Overview
Sharjah Art Foundation presents an online film programme featuring a selection of critically acclaimed films from artists and filmmakers Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Maha Maamoun and Naeem Mohaiemen. Part of the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection, these films are being screened in parallel with the ongoing exhibition, Unsettled Objects, which features recently acquired and rarely seen Collection works by over 30 artists. The screenings will be followed by Q&A sessions with the film directors.
The selected films explore histories of conflict and trauma as well as the arbitrary concept of being a migrant in and of itself. Often relying on memory, the filmmakers tell stories that seek to rupture what is widely assumed about a place or its experiences, creating instead complex universes for new forms of imagination to emerge.
A detailed programme is provided below.
ISMYRNE (2016)
Directors: Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige
Friday, 16 April 2021
9:00 pm
This award-winning film documents a lengthy encounter between Joana Hadjithomas and the artist/poet Etel Adnan. Friends since the early 1990s, they grew close, bound by a tumultuous link to their ancestral homeland of Smyrna (now known as Izmir), a city that they had never visited. Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation. Register for the screening and live discussion here.
Domestic Tourism II (2009)
Director: Maha Maamoun
Friday, 23 April 2021
9:00 pm
In this 60-minute experimental film Maha Maamoun explores how the ‘timeless’ image of the Egyptian pyramids can be challenged by reworking representations of these historic monuments into urban narratives. By re-inscribing them into the multifaceted and historical landscape of Cairo, Maamoun re-appropriates them from the superficial glorification of touristic postcards, commercials and Hollywood films. Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation. Register for the screening and live discussion here.
Tripoli Cancelled (2017)
Director: Naeem Mohaiemen
Friday, 30 April 2021
9:00 pm
This critically acclaimed feature-length film offers a metaphorical reflection on the physical and mental isolation of the migrant experience. Shot in the Eliinikon Airport in Greece, the script is inspired by the experience of Mohaiemen’s father who was stranded in this same Athens airport for nine days in 1977 after losing his passport on a Bangladesh-India flight. This film was commissioned by documenta 14 and co-commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation and Art Jameel. Register for the screening and discussion here.
Screening information
The films can be accessed via the Foundation’s dedicated virtual screening platform at their scheduled times through the links provided above. The films are free to watch; however, advance booking is encouraged as spots are limited.
About Unsettled Objects
On view until 15 June 2021 in the iconic landmark The Flying Saucer, Unsettled Objects encourages us to re-think how objects of art are looked at and understood while provoking a re-imagining of the ways in which history is narrated and explored. The exhibition is curated by Omar Kholeif, Sharjah Art Foundation’s Director of Collections and Senior Curator.
Visit sharjahart.org to learn more.
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