Qanat Al Qasba to host UK based artist Sasha Jafri's 10 Year Retrospective Exhibition

The 10 Year Retrospective Exhibition will be exceptional as the Sharjah Art Museum will be displaying the largest collection of Jafri's works to the world for the first time.

At the age of thirty, Jafri is the youngest living artist to have been awarded a 10 year Retrospective. Exhibition.

Held under the patronage of HH Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, 'Sacha Jafri's 10 Year Retrospective Exhibition will held from March 11th to 29th , at the Sharjah Art Museum.

During a press Conference held yesterday at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club it was announced that Sacha's 10 year Retrospective would be unveiled today in Sharjah where this unprecedented and extraordinary collection will be viewed by the world's press, critics and collectors for the first time anywhere.

In attendance at the press conference were the artist Sacha Jafri, Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Qanat Al Qasba Development Authority, Mrs. Sue Underwood, Director of Sharjah Museums Department and a representative from Christie's.

Following its appearance in Sharjah, the exhibition will embark on a global tour visiting the great Museums, Houses of Modern Art, Royal Palaces, Galleries, Embassies, Banks and Public Institutions of the world; all bidding for this collection from over sixteen of the world's most influential cities; including: Delhi, Mumbai, Moscow, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, Berlin, Basel, Vienna, Monaco, Cannes, Saltzburg, Dublin Geneva and London.

Having graduated from the Ruskin, Oxford University, with a first class degree in painting, Jafri is now considered one of the most exciting British painters on the contemporary art scene.

Hailed by the BBC London News as 'The Renaissance Man who is set to seduce us away from conceptual art with his passion for painting', he is leading a revival of painting through his genre - 'Magical Realism.'

The retrospective collection is made up of the highlights from his last five collections: 'Magical Realism - Re-Painted' (1997-2002), The Investigative Journey - Kubrick's Factory Floor' (2003-2004), 'The Spaces between us' (2004-2005), 'His Unconscious Adventure' (2006), 'Disappearing Landscapes' (2007) as well as his latest collection of six new, never before seen works, Jafri collection clearly shows the journey of this extraordinary and truly inspirational artist.

A limited edition book of the 10 Year Retrospective Exhibition will also be officially launched on the same evening where Jafri will also conduct a brief book signing.

Only 800 copies of the Phaidon designed book, published by YBP, will be made available and the sale of the books marks a remarkable and rare collector's opportunity - each book being hand-made with an individual silk-screen cover,

A charity auction will be conducted on the 14th of March at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, at 8:30 p.m, where the proceeds will be allocated for Sharjah City of Humanitarian Services.

The young artist has now raised just over 3.5 million pounds for various charities over the last 6 years.

Working with: UNICEF, The NSPCC, The Full Stop campaign, The Prince's Trust, Pratham, Macmillan Cancer Research, Spinal Research, 'Help a London Child' amongst others.

He aims to raise over 1m pounds for the Maktoum's 'Al Noor'charity in Dubai and The Al-Qasimi's 'City for Humanitarian Services' charity in Sharjah with the sale of 6 bespoke and particularly special pieces of work at two charity auctions hosted by Christies in February and March of 2008.

Thanks to his unique and inspirational work, and the poignancy of his paintings, Jafri's collectors and exhibition attendees include such luminaries as Bill Gates, George Clooney, Prince Albert of Monaco, John McEnroe, Sienna Miller and David Beckham among many other celebrities.