ArtDayME: 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*