Sharjah Museums Department takes centre stage at World Travel Market London

Highlighting the pioneering role of Sharjah Art Museum on its 20th Anniversary

SHARJAH, November 13, 2016:  Sharjah Museums Department (SMD)  played a significant role in the World Travel Market London, using the prestigious annual event to highlight the upcoming 20th anniversary of Sharjah Art Museum.

This year’s participation marks the tenth time that SMD has attended one of world’s leading events for the travel industry, which provides the global trade with an opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business. 

SMD participated at the event in partnership with Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) to showcase Sharjah’s diverse array of unique cultural and historical offerings.

Their discussions with trade delegates and tourism chiefs focused on the upcoming milestone anniversary of Sharjah Art Museum, which was founded in 1997. SMD’s team outlined the permanent collections and paintings by renowned artists and how visitors can learn about the history of the region through the fascinating masterpieces of local painters and Arab artists who have left an important mark in the local and Arab art world. 

Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department, said: “The World Travel Market London offers us an incredible platform to showcase our family of museums to an international audience. One of SMD’s key aims is to expand the outreach of our museum portfolio in order to form new partnerships and bring the world’s best collections to Sharjah.”

“The contacts that the team has developed at World Travel Market London today will also be vital in attracting more visitors from a wider geographical area.”
SMD used World Travel Market London to showcase Sharjah’s diverse array of cultural and historical offerings and attractions, including arts, calligraphy, heritage, marine life, science and Islamic civilisation, in addition to its contributions to educational, entertainment, and social and environmental fields. 

Sharjah Art Museum in particular has a fantastic journey of development since it was established in 1995 as the Gulf’s first art museum, initially housed at Bait Al-Serkal, then officially relocated in the current building from 1997. 

A recent SMD publication “Modern and Contemporary Arab Art: From the Collection of Sharjah Art Museum” showcases some of its most important and influential works collected and cared for over the past 20 years. Many of the prominent artists in this region are featured, including both local masters and those originating from the Arab world at large.  

There are three important exhibitions currently on show at the Sharjah Art Museum, in addition to its own permanent collection. 

“Kamal Youssef: Egyptian Surrealism’s Time Capsule” is an exhibition co-curated by Sharjah Art Foundation’s Director Hoor Al Qasimi and Dr Salah Hassan Goldwin Smith Professor and Director, Institute for Comparative Modernities, Cornwell University.  The retrospective presents Egyptian-American artist born in Egypt in 1923.  Kamal continues to be productive for more than seventy years with a distinctive style of painting and sculpture. The show will be on display until late November. 

“The Short Century” from the collections of the Barjeel Art Foundation highlights events that shaped the Arab World in the 20th century. The exhibition, co-curated by Suheyla Takesh and Karim Sultan, will be on display at the Sharjah Art Museum until late December. 

This year’s edition of the “Lasting Impressions” series showcases the work of the late Abdul Karim Al Sayed. He was one of the leading artists and critics who contributed to the fine arts movement in the UAE for more than 40 years, with significant contributions to the local and Arab art movements. The exhibition will be on display at the Sharjah Art Museum until late December.  

For more information about Sharjah Museums Department, please visit www.sharjahmuseums.ae