Sharjah's March Meeting Previews 12th Biennial with Regional Dialogues and Historical Research
The March Meeting held in Sharjah, which saw the participation of around 100 art professionals from across the globe, took place prior to the 12th Sharjah Biennial, set to open in March 2015 and curated by Eungie Joo. The meeting concentrated on artistic explorations within the Arab world, highlighting themes of political and cultural change. Notable discussions included artist-led initiatives that influence identity. Egyptian artist Wael Shawky revisited his installation from the 2011 biennial's press conference. Beirut curators Kristine Khouri and Rasha Salti shared insights on the 1978 International Art Exhibition for Palestine, showcasing 194 pieces by 197 artists; their research will be featured in 'The Ghost Archive' at MACBA, Barcelona, next year. The event wrapped up with a screening of Fouad Elkoury's 2013 documentary 'Revisiting Tarab' and Tarek Atoui's sound project.
Key facts
- The March Meeting in Sharjah previewed the 12th Sharjah Biennial, curated by Eungie Joo and opening in March 2015.
- About 100 art professionals attended to discuss artistic investigations and historiography in the Arabic world.
- Egyptian artist Wael Shawky described his intervention at the 2011 biennial evolving into an installation at the Sharjah Art Foundation.
- Beirut-based curators Kristine Khouri and Rasha Salti researched the 1978 International Art Exhibition in Solidarity with Palestine.
- The 1978 exhibition included 194 works by 197 artists from 29 countries and was organized by the Unified Information Office of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
- Artist initiatives from Istanbul, Johannesburg, Cairo, Jeddah, Sharjah, and Brumadinho, Brazil, shared local infrastructure aspirations.
- The event ended with a screening of Fouad Elkoury's documentary 'Revisiting Tarab' and discussion of Tarek Atoui's sound project.
- Tarek Atoui's project involved over 20 musicians interpreting Kamal Kassar's archive of classical Arabic music, exploring 'tarab'.
Entities
Artists
- Eungie Joo
- Wael Shawky
- Kristine Khouri
- Rasha Salti
- Fouad Elkoury
- Tarek Atoui
- Kamal Kassar
Institutions
- Sharjah Biennial
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Unified Information Office of the Palestine Liberation Organization
- MACBA
- ArtReview Asia
Locations
- Sharjah
- United Arab Emirates
- Beirut
- Lebanon
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Johannesburg
- South Africa
- Cairo
- Egypt
- Jeddah
- Saudi Arabia
- Brumadinho
- Brazil