Vantage Point Sharjah 11 highlights beginner photographers from Africa and Asia – News

The exhibition will be open from October 14, 2023 to January 14, 2024 at Old Al Diwan Al Amiri in Al Hamriyah, Sharjah.

Vantage Point Sharjah (VPS), an annual photography exhibition by Sharjah Art Foundation, will return for its 11th edition this week. Featuring four artists and a collective whose work challenges established notions of photographic practices, the exhibition will run from October 14, 2023 to January 14, 2024 at Old Al Diwan Al Amiri in Al Hamriyah, Sharjah.

This year, VPS identifies and supports early career photographers who were born in Africa and Asia, currently reside there or are part of the diaspora.

Chosen through an international open call that received more than 350 applications, the selected artists embody diverse approaches but share overlapping trends: the pursuit of contemporary image-making techniques, the recontextualization of found or inherited images, and a commitment to the afterlife. visual of colonialist legacies.

Oumaima Abaraghe (b. 1999, Casablanca) uses collage and digital manipulation techniques to reconstruct Morocco’s fragmentary colonial archive, pointing out its inherent fallibility. Yashna Kaul (b. 1995, Mumbai) uncovers the secrets hidden in her family’s photo album and reveals how the framing of a moment can shape personal stories and collective memory. Through an emotional narrative, Mohamed Mahdy (b. 1996, Giza) documents the displacement of the fishing community of El Maks, Alexandria, and captures the generational impact of urban redevelopment policies. Questioning the aspirations of nation-state images, Postbox Ghana [Nana Ofosu Adjei (b. 1993, Accra), Courage Dzidula Kpodo (b. 1999, Kumasi) and Manuela Nebuloni (b. 1986, Milan)] resituating popular postcard images of post-independence Ghana within the country’s contemporary urban landscape. Clea Rekhou (b. 1988, Paris) contrasts a series of intimate, softly lit family portraits with narratives of generational violence, suggesting the complexity of human relationships.

The works of these emerging artists will be exhibited in two exhibition modes: independent presentations of the artists’ individual practices and a community storytelling space that weaves together their combined practices.

VPS 11 features a one-on-one professional mentoring program. Participating artists will be paired with cultural practitioners or industry professionals of their choice so they can hone their skills and take advantage of a unique learning experience led by experts in the field.

Introduced in 2013 to cultivate public engagement with photography as an artistic medium, VPS has evolved into a dynamic platform that encompasses multiple approaches to photography, from photojournalism and photo essays to experimental work in analog and digital formats.

On the same day of the opening, the exhibition will be accompanied by a series of talks with the participating artists. The evening will end with a special performance by the Niki Mukhi Quintet, known for their dynamic live performances of exciting original compositions inspired by flamenco, Indian classical music and West African music.

In addition to the exhibition, Vantage Point Sharjah will offer a series of workshops inspired by the artists featured in the exhibition as part of the Foundation’s Learning Program this autumn.

Visitors can enjoy an incredible selection of food and drinks at Fen Café & Restaurant while exploring the exhibition at Old Al Diwan Al Amiri. At the VPS11 location, the SAF store offers a range of art publications, books and printed materials, as well as a unique selection of designer gifts and educational items suitable for all ages.

Admission is free and open to the public; however, visitors are encouraged to reserve tickets.

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