Overview
Sharjah Art Foundation's annual photography initiative, Vantage Point Sharjah, returns for its 9th edition this September with an exhibition featuring works by 53 photographers from 30 countries, selected from an open call that received more than 500 submissions in four categories: Conceptual, Experimental, Photojournalism and Documentary, and Staged Photography.
For the 2021 iteration, the Foundation is awarding a prize to one photographer in each category, selected by a jury consisting of Ammar Al Attar (artist), Sham Enbashi (photographer and architect), M'hammed Kilito (photographer) and Alia Al Shamsi (author and artist). The winners will be announced on the exhibition's opening day, September 18. For more information, visit sharjahart.org
The opening reception for VPS9 takes place from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on 18 September. From 19 September, the exhibition visiting hours are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday to Thursday, and 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm on Friday. Admission is free; however, advance booking is required on site or at sharjahart.org.
Exhibiting photographers include:
Conceptual Photography:
Maha Alasaker, Kathy Anne Lim, Hayley Millar Baker, Aline Deschamps, Farheen Fatima, Gabriel Gauffre, Majid Hojati, Alaa Jaafar, Işık Kaya, Wendy Marijnissen, Sara Sallam, Hiro Tanaka and Han Shun Zhou.
Experimental Photography:
Sarah Al Ansary, Gabi Kaiser, Carolina Dutca and Valentin Sidorenko, Devashish Gaur, Sukanya Ghosh, Brian Kerrigan, Barbel Mollmann, Ziad Naitaddi, Yudha Kusama Putera, Tamara Saade, Mahmoud Talaat and Alexander Walmsley.
Photojournalism and Documentary Photography:
Reyad Abedin, Taha Ahmad, Nicola Chilton, Akash Joshi, Roger Moukarzel, Fajar Riyanto, Kristina Sergeeva, Javed Sultan and Jerzy Wierzbicki.
Staged Photography:
Khadija El Abyad, Dima Assad, Fatima Butt, Divya Cowasji, Soheila Esmaeili, Wiame Haddad, Babak Haghi, Khoula Hamad, Barry Iverson, Januario Jano, Jennifer Kisney, Sudip Maiti, Lakin Ogunbanwo, Martin T Raggio, Anja Ronacher, Oskar Schmidt, Buhlebezwe Siwani, Sandeep TK and Rob Voerman
Since its launch in 2013, Vantage Point Sharjah has focused on a variety of themes including ‘Self-Portraiture’, ‘Performance’ and ‘Architecture and Urban Landscape’. The wide range of work presented in this year’s exhibition showcases the unique and limitless possibilities of photography as a medium. Through their lens, the photographers explore the world around them, drawing from personal experiences and narratives, as well as their cultural, political and environmental conditions. Some works reveal intimate portraits of family life and memories, while others reflect on the often troubled history and politics of their homeland. Together, the nearly 200 images on view present an evocative and inspiring insight into the life and concerns of individuals from around the world.
Accompanying this year’s edition is a series of dynamic learning programmes focused on photography for children and families as well as youth and adults. Workshops for children and families teach skills such as setting up a home studio, best practices for smartphone photography and how to use a green screen. Participants will document their world in lessons on portraiture, wildlife photography and more. Youth and adults can develop skills in digital and analog photography, and then apply them in workshops on photojournalism, portraiture, and documenting our built and natural world. The learning programme will also offer public talks by artists and journalists. To view the full programme and for more information, visit sharjahart.org.
About Sharjah Art Foundation
Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. Under the leadership of founder Hoor Al Qasimi, a curator and artist, the foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions; and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.
Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation’s deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation’s support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world. Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international non-profits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.
About Sharjah
Sharjah is the third-largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. In 1998, it was named UNESCO's 'Arab Capital of Culture' and was designated the UNESCO ‘World Book Capital’ for the year 2019.
Media Contacts:
Sharjah Art Foundation:
Alyazeyah Al Marri, alyazeyah@sharjahart.org, +971(0)65444113