H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the restored Arts Palace and Al Dhaid old Clinic building on Thursday, as part of the activities of the 15th Sharjah Biennial. The Arts Palace and the Clinic building will now serve as the new home for the artworks of the Sharjah Art Foundation.
During the inauguration, Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed was given a tour of the Arts Palace and was briefed on the restoration work that has been done to prepare the palace for the various art exhibitions and programmes of the Sharjah Art Foundation. The palace has a rich history dating back to the 1950s when H.H Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi first started building it, and it was later completed by H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in the 1960s.
The Ruler of Sharjah was also shown the artworks displayed in the Arts Palace as part of the current edition of the Sharjah Biennial. During the inauguration of the Al Dhaid old Clinic building, he was introduced to the works of the Sharjah Biennial that are displayed in the building and reflect the theme of “Thinking Historically in the Present.” The works on display are by artists from different countries and showcase their artistic vision of various historical and contemporary issues and events.
The 15th edition of the Sharjah Biennial is the first time that the city of Al Dhaid is hosting the biennial’s activities through a group of buildings and spaces, including the Al Dhaid old Clinic building and the Arts Palace.