How can artistic techniques capture invisible phenomena such as movement and magic? What are the ways in which can traditional practices be reinterpreted within contemporary art?

To find out, listen to Abdulrahim Salem in conversation with SB15 curator Hoor Al Qasimi.

At Sharjah Biennial 15, Salem presented a live painting performance called An Unknown Sailor set to a traditional Emirati sea shanty sung by singers who accompanied pearl divers. The work acknowledges how during the colonial period, the sea was also occupied, as trade routes and supply chains came under foreign control.