Latest news with #AlQasimi
Time Out
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The Biennale of Sydney is expanding out west, but a major Sydney gallery is missing out
The Biennale of Sydney has today announced the curatorial vision, first wave of 37 artists and collectives, and exhibition locations for the 25th edition, which will be titled Rememory. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the festival will be open free to the public from March 14 to June 14 in 2026, presented in various locations across Sydney. The Biennale will be heading to Penrith for the first time in the new year, with Penrith Regional Gallery joining the fold amid a fresh push to reach new audiences in Sydney's west. The gallery will be featured alongside returning venues including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney (which was recently named in Time Out's list of the world's most underrated museums), and the iconic restored White Bay Power Station, which the Biennale launched as the city's new major arts venue for it's 2024 edition. However, one major gallery has been passed over as an exhibition venue, with the Museum of Contemporary Art missing out for the first time since 1998. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Biennale's new Artistic Director, Hoor Al Qasimi, said that the decision came down to curatorial priorities. She told the SMH's Linda Morris: 'The MCA is a great space, but it's not location wise. It's not something that fits into what I want to do. I'm always interested in people who maybe don't realise that the Biennale is free, and it's for them.' Outside the main exhibitions, the MCA will be delivering the Biennale's public programs. (And in the meantime, the MCA is gearing up to open its major winter exhibition, Cerith Wyn Evans .... in light of the visible from June 6, 2025.) With more than 20 years experience, Al Qasimi's curatorial approach centres on the histories of each place and multidisciplinary programming, with a collaborative perspective and emphasis on supporting experimentation and innovation in the arts. Speaking on the 2026 theme, Al Qasimi said: ' Rememory connects the delicate space between remembering and forgetting, delving into the fragmented and forgotten parts of history, where recollection becomes an act of reassembling fragments of the past – whether personal, familial or collective.' She added: 'Through the defiant act of sharing, seeing, and understanding, the artists and cultural practitioners I've invited to participate explore the hidden effects of history and how it continues to shape the present in an evolving and consuming conversation.' The first batch of participating artists and collectives announced today is a diverse bunch of creatives from across Australia and the globe, including Sydney-based artist Abdul Abdullah, who just won the esteemed Packing Room Prize for the 2025 Archibald Prize (which you can visit now at the Art Gallery of NSW). Of the 37 artists announced today, 15 First Nations artists from around the world have been commissioned to create new work for the 25th Biennale of Sydney. You can find all of the participating artists and collectives listed on the Biennale's website. Additionally, the Biennale has appointed two Community Ambassadors for the 2026 edition with arts worker, creative producer, and mentor Claudia Chidiac and writer, educator, cultural worker, and creative producer Paula Abood. They will provide specialist advice on local community engagement in the Greater Western Sydney area and liaise on behalf of the Biennale of Sydney between different cultural groups and organisations.
The Age
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Major gallery misses out as Sydney's biggest arts festival heads west
'I respect the work of [MCA director] Suzanne Cotter and [chair] Lorraine Tarabay,' she said. 'For me, the work I'm really trying to do is a lot of community engagement and I want to be in places where I can reach new audiences.' The Biennale's theme was inspired by Al Qasimi's father's work as a historian. He is Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi the ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and founder of the Sharjah Biennial, through which Al Qasimi established her international reputation as a curator. 'Rather than focusing on linear storytelling, I hope to highlight how we can become active participants in retelling our collective stories by revisiting and reinterpreting past events,' Al Qasimi said. 'I really wanted to have a title that could connect differently with people. The idea could be the rememory of a certain location or place, the rememory of certain moments in an individual's life, or certain moments that have happened like computer culture. The title is wide enough to encompass a lot of stories without limiting it to one voice.' The biennale is being planned at a febrile time in the arts world, amid turmoil in the Middle East and in the aftermath of a controversial decision to cancel artist Khaled Sabsabi from the Venice Biennale. Sabsabi is a Biennale of Sydney board member. Al Qasimi said the work by Biennale artists would not directly touch on the war in Gaza, unless tangentially in artists' explorations of colonisation and occupation. The biennial would not focus on 'one moment' but 'what is the right project for the right space and for the right place, for example White Bay'. 'I'm really trying to make sure that the building is part of the exhibition rather than just an exhibition space,' she said. Packing Room Prize winner Abdul Abdullah, Yaritji Young, Marian Abboud, Dennis Golding, and Warraba Weatherall will be among the Australian artists to exhibit alongside international artists including the Gaza-born, Paris-based Palestinian multidisciplinary artist, Taysir Batniji. 'I'm really excited about Deirdre O'Mahony, an Irish artist who has worked a lot around agriculture and food sustainability,' Al Qasimi said. 'I've invited Merilyn Fairskye and Michiel Dolk, they were the same artists who painted the eight murals on the railway pylons [at Woolloomooloo reserve] to come together to paint a new piece.' Create NSW has committed $1.6 million to support the 25th Biennale. Some 771,000 people attended the 2024 edition, Ten Thousand Suns, in a record-breaking run over three months and six sites, including White Bay. Last month the Biennale announced the new funding raising initiative, ArtSeen, directed at young art lovers. Donations of $500 will enable supporters to gain exclusive access to a year-round program of artist-led events, performances, and discussions in the year before the festival. Cotter, said the MCA was 'a longstanding partner and supporter of the Biennale of Sydney, and we are delighted to be program partner for the 25th edition in 2026'. 'Hoor Al Qasimi is a globally renowned curator, and we are excited to see her Biennale for Sydney as artistic director.'
Sydney Morning Herald
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Major gallery misses out as Sydney's biggest arts festival heads west
'I respect the work of [MCA director] Suzanne Cotter and [chair] Lorraine Tarabay,' she said. 'For me, the work I'm really trying to do is a lot of community engagement and I want to be in places where I can reach new audiences.' The Biennale's theme was inspired by Al Qasimi's father's work as a historian. He is Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi the ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and founder of the Sharjah Biennial, through which Al Qasimi established her international reputation as a curator. 'Rather than focusing on linear storytelling, I hope to highlight how we can become active participants in retelling our collective stories by revisiting and reinterpreting past events,' Al Qasimi said. 'I really wanted to have a title that could connect differently with people. The idea could be the rememory of a certain location or place, the rememory of certain moments in an individual's life, or certain moments that have happened like computer culture. The title is wide enough to encompass a lot of stories without limiting it to one voice.' The biennale is being planned at a febrile time in the arts world, amid turmoil in the Middle East and in the aftermath of a controversial decision to cancel artist Khaled Sabsabi from the Venice Biennale. Sabsabi is a Biennale of Sydney board member. Al Qasimi said the work by Biennale artists would not directly touch on the war in Gaza, unless tangentially in artists' explorations of colonisation and occupation. The biennial would not focus on 'one moment' but 'what is the right project for the right space and for the right place, for example White Bay'. 'I'm really trying to make sure that the building is part of the exhibition rather than just an exhibition space,' she said. Packing Room Prize winner Abdul Abdullah, Yaritji Young, Marian Abboud, Dennis Golding, and Warraba Weatherall will be among the Australian artists to exhibit alongside international artists including the Gaza-born, Paris-based Palestinian multidisciplinary artist, Taysir Batniji. 'I'm really excited about Deirdre O'Mahony, an Irish artist who has worked a lot around agriculture and food sustainability,' Al Qasimi said. 'I've invited Merilyn Fairskye and Michiel Dolk, they were the same artists who painted the eight murals on the railway pylons [at Woolloomooloo reserve] to come together to paint a new piece.' Create NSW has committed $1.6 million to support the 25th Biennale. Some 771,000 people attended the 2024 edition, Ten Thousand Suns, in a record-breaking run over three months and six sites, including White Bay. Last month the Biennale announced the new funding raising initiative, ArtSeen, directed at young art lovers. Donations of $500 will enable supporters to gain exclusive access to a year-round program of artist-led events, performances, and discussions in the year before the festival. Cotter, said the MCA was 'a longstanding partner and supporter of the Biennale of Sydney, and we are delighted to be program partner for the 25th edition in 2026'. 'Hoor Al Qasimi is a globally renowned curator, and we are excited to see her Biennale for Sydney as artistic director.'
Sharjah 24
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Hoor Al Qasimi recognised as Officer of Order of Arts, Letters
Since 1957, this award has honoured individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts. The insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters is an expression of France's recognition of those who have actively worked to promote art and culture both in France and abroad. Al Qasimi remarked, 'It is with great honour that I receive this award granted by the Embassy of France in the UAE. The insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters is a wonderful reflection of the collaborations and cultural exchanges that have shaped my work, in Sharjah, the UAE and internationally. It reaffirms the importance of continuing to build cultural dialogue through the arts. I accept this recognition, not only for myself, but for all those who have supported, guided and inspired me throughout my journey.' His Excellency Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador from France to the UAE and Jean-Christophe Paris, Consul General of France in Dubai, together with French Embassy staff Stéphanie Salha, Advisor for Cooperation and Cultural action of the Embassy of France in the UAE and the Director of the Institut Français in the UAE and Marie Lozon de Cantelmi, Cultural Attaché, were present for the official conferment of the award. Niemtchinow comented, 'It is a great honor to award Her Excellency Sheikha Hoor Al Qassimi the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters today in Sharjah. This award is a recognition of Sheikha Hoor's remarkable contribution to strengthening cultural and artistic ties between France and Sharjah and, more generally, between France and the UAE. Sheikha Hoor's commitment to Franco-Emirati friendship is further exemplified by her role within the Alliance Française of Sharjah. I also commend the Sharjah Biennial, which has become a reference in the world of contemporary art. Her Excellency Sheikha Hoor has always worked to showcase French and Francophone artists in this Biennial.' Also in attendance were a number of distinguished guests, including His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Government Relations Department; Her Excellency Sheikha Nawar Al Qassimi, Vice President of Sharjah Art Foundation; Her Excellency Sheikha Noora Al Mualla, Director of Learning and Research at Sharjah Art Foundation; Her Excellency Sheikha Rad Alqasimi, Secretary General of the International French Association in Sharjah; Audrey Leseigneur, Director of Alliance Française Sharjah; and Mona El-Mousfy, Advisor to the Sharjah Architecture Triennial. Alongside her role at Sharjah Art Foundation, Al Qasimi also serves as President of the International Biennial Association; President of The Africa Institute, Sharjah; Director of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial; head of Sharjah's Global Studies University; and President of the Sharjah Creative Quarter. She is also the Artistic Director of the upcoming 6th Aichi Triennale (2025) and the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026). About Sharjah Art Foundation Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation's core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications. Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation's deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation's support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world. Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. About Sharjah Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. In 1998, it was named UNESCO's 'Arab Capital of Culture' and has been designated the UNESCO 'World Book Capital' for the year 2019.
Al Etihad
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of pearl diving heritage along the Corniche
15 Apr 2025 01:30 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)As part of the first edition of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, Farah Al Qasimi's exhibition, entitled "Homesickness", brings together sound, sculpture and memory to honour the legacy of pearl diving in the Emirates - a deeply rooted tradition that has shaped the region's cultural and economic display along the Corniche, the installation features five shimmering oyster forms, each concealing a speaker that plays a layered chorus of synthetic soundscape is based on Tob, Tob Ya Bahar — a chant historically sung by the wives of pearl divers — a choice that carries both emotional and symbolic Biennial showcases site-specific installations and performances across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, exploring how public spaces, influenced by the environment, architecture and community life, shape the emirate's by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the initiative, being held under the theme "Public Matter" and with the participation of over 70 UAE-based and international artists, is running until April initiative also aims to enhance cultural infrastructure, community engagement, and wellbeing through large-scale installations, sculptures, and performances across multiple outdoor to Aletihad, Al Qasimi said: "I made this particular piece for Abu Dhabi, and I don't think it would have the same resonance anywhere else. I try to be as conscious as possible of context and location, but more and more, my practice is shifting beyond the hyper-local."The project reflects her cross-cultural perspective, shaped by living between Dubai and New York. "Abu Dhabi was pretty globalised when I was growing up," she said. "But I also spent a lot of time in the US with my mother's family, so my upbringing was naturally informed by many different cultures and social dynamics. I do not think it is a conscious balancing, but rather an extension of my natural worldview."Gender and identity also play an integral role in her art. "Every artist is informed by their identities whether it is foregrounded in the work or not," she noted. "Many of the people I photograph are other women, because there are shared experiences we have that I feel inherently comfortable translating into an artwork. For example, in this biennial piece, I chose to highlight the wives of pearl divers rather than the divers themselves."Although visually striking, the piece remains rooted in the documentary; an approach Al Qasimi feels naturally lends itself to addressing present-day concerns. "My work is rooted in the documentary, so by nature, it is addressing contemporary issues unfolding around me," she too, plays a quiet but essential role. The use of iridescent paint and LED lights adds a modern layer to a traditional subject, while also reflecting shifting modes of visual communication. "I use a digital camera," she said, "and I am very aware of how our relationship to image-making is shifting with social media."Asked about the impact of globalisation in the wider Biennial, she pointed to Lawrence Abu Hamdan's work. "I have not yet seen all the works," she admitted, "but I have really appreciated seeing the general public engage with his rhythmic work."Ultimately, Al Qasimi hopes her practice contributes to a broader conversation around cultural globalisation. "I hope that my work will function in a way that transcends the specificity of a singular place, and that it may contain surprising familiarities to people that will invite them to rethink their relationship to the broader world," she added.
