccan photographer Imane Djamil explores the experience of post-traumatic transitions

Sharjah Biennial launches its 15th event, with more than 300 artworks across the emirate


Hareth Al Bustani
  • English
  • Arabic

Sharjah Biennial kicks off its 15th event on Tuesday with an exciting new programme of works by more than 150 artists from across the world. Now in its 30th year, the biennial will transform 19 venues throughout the city of Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Al Hamriyah, Kalba and Khor Fakkan with a series of exhibitions and installations.

Speaking on Monday at a press conference held between the coral-laced walls of Bait Al Naboodah, Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, Sharjah Biennial curator and Sharjah Art Foundation director, said the selection of locations was "a way for us as an institution to expand on our ongoing work with the communities across Sharjah".

“Our work has been happening in those cities for many, many years," she said. "And it's taken time. We’ve worked with communities to make sure that we are not imposing international ideas, or not only thinking about western visitors or international visitors, but really having a conversation and dialogue between local and global.”

This conversation is central to the biennial’s theme of Thinking Historically in the Present, conceived by Nigerian curator, art critic and writer Okwui Enwezor. Prior to his death in 2019, Enwezor asked Sheikha Hoor to carry out his vision and curate the event.

“From the beginning, he was adamant that he was not interested in curating another 'middling' contemporary art exhibition that just disappears,” Sheikha Hoor said.

The biennial is curated by Sharjah Art Foundation director Sheika Hoor Al Qasimi. Photo: Sebastian Boettcher
The biennial is curated by Sharjah Art Foundation director Sheika Hoor Al Qasimi. Photo: Sebastian Boettcher

She went on to read one of the messages Enwezor sent her in their time working together. He wrote: “I see Sharjah as a unique model that grew from a biennial institutionalisation, and the institution that emerged from that has provided a context of thinking and understanding about the pervasive challenges of art and the art worlds and cultural spheres from which art emerges.

"You also engage deeply in a manner that is not superficial with the problems of understanding that often bedevil contemporary art. It's a problem from which misunderstandings arise and in which blind spots persist, and for which you have built engines of mediation and historical, cultural, artistic, pedagogical and discursive amelioration.”

Sheikha Hoor said: “He’s with us in spirit, and I hope he would be proud of all of us coming together.”

Her programme is deeply inspired by Enwezor’s approach to bridging the past and present through a lens of postcolonialism — however, this is crucially informed by her deep-rooted knowledge of Sharjah’s cultural context.

During the event, Sheikha Hoor told The National: “It's been 20 years for me since I took over the biennial. But the reason I did is because I grew up with the biennial, so it has been 30 years of my life.

"For me, it was such a moment of excitement to see all these artists coming to Sharjah and trying to figure out what I wanted to do as a young artist and painter. We were all part of this local scene of artists, and we were all invited to participate. So there was this moment of solidarity, and it was a meeting point.”

Although the event was delayed due to the pandemic, Sheikha Hoor cites an Arabic proverb, "Every delay is a blessing". She says the additional time allowed her to research artists and their practices in greater depth.

The programme now features artists from 70 countries. “I think there are a lot of artists who have been under-represented," she said. "There are a lot of artists who deserve more opportunities and I'm hoping this will be a good platform for them.

Iraqi artist Saddam Al Jumaily, who lives in Finland, is among those taking part in Sharjah Biennial 15. Antonie Robertson / The National
Iraqi artist Saddam Al Jumaily, who lives in Finland, is among those taking part in Sharjah Biennial 15. Antonie Robertson / The National

“We have to have this platform of solidarity. We have shared histories, but together we create something much stronger, and our voices are amplified.”

Lee Kai Chung, an artist from Hong Kong who lives in London, has brought a series of works exploring the geographic displacement of people and material — with a particular emphasis on postcolonialism in Asia and Hong Kong.

“For me, this is a very special biennial compared with the others I have participated in, because it's mainly about how artists, people, infrastructure and environment connect under the theme of history — and how we can untangle history and contexts through works of art," he said. "I’m looking forward to seeing the other artists’ work.”

Meanwhile, Argentine photographer Anita Pouchard Serra is unveiling a project about French-Algerian relations following colonialism. Originally from Algeria, she says her work reflects the experiences and memories of the second generation following conflict and independence.

“For me, it's just incredible because in Argentina we are far from everything. Now I’m in a different region of the world so I have access to artists from different cultures. I'm sure I will learn a lot about them, their issues and their methodologies, so it should be fascinating."

Works by Indonesian artist Semsar Slahaan, who died in 2005, on view as part of this year's Sharjah Biennial. Antonie Robertson / The National
Works by Indonesian artist Semsar Slahaan, who died in 2005, on view as part of this year's Sharjah Biennial. Antonie Robertson / The National

One of the groups of artists taking part — Meleanna Meyer, Solomon Enos and Kahi Ching — have flown from Hawaii to attend the opening in Sharjah. Enos said the group have brought a distinctly Hawaiian brand of collaborative mural art to the emirate.

“Usually, a canvas is one artist, one canvas. In Hawaii, we believe in bringing together different people's different visions, because we are a melting pot for the Pacific and ultimately, the world.

“And because we've been so isolated for thousands of years, I think we're effectively like a bolt out of the blue. And we hope that our art can be a form of mediation, and bringing together of cultures in a way that maybe hasn't really been done before.”

Meyer said it was a “very timely moment for all of us to be here together in the arts”.

“I think all of us with our histories have that shared history of pain and loss, and really major trauma. But I think all of us are happy to be here because as a collective, we're doing really interesting things.

“We all have our agendas, but our agenda is a collective healing.”

Sharjah Biennial 15 opens on Tuesday and runs until June 11. More information is at sharjahart.org/biennial-15

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Updated: February 07, 2023, 6:26 AM