The Sharjah Biennial 11, returning next year from March 11 to 13 and run by the Sharjah Art Foundation, has revealed which five artists have been invited to create exclusive works.
On the list are the French visual artist Saadane Afif, the Indian architecture and crafts collective Studio Mumbai, the Chinese multimedia specialist Yang Fudong, the Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima and the Egyptian artist Wael Shawky.
Curator Yuko Hasegawa, who is also the chief curator of Tokyo's Museum of Contemporary Art, selected artworks exploring the diversity of cultures, societies and political relations.
Hasegawa, who also worked on the 12th Venice Architectural Biennale (2010) and the Seoul International Media Art Biennale (2006), explained her use of Sharjah's historic courtyards as the metaphor underpinning her selection for next year's event.
"A broad range of artists will be invited to create works that will offer new experiences to be shared," she says. "Here, the courtyard becomes more than a place, it becomes a condition where culture is nourished and true knowledge is formed."
Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, the president of the Sharjah Art Foundation, praised Hasegawa's "thoughtful" selections.
"The 2013 Biennial will reflect Sharjah's long history as a place where diverse communities are encouraged to share ideas and contribute to the multicultural landscape that is characteristic of the Emirate," she says. "Ms Hasegawa has proposed a deeply thoughtful biennial that will address some of the issues critical to art production in this current moment of great cultural change."
The Sharjah Art Foundation also announced a new exhibition by Derek Ogbourne. The Museum of Optography, the Purple Chamber presents an eclectic mix of selections including drawings, paintings, photography and objects blurring the lines between art, science and history.
July 2 to October 10, The Collection Buildings in Sharjah's Art Area. Visit www.sharjahart.org
