The Sharjah Art Foundation has just announced its list of participants for the 2025 Sharjah Biennale. This year’s edition will feature over 140 artists from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Among them, 80 artists have been commissioned to create new works for the Biennale. This year, artists of African descent participating include Morris Foit Njuguna (Kenya), Kaloki Nyamai (Kenya), Akinbode Akinbiyi (British-Nigerian), and Rita Mawuena Bennsian (Ghanaian-American). Both Rita Mawuena Bennsian and Kaloki Nyamai will create commissioned pieces. Akinbode Akinbiyi and Morris Foit will produce works that resonate with the Biennale’s theme.
Titled “To Carry,” Sharjah Biennale 16 serves as a space for convergence where different audiences come together to navigate and understand the complexities of today’s world. Rather than turning away from challenges, the Biennale invites deeper introspection, encouraging us to look inward from multiple perspectives. The inclusion of African artists and artists of African descent highlights the importance of contemporary African art as a vital force in today’s changing world.
Sharjah Biennale 16 is curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala, and Zeynep Öz. Hoor Al Qasimi, the president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, praised the curators, saying:
“The constellation of diverse methodologies gathered by the five curators offers audiences the chance to engage in thought-provoking dialogues that bridge local contexts with global narratives of identity, movement, change, and collectivity. Through the act of carrying, Sharjah Biennale 16 becomes a space for imagining new collective futures while acknowledging the weight of shared histories and experiences.”
Among the African artists participating offer unique perspectives on modern and contemporary African art. They include :
Rita Mawuena Bennsian reimagines the royal umbrella, historically used in ancient Middle Eastern and North African cultures, transforming it into a powerful symbol of Ghanaian identity. Collaborating with traditional artisans, she breathes new life into archival photographs through textiles and photography, blending history with contemporary symbolism.
Embroidery on Velvet. 137.2 x 132.1 cm. Image courtesy of Gallery 1957.
Kaloki Nyamai creates large-scale works that transform spaces into communal gatherings. His intricate layering of materials reflects the pre-colonial history and heritage of his native home; Kitui, Kenya. His poetic pieces invite audiences to contemplate the historical depth and the present-day realities of the world, all present in his works.
Morris Njau (Foit), born in 1940 in Kenya, is one of East Africa’s most revered wooden sculptors. His mastery of wood allows him to create sculptures of various scales and complexity. He focuses on social relationships and key moments in the human life cycle. His works delve into themes of spirituality, identity, and humanity, making his sculptures a testament to culture and heritage.
Lastly, Akinbode Akinbiyi, a street photographer, captures the fast-changing landscapes of African megacities. Having grown up between London and Nigeria, his work is free from subjective interpretation. He focuses on the everyday life of individuals in these urban spaces. Using a Rolleiflex medium-format camera, he creates a rhythmic flow between the urban and rural. He reflects on the architectural and human dynamics of these environments.
The Sharjah Biennale will open on February 6, 2025, and run through June 2025.
Click here to learn more about the Biennale.
