AL-Monitor Dubai: Sharjah Biennial 16 featuring 190 artists
This week we highlight the upcoming Sharjah Biennial 16, a major new exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi juxtaposing traditional and contemporary African art, a new restaurant in Dubai fusing African and Mediterranean cuisine and new exhibition openings featuring the work of collective Slavs and Tatars at The Third Line.
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Leading the week: Sharjah Biennial
Art world figures from around the globe will flock to Sharjah next week, Feb. 6–9, for the opening program of Sharjah Biennial 16 (SB16). Curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala and Zeynep Öz, SB16 presents artworks by over 190 participants, including more than 200 new commissions. Titled “to carry,” the biennial’s focus this year lies in understanding our collective and individual uncertainty in spaces that are not our own while at the same time trying to stay responsive to such sites. The theme also looks at intergenerational stories and modes of inheritance.
As stated in the biennial’s opening press release: “What do we carry when it is time to travel, flee or move on? What are the passages that we form as we migrate between territories and across time? What do we carry when we remain? What do we carry when we survive?”
The works on view across the Sharjah Art Foundation and at various other locations, invite the viewer to encounter various viewpoints on the theme as well as explorations of the five curators.
Ultimately, the biennial reflects on how “to carry” change, whether it be technological, societal, animistic or ritualistic, and how to then move toward a place of graceful transition and collective understanding.
Date: Feb. 6 – June 15
Locations: Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba and other locations in the Emirate of Sharjah
Find more information here.
Word on the street: African Queen
A view of African Queen in J1 in Jumeirah, Dubai. (Courtesy African Queen)
For those seeking cuisine that fuses delicacies from the Mediterranean with more exotic fare from the African continent, African Queen, which recently opened in Dubai, is the place to dine. Established in 1969 in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, the restaurant has become known for its inviting, charming ambiance and delicious cuisine. Its new Dubai outpost is located in the lavish new J1 Beach in Jumeriah 1. Expect a stunning backdrop of palm trees and sea views coupled with a selection of grilled meats, fresh seafood, French Riviera classics, such as salad Nicoise and pissaladiere pizza, and seasonal specialties.
Location: Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Find more information here.
Dubai diary
Slavs and Tatars, Stilettos, 2024. Hand-blown glass, hand-made faux nails. (Courtesy the artist)
'Simurgh Self-Help,' by Slavs and Tatars
Opening Feb. 4 at The Third Line in Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, Simurgh Self-Help is the third solo exhibition of the collective Slavs and Tatars. Running until April 4, the exhibition presents a new body of work inspired by Marcel Broodthaers’ Musée d'Art Moderne – Département des Aigles (Museum of Modern Art – Department of the Eagles) (1968–72), one of the most renowned works of conceptual art of the 20th century. In Simurgh Self-Help, Slavs and Tatars present creative renditions of the eagle through the lens of Simurgh, a mythical bird rooted in Turkic and Persianate folklore, Sufi traditions and the literature of the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Date: Feb. 4 – April 4
Location: The Third Line, Dubai
Find more information here.
Athar Jabar’s Vestiges at Ayyam Gallery
This solo exhibition, running until April 1, presents the largest body of work to date of the artist Athar Jabar, delving into the sensitive relationship between the human form and the external forces that shape it. Born in Rome, in 1982 to Iraqi artists Afifa Aleiby and Jaber Alwan, Athar grew up between Rome, Florence, The Netherlands and Antwerp, Belgium. He now lives in Abu Dhabi. In Vestiges, he reimagines the human body, creating figures that strive to transcend their physical disfigurement, showcasing how individuals are affected by the world’s unpredictable forces.
Date: Until April 1
Location: Ayyam Gallery, B11, Alserkal Avenue.
Find more information here.
Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power at the Louvre Abu Dhabi
Recently opened at the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a new exhibition presented in collaboration with the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris, offering a glimpse into the lives of Africa’s most revered and powerful figures through art. The works on view — largely unique traditional pieces from Africa with a few contemporary objects, such as an impressive textile made in 2020 by the Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté titled Mali, a Treasure — explores sacred symbols of spiritual influence, royal attire and more. Each piece reveals a narrative of power and cultural significance, conveying the legacy of the African kings and queens.
Date: Until May 25
Location: Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Find more information here.
Book of the week: "As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow”
At the Emirates Literature Festival, taking place between Jan. 29 and Feb.3 at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City in Dubai, the bestselling and award-winning author Zoulfa Katouh will discussing on Feb. 1 her book As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, a story of love and loss in Syria. Set against the backdrop of war, the book tells the story of Salama, a teenager and pharmacology student leading a normal life until the civil war breaks out. The eruption of violence leads her to volunteer at a hospital in Homs, where she helps the wounded while also secretly trying to find a way to escape her beloved country.
View from Dubai
A photograph of daily life in Dubai, by Ola Allouz. (Courtesy of Ola Allouz)
The Emirati artist and photographer Ola Allouz focuses particularly on culture and daily life in her photography. A Fujifilm brand ambassador, Allouz has a degree in photography from the Emirates Fine Arts Society and founded the @foto.uae Instagram feed, organizing frequent photo walks and gatherings for like-minded individuals in the UAE. As shown in this photo, Allouz has a passion for untold stories and off-the-beaten-track side of life in the UAE.
By the numbers
- In December, Dubai Chambers forecast that UAE retail sales in 2025 will grow 6.6%, totaling $70.5 billion.
- Store-based retailing is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7%, while online retail is forecast to grow at a faster rate, 14.8%, according to the same source.
