Page 128 - UAE Ministry of Culture PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2025

9/16/25, 10:30 AM Aichi Triennale opens its sixth edition curated by Hoor Al Qasimi - SGMB
The triennale brings together 60 artists and collectives from 22 countries and territories whose
practices span cultural memory, material experimentation, and popular imagination: Robert
Andrew explores suppressed family histories through installations; Priyageetha Dia interweaves
Southeast Asian labor histories with speculative tropics and machine logics; Simone Leigh
presents her acclaimed ceramic and bronze sculptures in Japan for the first time; Faustin
Linyekula debuts a performance rooted in dance, storytelling, and the politics of cultural survival;
and Afra Al Dhaheri draws from her upbringing in Abu Dhabi, often blending performance, video,
and installation. Other participating Emirati artists include Mohammed Kazem, known for his work
in conceptual art and experimental mediums; Maitha Abdalla, whose work spans film, sculpture,
painting, and performance; and Shaikha Al Mazrou, who explores themes related to identity and
cultural heritage through her multimedia works. Kamala Ibrahim Ishag, an artist now based in the
UAE, addresses issues of migration and displacement, weaving in a rich narrative of her
Sudanese heritage.
Celebrated manga artist Morohoshi Daijiro will debut a newly commissioned illustration, while
Barrack (Furuhata Taiki + Kondo Kanako) transforms the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum into
a café-restaurant and exhibition space that fosters exchange between local and international
communities. Meanwhile, artist Sasaki Rui will create a site-specific installation in a recently
closed public bathhouse in Seto City, reflecting on everyday life and the region’s deep ties to
nature and ceramic traditions.
The opening ceremony was graced by Takeo Obayashi, Chairperson of the Aichi
Triennale Organising Committee and Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture, alongside a
distinguished group of dignitaries from the UAE, including H.E. Sheikh Salem Bin Khalid Al
Qassimi, the UAE Minister of Culture; H.E. Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the
Government Relations Department; and H.E. Sheikha Nawar Bint Ahmed Al Qassimi, Vice
President of the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Also in attendance were H.E. Sheikha Hind Bint Majid Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Design
Centre, H.E. Shihab Ahmed Al Faheem, Ambassador of the UAE to Japan and H.E. Khalid Jasim
Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Tourism & Commerce Development Authority. Other prominent
figures included H.E. Halima Humaid Al Owais, Deputy Chairman of the Consultative Council of
Sharjah; H.E. Najla Ahmed Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center
(SHERAA) and H.E. Aisha Rashid Deemas, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority.

On view until 30 November 2025, the triennale will host roundtable discussions and artist talks on
14 and 15 September 2025. From 1 to 3 November 2025, ‘Three Special Days for Experiencing
the Vibe of Ceramic City of Seto’ will be held, along with the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum’s
annual project of firing ceramics in the reproduction of an old kiln.
To learn more information about the exhibition and other events during the Aichi Triennale,
visit aichitriennale.jp.
About the Artistic Director

Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, is a curator who established
the Foundation in 2009 as a catalyst and advocate for the arts, not only in Sharjah, UAE but also
in the region and around the world. With a passion for supporting experimentation and innovation,
she has continuously expanded the scope of the Foundation to include major international touring
exhibitions; artist and curator residencies in visual art, film, and music; commissions and
production grants for emerging artists; publications and publication grants; performance and film
festivals; architectural research and restoration; and a wide range of educational programming for
all age groups. She co-curated Sharjah Biennial 6 (2003) and has remained Biennial Director
since and was curator of Sharjah Biennial 15 (2023). She was also elected as President of the
International Biennial Association in 2017, the President of The Africa Institute, and President and
Director of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial. Previously, she was a board member for MoMA
PS1, New York, and the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, etc.

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