Sharjah Art Foundation Opens Of Land and Water Exhibition at Kalba Ice Factory Exploring Identity and Homeland

Sharjah welcomed the opening of the exhibition “Of Land and Water” as part of the Sharjah Art Foundation’s Autumn 2025 programme. The event, held at the Kalba Ice Factory from 17 October 2025 to 31 May 2026, was attended by Sheikh Saeed bin Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office in Khorfakkan; Sheikh Haitham bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office in Kalba; and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation. This landmark exhibition showcases a curated selection from the Sharjah Art Foundation’s collections, marking the first time these works have been displayed in Sharjah’s Eastern Region. The exhibition has been curated under the leadership of Jiwon Lee, Head of the Foundation’s Curatorial Department, with support from Abdullah Al Janahi and Amal Al Ali as Curatorial Assistants, and in collaboration with Souraya Kreidieh and Shahd Murshed from the Collections Department. Visitors to the exhibition can experience large-scale installations by nine artists, accompanied by diverse artworks from around the world. The selected pieces explore the notion of connection to land, water, and homeland, addressing themes such as the tension between post-colonial nation-state ambitions and the longing of those deprived of their native lands. The artworks further reflect on the experiences of individuals with fragmented identities denied official recognition. The exhibition “Of Land and Water” provides a powerful platform for conversations around belonging, identity, and the complexities of homeland in a rapidly changing world. By gathering a rich array of perspectives and mediums, the show invites viewers to reflect on the ways land and water shape our sense of self and collective memory. Team V.4-EM-UAE