Sharjah24 : For the 15th Sharjah Biennial, which will take place between February 7 and June 11, 2023 under the tagline "History is Present," more than 140 artists from more than 70 countries were announced today by the Sharjah Art Foundation.

A tribute to the late Okwui Enwezor's visionary work, the 15th Sharjah Biennial (SB15) is curated by the Foundation's Director Hoor Al Qasimi and pays homage to Enwezor's ground-breaking contributions to contemporary art, which have influenced institutions and biennials all over the world, including the Sharjah Biennial itself.

To mark Sharjah Biennial’s 30-year anniversary, Enwezor proposed commissioning 30 works as a way to meaningfully activate this critical platform through the development of new work. In line with this framework, 30 artists have been invited to embark on major commissions that explore histories that continue to shape our present: John Akomfrah, Kader Attia, Sammy Baloji, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Carolina Caycedo, Destiny Deacon, Manthia Diawara, Coco Fusco, Hassan Hajjaj, Mona Hatoum, Lubaina Himid, Isaac Julien, Amar Kanwar, Bouchra Khalili, Mohammed Ibrahim Mahama, Kerry James Marshall, Steve McQueen, Almagul Menlibayeva, Aline Motta, Wangechi Mutu, Philippe Parreno, Doris Salcedo, Berni Searle, Yinka Shonibare, Vivan Sundaram, Fatimah Tuggar, Hajra Waheed, Barbara Walker, Nari Ward and Carrie Mae Weems.

The Biennial is being realised by Al Qasimi as curator in conjunction with the Sharjah Biennial 15 Working Group, comprised of Tarek Abou El Fetouh (independent curator); Ute Meta Bauer (professor and Founding Director of NTU CCA Singapore); Salah M. Hassan (professor and art historian, Cornell University and Director of The Africa Institute, Sharjah); Chika Okeke-Agulu (professor and art historian, Princeton University); and Octavio Zaya (independent curator, art writer and Executive Director of the Cuban Art Foundation). Al Qasimi and the Working Group are overseeing the development and implementation of the Biennial with an Advisory Committee that includes Sir David Adjaye (architect) and Christine Tohmé (Director, Ashkal Alwan, Beirut).


Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President of the Foundation, acknowledged that Okwui Enwezor saw the 30th anniversary of the Sharjah Biennial as a chance to reflect on the significance of biennials in the contemporary art ecosystem. The Sharjah Biennial and the Foundation's role in the history, present, and future are explored. "We look forward to receiving and welcoming visitors, whether from the UAE or beyond, to consider the themes addressed and learn about the ideas provided by the participating artists," she said.