Sharjah Art Foundation has announced the title and curatorial framework for the highly anticipated 17th Sharjah Biennial, which will take place from 21st January to 13th June 2027. Gathering 109 artists from around the world, the event promises a compelling exploration of contemporary artistic transformations.
This edition, titled “What remains, sits restive”, delves into the ways contemporary art both reflects and informs the ongoing extension (امتداد) of historical and cultural shifts that continue to shape today’s reality. By addressing the present as a product and continuation of past transformations, the Biennial seeks to frame our current moment within a broader narrative of change and memory.
A unique aspect of this Biennial is its dual curatorial vision. Angela Harutyunyan and Paula Nascimento each bring distinctive perspectives that form a dynamic artistic dialogue. Harutyunyan’s approach revisits the trajectories of modernity across varied global contexts, challenging and reinterpreting familiar histories. Meanwhile, Nascimento centers her curatorial focus on the impact of social and cultural transformations, considering phenomena such as “slow violence” and the resulting effects on both tangible and intangible spaces.
The Biennial will span multiple venues across Sharjah, presenting works that offer diverse perspectives and invite audiences to contemplate new interpretations of contemporary reality. Through this platform, the Sharjah Biennial continues to affirm its status as a global stage for artistic exchange, nurturing cultural dialogue, knowledge sharing, and artistic engagement with humanity’s most urgent issues.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
