Sharjah Biennial announces artists for its 2025 edition.

The Sharjah Art Foundation has released the list of artists participating in the Sharjah Biennial 2025. The 16th edition of the biennial, scheduled for February 6 through June 15, 2025, will see contributions from more than 140 artists, including Arthur Jafa, Hugh Hayden, and Lorna Simpson. The works will be presented at various venues across Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba, and other locations in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The biennial, titled “to carry,” is curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala, and Zeynep Öz. The theme is meant to be “an open-ended proposition,” allowing artists to examine the various burdens, legacies, and experiences that people and societies have carried throughout history, particularly addressing themes of identity, migration, and collective memory.

“The constellation of diverse methodologies that the five curators have gathered offers audiences the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking dialogues bridging the local context with global narratives about identity, movement, change, and collectivity,” said Hoor Al Qasimi, president and director of Sharjah Art Foundation. “By centering the act of carrying, Sharjah Biennial 16 offers a space for imagining new collective futures while recognizing the weight of shared histories and experiences.”

The 2025 Sharjah Biennial prominently features a diverse array of Indigenous artists, echoing the representation seen at this year’s Venice Biennale. Indigenous artists featured in both biennials include Faye Heavyshield, Raven Chacon, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Sky Hopinka, and Daniel Boyd, among others.

In contrast to the 15th edition of the Sharjah Biennial, which presented 300 works, including 70 new commissions, the forthcoming biennial has increased the number of new works to 82. The full list of participating artists is as follows:

(*Presenting new commissions)

• Adam HajYahia*
• Adelita Husni-Bey*
• Akinbode Akinbiyi
• Akira Ikezoe*
• Akram Zaatari
• Albert Refiti
• Alia Farid*
• Aluaiy Kaumakan
• Ana Iti
• Anga Art Collective*
• Arthur Jafa
• Ayman Zedani
• Ayşe İdil İdil
• Betül Aksu and Okyanus Çağrı Camcı with Merve Elveren*
• Ayumi Paul
• Aziz Hazara*
• Betty Adii with Septina Layan*
• Bilna’es*
• Bint Mbareh*
• Brian Martin
• Cannupa Hanska Luger
• Cassi Namoda*
• Cécile B. Evans*
• Chandralekha
• Chun Shao
• Citra Sasmita*
• Ciwas Tahos (Anchi Lin)
• Claudia Martínez Garay
• Concrete Thread Repertoire*
• Daniel Boyd*
• Dian Suci Rahmawati*
• Dilek Winchester
• Doruntina Kastrati*
• Driant Zeneli
• Ellen Pau*
• Emily Kame Kngwarreye
• Emre Hüner
• Fatma Belkıs
• Faye Heavyshield
• Fazal Rizvi*
• Fernando Palma Rodríguez
• Fiona Pardington*
• Güneş Terkol*
• Hashel Al Lamki*
• Helene Kazan*
• Hellen Ascoli*
• Heman Chong
• Hugh Hayden*
• Hylozoic/Desires*
• Ipeh Nur*
• Joe Namy*
• John Clang
• Jorge González*
• Julianknxx*
• Kaili Chun
• Kaloki Nyamai*
• Kapulani Landgraf
• Kate Crawford & Vladan Joler
• Kate Newby*
• Liu Chuang
• Lorna Simpson
• Luana Vitra*
• Luke Willis Thompson*
• Maïa Tellit Hawad*
• Mabel Juli
• Mahmoud Khaled*
• Mangku Muriati*
• Mara TK*
• María José Murillo
• Mariam Alnoaimi*
• Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien
• M’Barek Bouhchichi*
• Megan Cope
• M’hammed Kilito*
• Michael Parekōwhai*
• Mila Turajlić*
• Mohammed Al Hawajri, Dina Mattar, and family with Ala Younis*
• Mónica de Miranda*
• Monira Al Qadiri
• Morris Foit
• Nadia Christidi with Sary Moussa and Joseph Kai*
• Nadiah Bamadhaj
• Naeem Mohaiemen*
• Nasser Al Yousif
• Ndidi Dike*
• Nge Lay*
• Noémie Goudal
• Olivia Plender
• Onur Gökmen
• Paky Vlassopoulou
• Pallavi Paul*
• Pastizal Zamudio with Andrea Torreblanca*
• Photo Kegham–Kegham Djeghalian
• Pratchaya Phinthong*
• Raafat Majzoub
• Raffaela Naldi Rossano*
• Rajni Perera*
• Rajyashri Goody
• Raven Chacon*
• Reetu Sattar
• Restu Ratnaningtyas*
• Richard Bell
• Risham Syed*
• Rita Mawuena Benissan*
• Rossella Biscotti*
• Roy Samaha*
• RRD (Reproduction and Distribution Network): Anuar Portugal, Bruno Ruiz, Joel Castro, Laura Muciño, and Sergio Torres
• Rully Shabara*
• S M Sultan
• Saffronn Te Ratana*
• Sakiya*
• Salima Hakim*
• Sancintya Mohini Simpson*
• Sangdon Kim
• Sarah Abu Abdallah*
• Serapis Maritime*
• Sevil Tunaboylu*
• Shivanjani Lal*
• Shubigi Rao
• Singing Wells*
• Sky Hopinka
• Stephanie Comilang*
• Steven Yazzie
• Subash Thebe Limbu
• Suzanne Lacy
• T. Vinoja*
• Tara Al Dughaither*
• Te Matahiapo Collective*
• The Voice of Domestic Workers x MOI TRAN*
• Tishani Doshi*
• Viswanadhan
• Vitória Cribb*
• Wael Shawky
• Womanifesto*
• Ximena Garrido-Lecca
• Yhonnie Scarce*
• Yim Yen Sum*
• Yvonne Koolmatrie
• Zadie Xa*