Sharjah Biennial 13 (SB13), Tamawuj ACT II

The culinary Off-site Project will be followed by Act II, the concluding program of SB13. On October 14, Act II launches two exhibitions in Beirut, conceived by guest curators Hicham Khalidi and Reem Fadda at Beirut Art Center and Sursock Museum respectively. 

In this final chapter of the Biennial, Reem Fadda’s exhibition Fruit of Sleep explores the notion of dormancy, looking at sleep as an act of neither the singular or collective mind, but rather of a social body carefully plotting action in the face of failed revolutionary attempts. 

Hicham Khalidi’s exhibition An unpredictable expression of human potential seeks to address the current moment of disenfranchisement and frustration, pondering whether the young generation holds the vitality needed to upturn the socio-political legacies of modernity. 

Act II features walks, lecture performances, talks, panels, theatre, music and dance across the city, as well as film screenings, including new SB13 commissions. Commissioned books will also be launched during the opening week of Act II, together with a compilation of the publications released throughout SB13 in Beirut, Dakar, Istanbul, Ramallah and Sharjah. 

Curated by Christine Tohme, Sharjah Biennial 13: Tamawuj unfolds in five parts, from October 2016 through to October 2017.The biennial includes exhibitions and a public program in two acts in Sharjah and Beirut; a year-long education program in Sharjah; Off-site Projects in Dakar, Istanbul, Ramallah and Beirut; and an online publishing platform tamawuj.org. 

Act II is co-organised by Sharjah Art Foundation and the Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, Ashkal Alwan.

Exhibitions

An unpredictable expression of human potential at Beirut Art Center will be on view until January 19, 2018.

Fruit of Sleep at Sursock Museum will be on view until December 31, 2017. 

Beirut Art Center opening hours
October 14 – 22 | Open daily, 12 – 8 pm 
October 23 onwards 
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday | 12 pm – 8 pm 
Wednesday | 12 pm – 10 pm 
Saturday and Sunday | 11 am – 6 pm 

Sursock Museum opening hours 
Open daily | 10 am – 6 pm 
Late opening on Thursdays | 12 – 9 pm 
Closed on Tuesdays 

Reem Fadda is an independent curator, based between Amman and Ramallah. From 2010-2016, Fadda worked at the Guggenheim Museum as Associate Curator, Middle Eastern Art, Abu Dhabi Project. From 2005 to 2007, Fadda was Director of the Palestinian Association for Contemporary Art (PACA) and worked as Academic Director for the International Academy of Art Palestine, which she helped found in 2006. She has curated many international exhibitions and biennials including Jerusalem Lives (Tahya Al Quds) at The Palestinian Museum, Birzeit (2017); Not New Now, 6th Marrakech Biennale, Morocco (2016); and the United Arab Emirates National Pavilion, 55th Venice Biennale (2012). Fadda was awarded the 8th Walter Hopps Award for Curatorial Achievement in 2017. 

Hicham Khalidi is an associate curator for Lafayette Anticipations, Fondation d’entreprise Galeries Lafayette in Paris He is also working on a permanent public exhibition for the province of Flemish-Brabant. Khalidi was one of the curatorial attachés of the 20th Sydney Biennale (2016) and the Visual Arts curator of the 5th Marrakech Biennale (2014). From 2013 -2015 he was the head of exhibitions at STUK Art Centre in Leuven, Belgium. Khalidi is a board member of q-02, Overtoon and SPIN, centres and collectives for contemporary music, performance and theatre based in Brussels. 

Christine Tohme is the founding director of Ashkal Alwan, the Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, established in 1993. Ashkal Alwan is a non-profit organization supporting artistic practice, through various initiatives including Home Works: A Forum of Cultural Practices initiated by Tohme in 2001; and Home Workspace Program, a tuition-free study program initiated in 2011. Tohme is the recipient of Prince Claus Award in 2006 and the 2015 CCS Bard Audrey Irmas Award for Curatorial Excellence. She is on the boards of Marsa, in Beirut, a health centre providing specialized medical services for at-risk youth and marginalized communities and SAHA, in Istanbul, an association supporting contemporary art from Turkey.

With Noor Abuarafeh, Omar Abusaada and Mohammad Al Attar, Leila Arab, Vartan Avakian, Pedro Barateiro and Quinn Latimer, Tamara Barrage, Eric Baudelaire, Sabrina Belouaar, Mohamed Bourouissa, Madison Bycroft, Los Carpinteros, Sara Sejin Chang (Sara van der Heide), Ali Cherri, Gaëlle Choisne, CJ Clarke, Céline Condorelli, Jesse Darling, Haitham Ennasr, Rami Farook, Claire Fontaine, Forensic Architecture, Khalil El Ghrib, Laura Henno, Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti, Ho Rui An, Eric van Hove, Iman Issa, Emily Jacir, Tushar Joag, Hiwa K, Christoph Keller, Mohamed Khan, Dina Khouri, Rayane M’cirdi, Randa Maroufi, Naeem Mohaiemen, Radouan Mriziga, Rabih Mroué and Lina Majdalanie, Dala Nasser, Wendelien van Oldenborgh, Christodoulos Panayiotou, Younes Rahmoun, Mostafa Saifi Rahmouni, Roy Samaha, Sigil, Christopher Ian Smith, Praneet Soi, Rania Stephan, SUPERFLEX, Rayyane Tabet, Akira Takayama, Tamawuj.org, TAO Dance Theatre, Bahar Temiz and Felix Mathias Ott, Anton Vidokle, Karine Wehbé, and Young-Hae Chang Heavy Industries

Al Madina Theatre
Saroulla Building, Hamra | Tel: +961 (0)1 753 011

Ashkal Alwan
Building 110, Street 90, Jisr El Wati, Near Souk Al Ahad, facing Impex Garage | Tel: +961 (0)1 423 879 

Beirut Art Center
Building 13, Street 97, Jisr El Wati, off Corniche Al Nahr | Tel: +961 (0)1 397 018 

Beryte Theatre
Damascus Street, Mathaf, Saint Joseph University Human Sciences Campus | Tel: +961 (0) 1 202 422 

Dawawine
Arz Street, Sai , Gemmayze | Tel: +961 (0)1 567 705 

Al Madina Theatre
Saroulla Building, Hamra | Tel: +961 (0)1 753 011 

Metropolis Empire Sofil
Sofil Center, Charles Malek Avenue, Ashrafieh | Tel: +961 (0)1 204 080

STATION
Street 90, Jisr El Wati, Near Souk Al Ahad, facing Impex Garage | Tel: +961 71 684 218 

Sunflower Theatre
Sami el Solh Street, end of Badaro, Tayouneh Roundabout | Tel: +961 (0)1 381 290 

Sursock Museum
Greek Orthodox Archbishopric Street, Ashrafieh | Tel: +961 (0)1 202 001 

Zico House
Yammout Building, 174 Spears Street, Sanayeh | Tel: +961 (0)3 810 688