Students from the College of Architecture, Art, and Design (CAAD) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) had an enriching and immersive semester thanks to a collaboration with the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) that allowed them to experience the Sharjah Biennial 15. Led by Assistant Professor Dr. Christianna Bonin, this unique course provided students with valuable opportunities to develop critical skills necessary to support the region’s rapidly growing culture and arts sector. Throughout the semester, students engaged in dialogue with esteemed art professionals, including curators, artists, museum and gallery specialists, and architects.
The collaboration between AUS and SAF was inspired by the late Okwui Enwezor’s visionary work and curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, the Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation. The biennial exhibition, titled “Sharjah Biennial 15: Thinking Historically in the Present (SB15),” reflects on Enwezor’s significant contributions to contemporary art and his profound impact on the evolution of institutions and biennials worldwide.
Noora Al Mualla, the Director of Learning and Research at the Sharjah Art Foundation, expressed that the experiential course aligns perfectly with the foundation’s core mission of fostering an appreciation for the arts among young individuals and students. Al Mualla emphasized the importance of providing a dynamic and engaging learning environment, stating that the collaboration with AUS allowed the development of a unique curriculum centered on Sharjah Biennial 15. The goal was to support students in studying the biennial’s curation, theory, and its impact on the art world, thereby encouraging exploration of critical concepts in visual culture.
The interdisciplinary group of 16 students involved in the course gained a foundational understanding of the skills, expertise, and critical thinking approaches that underpin the curatorial profession. Dr. Bonin highlighted the importance of students experiencing an exhibition as curators, critics, and audience members. The course provided students with exposure to diverse artworks, curatorial approaches, and global topics that connect communities worldwide. Bonin stressed that these skills are vital for nurturing new talent within the region’s cultural institutions and creative industries.
One student, Ahnaf Abdur Rahman, a first-year visual communications student, expressed his appreciation for the course’s impact on his foundational skills. He noted that while other courses primarily teach students what to think, ART 394, the course based on the biennial, teaches students how to think. The seminar-style nature of the course compelled students to think critically, with their thoughts being actively challenged by their peers.
While the Sharjah Biennial 15 is set to conclude on June 11th, Dr. Bonin is already exploring opportunities to offer the course at other venues in the upcoming fall semester. This indicates a desire to continue providing students with unique and immersive learning experiences centered around significant contemporary art exhibitions.
