Latest news with #BiennialBytes2
Time Out Dubai
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Time's running out to see Sharjah Biennial 16
One of the biggest contemporary art exhibitions in the UAE is ending soon, so it's time to carve out some time this weekend. Sharjah Biennial 16, under the title to carry will come to a close on Sunday June 15. Until then, you can see the works in multiple venues across the city in everything from heritage buildings to public courtyards at Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba and more. Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation What is it? With more than 650 works by over 190 artists and over 200 brand-new commissions, it's a rich, multi-voiced conversation, spread across the city in everything from heritage buildings to public courtyards. Curated by five voices from different backgrounds and practices, the experience is all about allowing the art, thoughts and conversations to unfold. Exploring the exhibition There are free guided tours available, whether you're going solo or as part of a group. Sign up for a free tour here: You can even hop on a free Sunday shuttle from Al Mureijah Square at 2pm, with routes heading to both Kalba and Al Hamriyah. That's your transport and your tour sorted. Michael Parekōwhai, He Kōrero Pūrākau mo Te Awanui o Te Motu: Story of a New Zealand river, 2011. Collection of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation. Photo: Danko Stjepanovic Play Michael Parekōwhai's Steinway grand piano There are also unexpected surprises, like He Kōrero Pūrākau mo Te Awanui o Te Motu: Story of a New Zealand river which features a carved Steinway grand piano by artist Michael Parekōwhai. And it's just for show, trained pianists can actually book a slot to play it, activating the sculpture through their own interpretation. Book your slots on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until June 15, 2025. Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation Listen to the exhibition For those who prefer a more relaxed kind of art immersion, there's always Biennial Bytes 2, the podcast offering behind-the-scenes chats with participating artists. Episodes drop every Monday on Apple, Spotify, Anghami, Google and other podcast platforms, or you can catch up via And when you're ready for a break, head to Fen Café & Restaurant for a snack or browse the Sharjah Art Shops for souvenirs and books. A little something to carry home with you, perhaps? Entry to Sharjah Biennial 16 is completely free, and doors are open Saturday to Thursday from 9am to 9pm, and on Fridays from 4pm to 9pm. See you there?
Sharjah 24
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Now streaming: Biennial Bytes season two
Biennial Bytes 2 kicks off with a conversation between the five curators of SB16—Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala and Zeynep Öz. Moderated by Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, the episode explores the synergies between curators' individual projects, the diverse formats in which audiences can experience the art at SB16, and how a Biennial can be a space of encounter and collective processing. Subsequent episodes spotlight specific works and projects presented at SB16 through conversations between individual curators and various participating artists, including Bint Mbareh, an artist and sound researcher working around songs of resistance in relation to land and water sovereignty in Palestine, and Joe Namy who sheds light on his collaborative approach to creating sound installations and performances. Yhonnie Scarce speaks about the historical context of nuclear testing on Aboriginal lands in Australia, and Tabu Osusa, founder of Singing Wells, dives into the group's decolonial mission to platform and preserve East African music, while Citra Sasmita talks about her collaboration with Kamasan maestra Mangku Muriati. Tune in to the podcast to listen to personal anecdotes and the stories behind their artworks. Other SB16 artists featured in the podcast are: Stephanie Comilang, Hellen Ascoli, Ana Iti, Naeem Mohaiemen, Pratchaya Phinthong, Adelita Husni-Bey, Mahmoud Khaled and Kapulani Landgraf. Convening under the title to carry, a multivocal and open-ended proposition, SB16 presents over 650 works by nearly 200 participants, including more than 200 new commissions. Exploring the ever-expanding questions of what to carry and how to carry it, SB16 is an invitation to encounter the different formations and positions of the five curators, as well as the resonances they have gathered. The Biennial runs until 15 June 2025 across several venues in Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba and other locations in the Emirate of Sharjah. New episodes are released every Monday on Apple, Spotify, Anghami, Google and other podcast platforms.
