The sixth Aichi Triennale opens in Japan this weekend under the artistic direction of Hoor Al Qasimi, president of Sharjah Art Foundation.
Running from three venues until the end of November, the festival brings together 61 artists from 22 countries and territories under the theme A Time Between Ashes and Roses, which has been drawn from a poem by the Syrian poet Adonis.
Al Qasimi says: “Through the exhibition, we will delve into the complex issues emerging between humans and the environment.
“By engaging with art and reflecting on the world around us, we may uncover new insights and potential solutions to our pressing crises.”
The majority of participating artists hail from Japan, while elsewhere in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, Oceania and Europe are also strongly represented. Here are the Arab artists to look out for.
1. Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme (Palestine)
The New York and Ramallah-based duo present both an exhibition and a new performance. Their work samples sound, image and text to address memory, displacement and political imaginaries, and the opening-weekend performance will feature live Palestinian musicians.
2. Maitha Abdalla (UAE)
Born in Khorfakkan and based in Abu Dhabi, Abdalla works across film, sculpture, painting and performance. Her practice blends folklore, mythology and psychology to construct theatrical characters that embody facets of her own experience.
3. Afra Al Dhaheri (UAE)
An Abu Dhabi-based artist, Al Dhaheri works across mixed media, sculpture and installation. Her practice reflects on time, fragility and resilience in the context of the UAE’s rapid transformation.
4. Shaikha Al Mazrou (UAE)
Known for her abstract sculptures, Al Mazrou explores tension, form and space. She is part of a new wave of Emirati artists who address the psychological and physical impact of structure and material.
5. Mohammed Kazem (UAE)
A leading figure in the UAE’s conceptual art movement, Kazem often uses sound, video and installation to explore environment and the experience of place. His work builds on decades of practice examining mapping and the sensory perception of surroundings.
6. Simone Fattal (Syria/France)
Raised in Lebanon and now based in Paris, Fattal has worked across painting, publishing and sculpture. Her practice often draws on mythology, memory and exile, informed by the Lebanese Civil War and her own experiences of displacement.
7. Mirna Bamieh (Palestine)
Founder of the Palestine Hosting Society, Bamieh creates socially engaged projects through food and storytelling. Her work preserves endangered culinary traditions while also exploring fermentation as a metaphor for memory and transformation.
8. Dala Nasser (Lebanon)
Based in Beirut, Nasser uses raw materials such as dyed fabric and natural pigments to address environment and history. Her practice reflects on the legacies of place and the politics of landscape.
9. Hrair Sarkissian (Syria/UK)
Sarkissian’s photography and installations explore memory, trauma and disappearance. Born in Damascus and now based in London, his large-scale works often reflect on contested sites of history.
10. Bassim Al Shaker (Iraq/USA)
Born in Baghdad and based in the United States, Al Shaker works in painting and drawing. His practice reflects on identity and the experience of migration.
11. Kamala Ibrahim Ishag (Sudan)
A pioneering Sudanese artist, Ishag was a founding member of the Khartoum School and a key figure in modern Sudanese art. Her paintings explore spirituality, feminism and local heritage.
12. Selma & Sofiane Ouissi (Tunisia)
The Tunisian sibling duo bring Bird to the Performing Arts programme – their first performance in Japan. Based between Tunis and France, their work merges choreography, visual art and installation.
AloJapan.com