Latest news with #Rememory
Scoop
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Biennale Of Sydney Announces 2026 Exhibition: Rememory
Press Release – Biennale of Sydney The edition will highlight marginalised narratives, share untold stories, and inspire audiences to rethink how memory shapes identity and belonging, giving voice to stories from Aboriginal communities and the divergent diasporas that shape Australia today. Sydney, Australia: The Biennale of Sydney has announced the curatorial vision, first wave of 37 artists and collectives, and exhibition locations for the 25th edition, titled Rememory. The major international contemporary art festival will be open free to the public from 14 March to 14 June 2026, presented in various locations across Sydney. Led by internationally acclaimed curator Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi, the 25th Biennale of Sydney: Rememory takes its title from celebrated author Toni Morrison, exploring the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories that have been erased or repressed. By engaging with Rememory, artists from across the world and within Australia reflect on their own roots while engaging with Sydney and its surrounding communities and histories, exploring global themes that connect us. The edition will highlight marginalised narratives, share untold stories, and inspire audiences to rethink how memory shapes identity and belonging, giving voice to stories from Aboriginal communities and the divergent diasporas that shape Australia today. A dedicated program for children and young audiences will provide space and exploration for these stories to be passed on to the next generations. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the 25th Biennale of Sydney will be presented at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Penrith Regional Gallery and the iconic restored White Bay Power Station, with further details to be announced later this year. Artistic Director Hoor 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. 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. 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.' Of the 37 artists announced today, 15 First Nations artists from around the world have been commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with Visionary Partner the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain to create new work for the 25th edition. These artists include Ángel Poyón, Angélica Serech, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carmen Glynn-Braun, Edgar Calel, Fernando Poyón, Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project, Gabriel Chaile, Gunybi Ganambarr, John Harvey & Walter Waia, John Prince Siddon, Nancy Yukuwal McDinny, Rose B. Simpson, Tania Willard and Warraba Weatherall. They will work closely with Bruce Johnson McLean, Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow, to realise their artworks. Johnson McLean is from the Wierdi people of the Birri Gubba Nation. 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. Over the past 20+ years, she has worked extensively with various mediums including contemporary art, film, music, dance, talks, publications and more, to bring together all forms of art in conversation. Barbara Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Biennale of Sydney said: 'The Biennale of Sydney is a space for discussion, exploration and sharing ideas, presenting innovative work by some of the most impactful contemporary artists of our time. The 25th Biennale of Sydney celebrates the diverse communities of Sydney and their stories, encouraging audiences to think of new ways to engage with history, coming together to create and share memories. Entry to the Biennale of Sydney is free for everyone, and we can't wait to throw open the doors again next year with an expansive program of art and ideas.' Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper said: 'Biennale of Sydney will be a highlight of the NSW major events calendar next year and a significant visitor drawcard for our city. It will spotlight Sydney as a global cultural hub where art and creativity is celebrated, and a place where locals and visitors can enjoy the most exciting and cutting-edge cultural experiences. As one of the world's longest running biennales, next year's theme of Rememory is an important reflection of Sydney's rich and diverse cultural history and a fantastic opportunity to showcase that history to visitors from across the nation and around the world.' Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow Bruce Johnson Mclean said: 'It's a privilege to work alongside this remarkable group of First Nations artists from across the globe, each bringing powerful, place-based perspectives to the 25th Biennale of Sydney. Together, their practices speak to deep cultural knowledge, ancestral memory and contemporary experience, creating a dynamic dialogue that transcends borders. Through this collaboration, we aim to foster connections between communities here and around the world.' Béatrice Grenier, Director of Strategic Projects and International Programs at Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain said: 'The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain is proud to continue its partnership with the Biennale of Sydney. We are honoured to collaborate with Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi and the Biennale team for the 25th edition, Rememory to realise bold new commissions that speak powerfully to the interconnectedness of memory, place, and identity.' Arts worker, creative producer, and mentor Claudia Chidiac and writer, educator, cultural worker, and creative producer Paula Abood have been appointed as Community Ambassadors for the 2026 edition. 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 first 37 artists and collectives announced today as part of the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026) are: Abdul Abdullah (Australia / Thailand) Ángel Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Angélica Serech (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Bouchra Khalili (Morocco / Austria) CAMP (India) Cannupa Hanska Luger (Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North Dakota / New Mexico, USA) Carmen Glynn-Braun (Kaytetye, Arrernte, Anmatyerr, Australia) Chang En Man (Paiwan, Taiwan) Chen Chieh-jen (Taiwan R.O.C.) Daisy Quezada Ureña (USA) Decolonizing Art Architecture Project (DAAR) (Palestine) Deirdre O'Mahony (Ireland) Dennis Golding (Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay, Australia) Dread Scott (USA) Edgar Calel (Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Elverina Johnson (Yarrabah, Australia) Ema Shin (Japan / Australia) Fernando Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project (Aangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia) Gabriel Chaile (Argentina / Lisbon) Gunybi Ganambarr (Yolŋu (Ŋaymil) people, Australia) John Harvey (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia) & Walter Waia (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia) John Prince Siddon (Walmajarri, Australia) Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada / France) Lamia Joreige (Lebanon) Marian Abboud (Australia) Maritea Dæhlin (Norway / Mexico) Merilyn Fairskye (Australia) & Michiel Dolk (Netherlands / Australia) Michael Rakowitz (USA) Nancy Yukuwal McDinny (Garrwa / Yanyuwa, Australia) Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo, USA) Tania Willard (Secwepemcúlecw, Canada) Taysir Batniji (Gaza, Palestine / France) Tuan Andrew Nguyen (Vietnam / USA) Warraba Weatherall (Kamilaroi, Australia) Wendy Hubert (Yindjibarndi Country, Australia) Yaritji Young (Aangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia) The full 25th Biennale of Sydney program, including the full list of participating artists, will be announced later this year. Currently on display at the Sydney Opera House, and marking the second year of a creative collaboration between the Opera House, Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Badu Gili: Healing Spirit illuminates the world-famous Bennelong sails. The dynamic projection displays the works of celebrated First Nations artists, the late Bidjigal Elder Esme Timbery and two of her children, Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell, and artist Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami of the Yanomami people, appearing on the Opera House's Eastern Bennelong sails six times a night from sunset. Key Dates for the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026) 10 March 2026: Media Preview 11 – 13 March 2026: Vernissage (Professional Preview) 14 March – 14 June 2026: 25th Biennale of Sydney open to the public Admission is free.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Biennale Of Sydney Announces 2026 Exhibition: Rememory
Sydney, Australia: The Biennale of Sydney has announced the curatorial vision, first wave of 37 artists and collectives, and exhibition locations for the 25th edition, titled Rememory. The major international contemporary art festival will be open free to the public from 14 March to 14 June 2026, presented in various locations across Sydney. Led by internationally acclaimed curator Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi, the 25th Biennale of Sydney: Rememory takes its title from celebrated author Toni Morrison, exploring the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories that have been erased or repressed. By engaging with Rememory, artists from across the world and within Australia reflect on their own roots while engaging with Sydney and its surrounding communities and histories, exploring global themes that connect us. The edition will highlight marginalised narratives, share untold stories, and inspire audiences to rethink how memory shapes identity and belonging, giving voice to stories from Aboriginal communities and the divergent diasporas that shape Australia today. A dedicated program for children and young audiences will provide space and exploration for these stories to be passed on to the next generations. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the 25th Biennale of Sydney will be presented at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Penrith Regional Gallery and the iconic restored White Bay Power Station, with further details to be announced later this year. Artistic Director Hoor 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. 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. 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.' Of the 37 artists announced today, 15 First Nations artists from around the world have been commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with Visionary Partner the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain to create new work for the 25th edition. These artists include Ángel Poyón, Angélica Serech, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carmen Glynn-Braun, Edgar Calel, Fernando Poyón, Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project, Gabriel Chaile, Gunybi Ganambarr, John Harvey & Walter Waia, John Prince Siddon, Nancy Yukuwal McDinny, Rose B. Simpson, Tania Willard and Warraba Weatherall. They will work closely with Bruce Johnson McLean, Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow, to realise their artworks. Johnson McLean is from the Wierdi people of the Birri Gubba Nation. 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. Over the past 20+ years, she has worked extensively with various mediums including contemporary art, film, music, dance, talks, publications and more, to bring together all forms of art in conversation. Barbara Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Biennale of Sydney said: 'The Biennale of Sydney is a space for discussion, exploration and sharing ideas, presenting innovative work by some of the most impactful contemporary artists of our time. The 25th Biennale of Sydney celebrates the diverse communities of Sydney and their stories, encouraging audiences to think of new ways to engage with history, coming together to create and share memories. Entry to the Biennale of Sydney is free for everyone, and we can't wait to throw open the doors again next year with an expansive program of art and ideas.' Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper said: 'Biennale of Sydney will be a highlight of the NSW major events calendar next year and a significant visitor drawcard for our city. It will spotlight Sydney as a global cultural hub where art and creativity is celebrated, and a place where locals and visitors can enjoy the most exciting and cutting-edge cultural experiences. As one of the world's longest running biennales, next year's theme of Rememory is an important reflection of Sydney's rich and diverse cultural history and a fantastic opportunity to showcase that history to visitors from across the nation and around the world.' Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow Bruce Johnson Mclean said: 'It's a privilege to work alongside this remarkable group of First Nations artists from across the globe, each bringing powerful, place-based perspectives to the 25th Biennale of Sydney. Together, their practices speak to deep cultural knowledge, ancestral memory and contemporary experience, creating a dynamic dialogue that transcends borders. Through this collaboration, we aim to foster connections between communities here and around the world.' Béatrice Grenier, Director of Strategic Projects and International Programs at Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain said: 'The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain is proud to continue its partnership with the Biennale of Sydney. We are honoured to collaborate with Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi and the Biennale team for the 25th edition, Rememory to realise bold new commissions that speak powerfully to the interconnectedness of memory, place, and identity.' Arts worker, creative producer, and mentor Claudia Chidiac and writer, educator, cultural worker, and creative producer Paula Abood have been appointed as Community Ambassadors for the 2026 edition. 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 first 37 artists and collectives announced today as part of the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026) are: Abdul Abdullah (Australia / Thailand) Ángel Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Angélica Serech (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Bouchra Khalili (Morocco / Austria) CAMP (India) Cannupa Hanska Luger (Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North Dakota / New Mexico, USA) Carmen Glynn-Braun (Kaytetye, Arrernte, Anmatyerr, Australia) Chang En Man (Paiwan, Taiwan) Chen Chieh-jen (Taiwan R.O.C.) Daisy Quezada Ureña (USA) Decolonizing Art Architecture Project (DAAR) (Palestine) Deirdre O'Mahony (Ireland) Dennis Golding (Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay, Australia) Dread Scott (USA) Edgar Calel (Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Elverina Johnson (Yarrabah, Australia) Ema Shin (Japan / Australia) Fernando Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala) Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project (Aangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia) Gabriel Chaile (Argentina / Lisbon) Gunybi Ganambarr (Yolŋu (Ŋaymil) people, Australia) John Harvey (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia) & Walter Waia (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia) John Prince Siddon (Walmajarri, Australia) Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada / France) Lamia Joreige (Lebanon) Marian Abboud (Australia) Maritea Dæhlin (Norway / Mexico) Merilyn Fairskye (Australia) & Michiel Dolk (Netherlands / Australia) Michael Rakowitz (USA) Nancy Yukuwal McDinny (Garrwa / Yanyuwa, Australia) Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo, USA) Tania Willard (Secwepemcúlecw, Canada) Taysir Batniji (Gaza, Palestine / France) Tuan Andrew Nguyen (Vietnam / USA) Warraba Weatherall (Kamilaroi, Australia) Wendy Hubert (Yindjibarndi Country, Australia) Yaritji Young (Aangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia) The full 25th Biennale of Sydney program, including the full list of participating artists, will be announced later this year. Currently on display at the Sydney Opera House, and marking the second year of a creative collaboration between the Opera House, Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Badu Gili: Healing Spirit illuminates the world-famous Bennelong sails. The dynamic projection displays the works of celebrated First Nations artists, the late Bidjigal Elder Esme Timbery and two of her children, Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell, and artist Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami of the Yanomami people, appearing on the Opera House's Eastern Bennelong sails six times a night from sunset. Key Dates for the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026) 10 March 2026: Media Preview 11 - 13 March 2026: Vernissage (Professional Preview) 14 March – 14 June 2026: 25th Biennale of Sydney open to the public
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.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Biennale of Sydney curator Hoor Al Qasimi shares title and first artists for 2026 event
Australian artists Warraba Weatherall, Marian Abboud and Abdul Abdullah, who won the Packing Room Prize earlier this month, are among the first artists announced for the 2026 Biennale of Sydney, titled "Rememory". Fifteen Australian and 22 international artists and collectives are on the line-up, including the Decolonising Art Architecture Project from Palestine; and First Nations artists Cannupa Hanska Luger from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, and Secwepemcúlecw artist Tania Willard. It's the first festival from artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi, the biennale's first Arab curator, and the first woman to be appointed since 2018. Last year, Al Qasimi, a curator from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was dubbed the most influential person in the art world. Al Qasimi heads up the UAE's Sharjah Art Foundation and Biennial, and this year becomes the first non-Japanese person to helm the Aichi Triennale, one of the world's largest international arts festivals, held in Japan. In beginning to curate next year's event in Sydney, she has visited artists working in remote communities, including Wendy Hubert, whose work also features in the Aichi Trienniale. "I want to learn more by being [in Australia]," she says. "I want to meet more artists. "Once we open, I'll be able to go to more art centres and meet more people for future projects, because I feel like there are so many [Australian] artists whose work might be relevant for any other festivals in the world," she says. The title of the 2026 Biennale of Sydney — Rememory — comes from African American writer Toni Morrison's 1987 novel Beloved. "Re-memory was used in Beloved to look at the story of enslaved African Americans in the United States," Al Qasimi says. "It really made sense [as a title for the biennale] because it can be as open or as focused as you like. "It's about looking back. It's about memory. A lot of Indigenous communities and diaspora and people from all over the world, our stories are passed down as storytelling — it's somebody's memory that's being passed down." Al Qasimi is interested in moments in history, and who wrote that history — including whose voices were left out, for example, Indigenous communities, women, young people and the working class. "What about the voices that have been suppressed, or the voices that haven't had the platform to be able to speak about their history in their own words?" she says. A visitor to the Biennale of Sydney for the last 12 years, Al Qasimi has noticed how the festival has expanded over that time to include more of those voices. She hopes to continue that trend. While most of the artworks set to feature at next year's biennale are under wraps, one the artistic director can speak about resonates strongly with her interest in history. It's by Australian activist artists Michiel Dolk and Merilyn Fairskye, who painted a set of 16 murals in Woolloomooloo in the 80s, celebrating the suburb's people and history. Their work for the biennale will be on display close by, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The Woolloomooloo murals were painted a decade after the approval of a redevelopment proposal that planned to transform the residential area into mostly high-rise office blocks and hotel skyscrapers. To pull together this project, Al Qasimi has already spent time talking to the artists and members of the Woolloomooloo community, including a woman who was painted for the mural when she was just 13 years old. "Those are the stories I'm interested in — very personal stories," she says. The venues for the 2026 Biennale of Sydney have also been announced, with a focus on Western Sydney, as Penrith Regional Gallery joins the event for the first time. "I want to connect a lot with people in Western Sydney and the diaspora," Al Qasimi says. "I want to work with the Arab community or with the Vietnamese or Sudanese communities. "I'm interested in bringing the biennale to the people who might not be interested in art or might not be interested in going to venues that they feel are too far for them. "Sometimes a lot of museums or institutions make people feel a little bit inhibited, or they feel like it's elitist. So, what spaces are more accessible, and how do we get people to be part of the project so that they can feel like it's for them?" The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), which has hosted the biennale since 1998, is a notable omission from next year's event. In 2023, the MCA reported an operating loss of $2.6 million, which led the gallery to reintroduce entry fees earlier this year. The venues were a curatorial decision, Al Qasimi says. "With the resources [I have], I'm more interested in putting time and effort in a place that didn't have it before," she says. "I don't want to have a space where there's just a few artists here, a few artists there. I want to have a collective presence: When you go to one location, there's a lot to do and a lot to see." The biennale will also see Al Qasimi collaborate with First Nations Curatorial Fellow Bruce Johnson Mclean, and community ambassadors Claudia Chidiac and Paula Abood, who will offer advice on community engagement in Western Sydney. Last year, when Al Qasimi was announced as the next curator of the Biennale of Sydney, taking over from Cosmin Costinaș and Inti Guerrero, it was reported by one media outlet that some donors threatened to leave the festival due to Al Qasimi's support for Palestine. "To be honest, I haven't really paid attention to that," Al Qasimi says. "I try not to be bothered by a lot of these voices because I'm a guest here. "My work is with artists and caring for artists and making sure that we can do a project that is accessible to community, to people, that's inviting. A spokesperson for the biennale told ABC Arts conversations with donors are "ongoing": "The sponsors and donors change for every edition, so there is ebb and flow each time. Each edition there are returning and new donors, who decide to sponsor based on their interests and the vision for the edition." Al Qasimi wants to break down the restrictive categories used to describe artists, like 'women artists' or 'Arab artists'. She first found herself being pigeonholed when she was studying painting in London in the early 00s. "A tutor said to me: 'Your work is not very Islamic.' And I said, 'Why are you imposing this category on me?'" she recalls. "People are just people. They just want to do the work and express themselves. "As much as possible, I try to bring artists together because the things that people have faced around the world, they sometimes feel like they're facing them in isolation. "But actually it's very connected." The Biennale of Sydney runs from March 14-June 14 2026 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Penrith Regional Gallery and White Bay Power Station.
