Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, president of Sharjah Art Foundation, makes history as Aichi Triennale’s first non-Japanese director, placing Palestine and global struggles at the heart of Japan’s largest art festival.
WEBDESK, September 16, 2025 — At Japan’s largest international art festival, the Aichi Triennale, Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi has made one thing clear: art is never separate from politics. The Emirati curator and president of the Sharjah Art Foundation used her role as the festival’s first non-Japanese artistic director to place Palestine at the center of the conversation.
The festival’s theme, A Time Between Ashes and Roses, resonates strongly with the ongoing conflict in Gaza. At the opening press conference, Sheikha Hoor directly invoked the Naksa of 1967 and condemned what she described as “genocide and ethnic cleansing” in Palestine. “None of us will be free until all of us are free,” she said, adding, “So, free Palestine.”
Her approach goes beyond symbolism. While some Palestinian artists faced travel restrictions, others — including Basel Abbas, Ruanne Abou-Rahme, and Baraari — performed in Nagoya, bridging cultures with Japanese musicians. For Sheikha Hoor, this collaboration exemplifies how art creates solidarity across borders.
Palestine, however, is only part of a broader vision. She has also spotlighted Emirati artists such as Mohammed Kazem, Afra Al Dhaheri, Shaikha Al Mazrou, and Maitha Abdalla, weaving the UAE’s artistic voices into Japan’s cultural landscape. “I’m not the type who would change my political views for anyone,” she emphasized. “If somebody doesn’t want me here, I don’t need to be here.”
Her ethos remains consistent: amplify voices sidelined by colonialism, displacement, and systemic power. As she prepares to lead the Biennale of Sydney 2026, Sheikha Hoor aims to expand this vision globally, ensuring that Palestine and the wider Global South remain part of the international art narrative.
“This exhibition,” she concluded, “is a reminder that we all live under the same sky — and we are all connected.”
