Sharjah Biennial 16 Reveals Theme and Artist List

The Sharjah Art Foundation hasannouncedthe title and theme of the sixteenth iteration of theSharjah Biennialand has named the 140 artists and collectives set to participate in the event. Taking place at venues in Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Al Madam, Kalba, and other locations in the Emirate of Sharjah, the Biennial will be titled “To Carry” and will run from February 6 to June 15, 2025. “By centering the act of carrying, Sharjah Biennial 16 offers a space for imagining new collective futures while recognizing the weight of shared histories and experiences,” said Sharjah Art Foundation president Hoor Al Qasimi in a statement.

The 2025 Biennial is being curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala, and Zeynep Öz. Its theme “entails understanding our precarity within spaces that are not our own while staying responsive to these sites through the cultures that we hold,” said the curators in a collective statement. “It also signifies a bridge between multiple temporalities, encompassing intergenerational stories and various modes of inheritance.” The event will investigate a range of perspectives, geographies, and languages through curatorial methodologies including residencies, workshops, sonic experiences, and expanded publications.

Among the participating artists are Monira Al Qadiri, Sky Hopinka, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Arthur Jafa, Shubigi Rao, Wael Shawky, Lorna Simpson, and Akram Zaatari. Roughly half will present new work commissioned for the occasion, including Raven Chacon, Adelita Husni-Bey, and Zadie Xa.

A full list of participants is below, with an asterisk indicating that the artist will contribute a commissioned work.

Adam HajYahia*

Adelita Husni-Bey*

Akinbode Akinbiyi

Akira Ikezoe*

Akram Zaatari

Albert Refiti

Alia Farid*

Aluaiy Kaumakan

Ana Iti

Anga Art Collective*

Arthur Jafa

Ayman Zedani

Ayşe İdil İdil, Betül Aksu, Okyanus Çağrı Camcı with Merve Elveren*

Ayumi Paul

Aziz Hazara*

Betty Adii with Septina Layan*

Bilna’es*

Bint Mbareh*

Brian Martin

Cannupa Hanska Luger

Cassi Namoda*

Cécile B. Evans*

Chandralekha

Chun Shao

Citra Sasmita*

Ciwas Tahos (Anchi Lin)

Claudia Martínez Garay

Concrete Thread Repertoire*

Daniel Boyd*

Dian Suci Rahmawati*

Dilek Winchester

Doruntina Kastrati*

Driant Zeneli

Ellen Pau* 

Emily Kam Kngwarray

Emre Hüner

Fatma Belkıs

Faye Heavyshield

Fazal Rizvi*

Fernando Palma Rodríguez

Fiona Pardington*

Güneş Terkol*

Hashel Al Lamki*

Helene Kazan*

Hellen Ascoli*

Heman Chong

Hugh Hayden*

Hylozoic/Desires*

Ipeh Nur*

Joe Namy*

John Clang

Jorge González Santos*

Julianknxx*

Kaili Chun

Kaloki Nyamai*

Kapulani Landgraf

Kate Crawford with Vladan Joler

Kate Newby*

Liu Chuang

Lorna Simpson

Luana Vitra*

Luke Willis Thompson*

Maïa Tellit Hawad*

Mabel Juli

Mahmoud Khaled*

Mangku Muriati*

Mara TK*

María José Murillo

Mariam Alnoaimi*

Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien

M’barek Bouhchichi*

Megan Cope

M’hammed Kilito*

Michael Parekōwhai*

Mila Turajlić*

Mohammed Al Hawajri

Dina Mattar and family with Ala Younis*

Mónica de Miranda*

Monira Al Qadiri

Morris Foit

Nadia Christidi with Sary Moussa and Joseph Kai*

Nadiah Bamadhaj

Naeem Mohaiemen*

Nasser Al Yousif

Ndidi Dike*

Nge Lay*

Noémie Goudal 

Olivia Plender

Onur Gökmen

Paky Vlassopoulou

Pallavi Paul*

Pastizal Zamudio with Andrea Torreblanca*

Photo Kegham – Kegham Djeghalian

Pratchaya Phinthong*

Raafat Majzoub

Raffaela Naldi Rossano*

Rajni Perera*

Rajyashri Goody

Raven Chacon*

Reetu Sattar

Restu Ratnaningtyas*

Richard Bell

Risham Syed*

Rita Mawuena Benissan*

Rossella Biscotti*

Roy Samaha*

RRD (Reproduction and Distribution Network: Anuar Portugal, Bruno Ruiz, Joel Castro, Laura Muciño and Sergio Torres)

Rully Shabara*

S M Sultan

Saffronn Te Ratana*

Sakiya*

Salima Hakim*

Sancintya Mohini Simpson*

Sangdon Kim*

Sarah Abu Abdullah*

Serapis Maritime*

Sevil Tunaboylu*

Shivanjani Lal*

Shubigi Rao

Singing Wells*

Sky Hopinka

Stephanie Comilang*

Steven Yazzie

Subash Thebe Limbu

Suzanne Lacy

T. Vinoja*

Tara Al Dughaither*

Te Matahiapo Collective*

The Voice of Domestic Workers x MOI TRAN*

Tishani Doshi*

Viswanadhan

Vitória Cribb*

Wael Shawky 

Womanifesto*

Ximena Garrido-Lecca

Yhonnie Scarce*

Yim Yen Sum*

Yvonne Koolmatrie

Zadie Xa*