18 Dec 2011

Open Call: Sharjah Biennial for Children's Arts 2012

ReSTART
3rd Sharjah International Biennial for Children's Arts 2012
November 25, 2012-January 25, 2013

With the evolution and the multiplicity of the forms of visual expression around the world, it is necessary to pay attention to the place of children in these new expressive realms. This awareness is integral to our aim with ReSTART--the 3rd Sharjah International Biennial for Children's Arts 2012—to be held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Jawahir bent Mohammad Al Qassimi, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs.

The Biennial will feature the intersection of multi-cultural creativity, particularly with a focus on children living between two cultures and two worlds, in order to create diverse bridges, and colorful visuals. The event acknowledges an emerging importance for children with special needs who are also enriching all art forms.

In addition to the traditional arts of drawing and colored painting, which we will use as a guide to new vital experiences, it is our intention to open the doorway to modern experiences in order to give all children the opportunity to express and show patterns of new knowledge. Through encounters with new media, non-traditional surfaces, installation, photography, video, and computer graphics, the interaction bridges the gaps between generations. Consequently, the Biennial is also an opportunity for grownups to learn and nurture the mechanisms of expression of the child.

The 3rd Sharjah International Biennial for Children's Arts 2012 is an open call to institutions not only specializing in children's arts to share their creativity through the Biennial's programs; the call is an inclusive invitation to all to encourage and nurture children of the 21st century through a range of art forms.

Dr. Mohamed Abouelnaga
Artistic Director