Sharjah Art Foundation

Sharjah Biennial 16

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
6 Febuary — 15 June 2025

Sharjah CityMap and Sharjah Infocart, 2011

Alexis Bhagat and Lize Mogel
Sharjah CityMap and Sharjah Infocart, 2011
Mobile information kiosk, multi-lingual maps
Dimensions variable
Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation
Photo by Alfredo Rubio

Overview

Alexis Bhagat will introduce the ideas behind this exciting new project and present working designs of the InfoCart being developed with students from American University of Sharjah. Following the talk, Alexis will be joined by Nida Ghouse, assistant curator for Sharjah Biennial 10, to hold an open discussion on the practice of artist participation in public places.

In Sharjah, most people do not use maps to navigate city streets or to find places to go. Instead, they use visual clues to get around, rely on word-of-mouth, and draw upon their own or their community’s past experience to know where to go and what to do.

Maps are mostly used by tourists and by professionals involved in producing and maintaining the built environment. The artists Alexis Bhagat and Lize Mogel will ask residents of Sharjah for their assistance in creating a map that is very different from the one made for tourists. This map will be created by and for residents of Sharjah, adding a layer of personal history and memory over a base map of the city.

The Sharjah InfoCart is a public information kiosk where information will be collected that will be used to create the new map of Sharjah. Over two months from November to January, the InfoCart will travel to various public locations throughout the city.

The Sharjah InfoCart is planned as a public information kiosk that will travel throughout the city collecting information for a new map of Sharjah. Bhagat is collaborating with artist Lize Mogel on this project.

The talk will be followed by an open discussion on the practice of artist participation in public places.

This event is free of charge, All welcome
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Related

Sharjah InfoCart

Bhagat, Alexis

Alexis Bhagat is a writer operating in the art world, interested in language and power. His work takes the form of sound installations, radio broadcasts, mail-art and texts.

Sharjah InfoCart

Mogel, Lize

Lize Mogel is an interdisciplinary artist who works with the interstices between art and cultural geography.

Sharjah InfoCart

Sharjah CityMap and Sharjah InfoCart

The Sharjah InfoCart is a mobile kiosk that traveled to malls and outdoor public places in Sharjah including Al Qasba, Sahara Centre Mall, Rolla, and Al-Jubail bus station, during January and February 2011.