The Sharjah Biennial 16 (SB16), titled to carry features over 650 works by nearly 200 artists, including more than 200 new commissions. Curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala, and Zeynep Öz, the Biennial explores the concept of carrying—both literally and metaphorically—as a way to navigate life’s transitions and challenges.
Taking place across 17 venues in Sharjah, including Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, and Kalba, SB16 offers a diverse programme of activations, performances, music, and film. The Biennial reflects on how we respond to spaces that are not our own and the cultural stories we carry across time and generations. It invites audiences to contemplate the meaning of home, migration, survival, and the intangible connections that shape our lives.
Each curator brings a unique perspective to this theme. Alia Swastika focuses on women’s knowledge and speculative futures through technological intervention, while Amal Khalaf explores storytelling and song as rituals for collective learning in times of crisis. Megan Tamati-Quennell highlights Indigenous perspectives on land and reciprocity, Natasha Ginwala centres on littoral sites and ancestral memory, and Zeynep Öz examines societal systems shaped by technological advancements.
Artworks and projects by participating artists reflect communal themes such as oceanic crossings, cultural continuity, and environmental resilience. Notable works include Akinbode Akinbiyi’s Sea Never Dry (1982–ongoing), a photographic series spread along the Sharjah Corniche, and Megan Cope’s Kinyingarra Guwinyanba (2024), a sculpture referencing Sharjah’s ancient geological history.
The Biennial also addresses environmental and social issues through Indigenous knowledge systems. Yhonnie Scarce’s glass sculptures recreate radioactive clouds from British nuclear tests in Australia, while Adelita Husni-Bey’s Like a Flood (2025) critiques Libya’s collapsing water infrastructure. Alia Farid’s work reflects on Iraq’s wetland communities affected by war and industrial exploitation.
Through workshops, sound installations, and site-specific interventions, SB16 fosters collective dialogue and offers audiences new ways of engaging with contemporary issues. Free and open to the public, Sharjah Biennial 16 runs until 15 June 2025.
Location: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Dates: 6 February – 15 June 2025
