AKIPRESS.COM - The traditional 12th Sharjah Heritage Days 2014 was held under slogan Islamic Heritage is One Tent.

One of the most important part of the festival was the permanent museum biennale organized by the Sharjah Art Foundation. The museum is under patronage of Princess Hura Al Qasimi, daughter of Sharjah ruler. It is managed by Nawar Al Qasimi, niece of Sharjah ruler.

Historical Arab buildings in Sharjah Center were used for the museum binnale. The museum includes several sections: contemporary art, photo gallery, sculptures, video and audio-installations...

So, the festival highlights the ancient traditions, way of life of Arabs on one hand, contemporary art on another hand. Such approach makes the festival uniquely dynamic and panoramic for exploring the culture of Islamic world.

The museum biennale is plenitude of different platforms for creative self-expression. It includes not only painting galleries, but also small outdoor movie theaters made in the form of ancient buildings. There are some small specially equipped thematic spaces, like the one created by Pakistani students. They put two benches opposite each other with a small screen installed in between. The episodes from the films of of the last century are screened there.

The performances were staged in the streets of the museum. Once 30 men sat along the street and sang songs to the drums. Famous and very talented Egyptian visioner Wael Shawky made a magic exposition from that performance. In a huge empty hall one of the walls portrayed desert and black camels. There was a wall-size screen. Black camels were walking among barkhan dunes. The majestic side-face of a huge black camel, its sad eyes look right into your soul. The desert and camels are near, close – they can be touched, but at the same time they are far – they live their own eternal mysterious life. The voices of 30 singing men are heard... One just goes into trance and does not want to leave this place...

Voices, gigantic camels, semi-darkness are mesmerizing. One feels as if he or she is walking in the desert in its slow life pace. In a moment you feel yourself as if a black camel which is walking in unknown direction from nowhere...

That was gorgeous. The exposition gives the feeling of enlightenment, like when it happens when you engage with genuine, big art.

When Ms. Nawar was asked about most impressive work, she named the exposition with black camels.

Wael Shawky uses different mass media in his works exploring issues of religion, culture, impact of globalization on society. He uses photos, installations, videos, performances, sounds.

His personal exhibitions are held at Serpentine Galleries (London, UK) (2013-2014), Hammer Museum in Los Angeles (2013), Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin (2012), Nottingham Council House in UK (2011) Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto in Italy (2010) and many other places. The artist received Schering Foundation Art Award and Abraaj Capital Art Prize in 2011.

The paintings of several famous artists are exhibited in the museum: Rasheed Araeen of Pakistan, Eduard Puterbrot of Dagestan, Ahmed Mater of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Al Saadi of UAE.

Abdullah Al Saadi is famous of walking across the country by foot and then painting the places he visited. Each series of paintings has its color. Red like water melons mountains, light brown dotted desert and same looking leopard, the sea as a play of green with gray... The paintings seem to be simple, but they produce a very strong impact on viewers. Bright colors, almost like on children's drawings, unfamiliar landscape looking alien, but these paintings cause feeling of joy and happiness.

In the street in front of the gallery there are lots of jandals with stone instead of sole – this artist has to walk a lot...

Ms. Nawar told Kyrgyz journalists how the Foundation works.

Next year more exhibition materials will be made, she said. The Foundation has invited such famous artists as Rasheed Araeen, Abdullah Al Saadi, Eduard Puterbrot, Wael Shawky to the biennale.

The Foundation requires hard work and close attention to contemporary trends of the cultural world of the Arab and Islamic countries, she added.

When asked how the Foundation selects artists, Nawar Al Qasimi said the Foundation has organizational committee that hires curators (experts) across the world. They make selection and present potential participants. After discussion the organizational committee decides which of recommended artists will participate in the exhibition. The experts are people who know the contemporary art and trends well. It is impossible to make selection, to give new suggestions and then make responsible decisions without a special training.

The exhibition is very flexible, it can involve all directions of contemporary art and to manifest the culture of the Gulf Region, she added.

There are many ways to convey works of art, including video, audio-installation and street performances.

When asked what works are mostly popular among local visitors, Ms. Nawar said the locals are interested in foreign artists. The exposition on the roof of the building was the  most popular.

When asked if the biennale encounters any pressure, she said no pressure is exerted. The ruler of Sharjah supports this biennale.

The Foundation has started working in 1980-s and since that time it is supported by His Majesty and people. Sharjah is the most conservative emirate in the UAE. It has stricter attitude to religion. Yet, Sharjah is cultural capital not only of UAE, but the whole Islamic world. This is why the Foundation tries to demonstrate the diversity of cultures of the Persian Gulf, Princess Nawar Al Qasimi concluded.