Sharjah Art Foundation Presents Exhibition A Tripoli Agreement as part of Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme

Overview

A Tripoli Agreement
14 July—1 September 2018
Gallery 4, Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah

Sharjah Art Foundation presents A Tripoli Agreement, an exhibition developed as part of the Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme, which was launched with an open call last year. Presented in partnership with Air Arabia and curated by Renan Laru-an, the show features newly commissioned works and performances as well as archival materials and research projects that imagine a space in which art is in dialogue with history in the present.

'Movement, migration and mobility are at the center of discussions in contemporary art and society at large today,' said Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation. 'Sharjah Art Foundation's partnership with Air Arabia expands on the institution's history as a platform for the development of art and culture locally, regionally and internationally. The Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme provides the opportunity to support exhibitions that, while presented in Sharjah, convey how places are invariably connected to others across space and time.'

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: ‘Air Arabia is proud to facilitate this exhibition as it helps connect artists through its vast network and brings them together to showcase how art, like travel, can bring the world closer together. We are proud with our partnership with Sharjah Art Foundation and confident that the Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme will further contribute to Sharjah’s rich art scene.’

The exhibition encompasses both contemporary artworks and archival presentations. Works by artists Mark Salvatus, Prajakta Potnis, Sina Seifee and titre provisoire will be on view along with works from research initiatives From Bandung to Berlin and Malaysia Design Archive. The exhibition also introduces cultural, cross-disciplinary practices of translation by historic figures, such as the late Filipino avant-garde composer and ethnomusicologist Jose Maceda (1917–2004) whose work is featured prominently in the gallery.

A Tripoli Agreement marks the culmination of Laru-an’s research supported by the first edition of the annual Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme. This initiative enabled Laru-an to travel from Sharjah to Tehran and brought artists and researchers to Sharjah from other Air Arabia destinations, including Mumbai and Istanbul.

With support of Sharjah Art Foundation’s infrastructure and technical expertise as well as Air Arabia’s flight network, Laru-an was able to explore connections between Southeast Asia and the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region.

Through an annual open call for curators, the Air Arabia Curator in Residence Programme offers selected curators from around the world a residency in Sharjah to research, travel and curate an exhibition with artists from Air Arabia destinations.

This exhibition is free and open to the public. 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 nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. All events are free and open to the public.

About Air Arabia

Air Arabia (PJSC), listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is the Middle East and North Africa’s leading low-cost carrier (LCC). Air Arabia commenced operations in October 2003 and currently operates a fleet of 53 new Airbus A320 aircraft, serving over 150 routes from four hubs in the UAE (SHJ & RKT), Morocco and Egypt. Air Arabia is an award-winning airline that focuses on offering comfort, reliability and value-for-money air travel. For further information, please visit: www.airarabia.com.

Media Contacts

Alyazeyah Al Reyaysa
+971(0)65444113
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org