Overview
Sharjah Art Foundation invites photographers from around the world to submit entries for Vantage Point Sharjah 9 (VPS9), an annual initiative dedicated to the practice of photography. Both established and emerging photographers are welcome to apply, and applicants are free to choose their own theme and artistic approach that falls under one of the following categories: Photojournalism and Documentary, Conceptual, Experimental and Staged photography. A jury consisting of Ammar Al Attar, Sham Enbashi, M’hammed Kilito and Alia Al Shamsi will make the final selection of images that will be presented during an exhibition slated to open at the Foundation’s off-site venue Al Hamriyah Studios on 18 September 2021. One winner in each category will be selected by the jury to receive a prize of USD 1,500.
The application deadline is 11:00 pm (UAE time), 3 July 2021.
Interested photographers can submit up to six digital photographs in 300 dpi resolution along with an application form that includes a short description of the work(s), the location where each photograph was taken and a brief biography.
Materials can be submitted via email to photo@sharjahart.org.
The application form as well as submission terms and conditions for the ninth iteration of Vantage Point Sharjah can be found on sharjahart.org.
The first Vantage Point Sharjah took place in 2013 and was conceived as an initiative to engage with the local community through a call for submissions open to UAE-based photographers. As its popularity has grown over the years, the geographic remit has expanded while exhibition themes have included ‘Self-Portraiture’, ‘Performance’ and ‘Architecture and Urban Landscape’. In an effort to further encourage the development of creativity in the field, since 2019 international applicants have been free to choose their own themes and artistic approach. The resulting exhibition offers Sharjah audiences an opportunity to discover the work of emerging photographers from the UAE and around the world.
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 learning 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 nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. All exhibitions 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 Mohammed Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. It was named UNESCO's Arab Capital of Culture in 1998 and the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2019.
Media Contact
Alyazeyah Al Reyaysa
+971(0)65444113
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org