Sharjah Art Foundation presents Against Stillness, a live performance programme at the Art Dubai Special Edition, on view from 15 to 17 May 2026 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Rooted in the transformative potential of refusing to stay still in one’s circumstances, Against Stillness features performances by Muhanad Kareem, Safa Baluchi and Astral LXXXII, created in collaboration with fellow practitioners across sound, music, movement and interdisciplinary practice.

Lawrence by Muhanad Kareem
In collaboration with Mohamad Ali Yousef Salama and Abdulla Ali Khameis Alkhadeim
15 May 2026
4:45 pm and 7:45 pm

Muhanad Kareem’s Lawrence stages a direct confrontation with the colonial narratives around T. E. Lawrence and the Great Arab Revolt (1916–1918), as codified in the latter’s autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1922). Kareem draws on his own family history as well as archival records and artificial intelligence to question the motivations behind how this particular history was written.

Body as a Witness by Safa Baluchi
In collaboration with Amro Zidan and rayane haddad
16 May 2026
2:30 pm and 7:45 pm

In Body as a Witness, Safa Baluchi collaborates with Amro Zidan and rayane haddad in a performance engaging the body as an archive of lived experience, memory and resistance.

Tears Through the Soul by Astral LXXXII
17 May 2026
12:30 pm and 4:45 pm

Astral LXXXII’s musical performance Tears Through the Soul uses sonic frequencies tinged with grief and loss to guide the audience through the resonances of memory, capable of enduring through times of siege.

About Sharjah Art Foundation

Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.

Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation’s deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation’s support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world.

Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

About Art Dubai

Art Dubai is a cultural platform that connects artists, galleries and institutions while contributing to the long-term growth of the region’s creative ecosystem. It operates through two complementary pillars: Art Dubai Fair and Art Dubai Projects. 

Founded in 2007, Art Dubai is the pre-eminent art fair for the Middle East, recognised for its focus on discovery and dialogue and a focus on contemporary, modern, and digital practices. Alongside a unique gallery programme, Art Dubai supports artist commissions, education, and public programming, helping to develop the region’s cultural infrastructure and talent through sustainable, long-term models. By bridging regional practices with global contexts, Art Dubai reinforces the UAE’s role as a vital and global meeting point for creativity and cultural exchange and the fair reflects the character of its city; global, evolving, and culturally rooted. 

Art Dubai Projects is the organisation’s year-round cultural platform. Operating across public and private sectors, it brings curatorial leadership and long-term vision to ambitious initiatives that strengthen creative infrastructure across the UAE and internationally. From public art, collections and commissioning to institutional development, digital platforms and cross-disciplinary programmes, it works with partners to deliver public impact and sustained growth for artists and audiences. Grounded in two decades of experience, it extends Art Dubai’s commitment to art through initiatives designed to endure.

About Sharjah

Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. It was named UNESCO's Arab Capital of Culture for 1998 and the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2019.

Media Contact

Alyazeyah Al Marri    
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org
+971 (0)6 5444113