Sharjah, UAE: Time is running out to catch some of the most compelling Sharjah Art Foundation exhibitions of 2024. Four major shows — all free of charge — close on June 16, 2024. If you haven't booked yet, this is your final window to experience them before they disappear.
The Casablanca Art School: Postcolonial Avant-Garde (1962–1987)
At Al Hamriyah Studios and Old Al Diwan Al Amiri, this landmark exhibition charts the social and artistic revolution ignited at the Casablanca Art School in Morocco following the country's independence in 1956. It is the first major museum exhibition of this movement's work, co-organised with Tate St Ives and Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt.
More than 20 artists are represented across abstract paintings, graphic art, craftwork, ceramics, and rarely seen archival material — together making the case for a bold new postcolonial visual culture that continues to resonate today.
Henok Melkamzer: Telsem Symbols and Imagery
Head to Sharjah Art Museum in Al Shuweiheen for the largest solo presentation ever mounted of Ethiopian telsem art. The exhibition features more than 100 works by Henok Melkamzer — many on view for the first time — combining ancient inspirations with modern idioms through an intricate system of symbols, drawings, and texts.
Telsem is far more than a healing or talisman tradition; it is a sophisticated philosophical visual art form, and Melkamzer's works demonstrate its full range and depth.
Lala Rukh: In the Round
Galleries 1, 2, and 3 of Al Mureijah Art Spaces host the first major international survey of the late Pakistani artist and activist Lala Rukh. Spanning three decades of her practice in drawing, printmaking, and video, the exhibition traces her work against the backdrop of political upheaval and feminist movements in Pakistan.
The show includes the regional premiere of her final work, Rupak (2016), making this a particularly significant moment to engage with her legacy.
Drawing Time: Duets
Gallery 4 at Al Mureijah Art Spaces presents a rarely seen selection of drawings from the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection. Drawing Time: Duets reconsiders drawing as a culturally situated disciplinary practice — one that begins in thought and extends into an extraordinary range of material and conceptual forms across art history.
Plan Your Visit
All four exhibitions are free to attend, but advance booking is required. Opening hours are Saturday to Thursday, 9am–9pm, and Friday, 4pm–9pm. Book your spot at ticket.sharjahart.org before June 16.
