|
|
Sharjah is the third largest of the 7 constituent emirates of the United
Arab Emirates. It rates as the cultural centre of the Federation. In 1998,
Sharjah was UNESCO cultural capital of the Arab World.
Since 1993, the Department of Culture and Information of the Emirate of Sharjah
has hosted the international Art Biennial in the city of that same name. The
aim is to encourage contacts between artists, and art institutions and organizations
of the Arab countries and to promote exchange with art scenes in other parts
of the world. This accounts for a high proportion of Arab artists in all previous
editions.
Hoor Al Qasimi took over the Biennial's direction in 2002. Before, the event
was concentrated on painting, graphic arts, and sculpture. These features remain
part of the concept, but for the first time, the focus was on "new art
practices", such as installation, video, photographic art, performance,
digital and web art. In cooperation with other curators, the Biennial concentrated
its search on artworks corresponding to the criteria of "discourses between
aesthetics and politics". The drive for a renewal of the Biennial was
also evident in the theme and concept of the international symposium running
under the title "Art in a Changing Horizon - Globalization and New Aesthetic
Practice".
The 7th edition of the Sharjah Biennial in 2005 consolidated the renewal process,
again under the direction of Hoor Al Qasimi and with a curatorial team headed
by Jack Persekian, who will be the artistic director of the 8th Sharjah Biennial
in 2007 as well. It will be focused issues of environment, art, and ecology.
|
|
|