The 13th edition of the Sharjah Biennial is now open. This weekend saw art aficionados and enthusiasts from all over the world converge on the emirate for the event, curated by Beirut-based Christine Tohme. It was a full house for the opening on Friday with many people attending the talks and panels that made up the March Meeting.
Boat rides and buses were put on for people to access all parts of the biennial - which is a massive art exhibition that takes over parts of the whole city. The focal point were the Sharjah Art Foundation spaces, which housed several works as well as some new commissions. UAE artists Abdulla Al Saadi and Hind Mezaina’s work can be seen here as well as a stunning installation by Mariana Castillo Deball titled Hypothesis of a Tree, 2016. It is a large bamboo structure, meant to represent an evolutionary tree that is actually a branching diagram showing the relationships among various biological species. Upon witnessing the artwork, a visitor is supposed to experience the huge diversity of species.
There were also art works presented in the Flying Saucer and in the new Al Hamriyah Studios and at other venues across the city. UAE-based Vikram Divecha’s installation is on a roundabout - more about that later.
The opening programme runs until Tuesday and the biennial is open for three months. Make sure you take some time to go and explore.
