Sharjah Biennial 11. Re-Emerge: Towards a new Cultural Cartography
External View of the Sharjah Art Museum. Photo: Lucy Rees.
Inspired by the courtyard in Islamic architecture — in particular the historical courtyards of Sharjah, where elements of both public and private life intertwine — the curator Yuko Hasegawa proposes a new cultural cartography that reconsiders the relationships between the Arab world, Asia, the Far East, through North Africa to Latin America.
Zeinab Alhashemi. Circumvolution State of Mind. 2013. Site-specific installation, metal string, traditional fish trap. Photo: Lucy Rees.
Courtyard in Sharjah Heritage Area. Photo: Lucy Rees
External view of Thilo Frank's Infinite Rock. 2013. Mixed media, steel, aluminum, fabric, glass mirrors, wood, rope, light, swing. Photo: Lucy Rees.
Thilo Frank's Infinite Rock. 2013. Mixed media, steel, aluminum, fabric, glass mirrors, wood, rope, light, swing. Photo: Lucy Rees.
The opening of SB11 marked the inauguration of SAF's five new multi-functional art spaces, which have been in development since 2009. With approximately 20,000 square feet of interior space, connected by open-air courtyards and roof-top terraces, these new spaces will provide venues for SAF's growing activities and the increasing needs of its community.
Francis Alys, Don’t Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River. 2008. Videos, paintings, drawings, sculpture and photographic installation. In collaboration with Julien Devaux, Rafael Ortega, Felix Blume, Ivan Bocara, Jimena Blasquez, Roberto Rubalcava, Begoña Rey, Abbas Benhnin and the kids of Tarifa and Tangier. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Haupt & Binder.
Monir Farmanfarmaian, Untitled 8 and Untitled 1. Mirror and reverse glass painting on plaster and wood. Photo: Haupt & binder.
External view of SAF new art spaces.
Wei Liu: Merely a Mistake II. 2009-13 Exotic Lands. 2013. Installation with doors and door frames. New SAF spaces. Photo: Haupt & Binder.
Near the Sharjah heritage area on Bank Street, works could be found in the Sharjah Islamic Bank—a 1970s building soon to be demolished for reconstructing heritage housing. Sara Ramo's site-specific installation made an interesting use of the top floor.
External view of the Sharjah Islamic Bank. Photo: Haupt & Binder.
Sara Ramo, The Garden From Free Zone. 2013 Site-specific installation, varied objects found inside the bank building and the basement of the Culture Department located in the Free Zone of Sharjah. Photo: Haupt & Binder.