Sharjah Biennial officials head for Venice

Scheduled to be held between June 8 and 12, 2005, the Biennial attracts wide global participation, thanks to its 102-year-old history. The Sharjah Biennial team will include Hisham Al Madhloum, General Coordinator, and Jack Persekian, Head Curator of the Biennial.

The participation of Mr. Al Madhloum and Mr. Persekian assumes great significance in view of Sharjah Biennial's growing stature in the international art cultural and artistic milieu.

Talking about the visit, Mr. Al Madhloum said: 'This participation in the Venice Biennial is important for us, keeping in view that it was the first-ever biennial established to a creative dialogue with the artistic direction by setting new objectives and confirming the central role of the Biennials.'

Stressing on the role of the Sharjah Biennial, Mr. Al Madhloum said: 'The Sharjah Biennial has been and continues to be a success story since its first session in 1993. Over the last seven editions, the Biennial has attracted critics and artists from all corners of the globe and the creative diversity of the event has been steadily enhanced by its multicultural nature, making it one of the top 10 biennials in the world.'

During the visit, Mr. Al Madhloum will also call on the representatives of museums and exhibitions in Florence to discuss future cooperation with the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah.

In his comments on the visit to the Venice Biennial, Mr. Persekian said: 'As part of our visit, we will showcase the preparations which went into finalizing the Sharjah Biennial 7, which presents the creative works of over 70 artists from 36 countries. The 2005 edition of contemporary art in Sharjah has presented several important innovations, which has helped further Sharjah's position as the cultural capital of the Arab World.'

He added: 'With Belonging as the over arching theme, the artists have tried to communicate issues around identity, home and homelessness, migration and refugees and present it from their own perspectives, which reflects the maturity of articulations and presentations of the participating artists.'

H.H. Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, the President of Sharjah Biennial, who took over the responsibility of the Biennial in 2003, has tried to encourage art movement by promoting the role of Sharjah in the local, regional and international arts scene. Thanks to her endeavours, the local and regional artists now have the opportunity to be exposed to international contemporary and cutting edge arts and can take part in an event of the calibre and international appeal of the Biennial.