Vantage Point Sharjah 12: If I Were Another

Vantage Point Sharjah (VPS) is an annual exhibition that spotlights emerging photographers from the region and beyond. The 12th edition derives its title, If I Were Another, from a poem by Mahmoud Darwish. From the artists who responded to this thematic prompt through an international open call, four were selected for the exhibition.

The featured works reflect on personal experiences, history and collective memory. While the photographic images have been created using various methodologies, they all recall fragmented memories that resonate with universal human experiences.

Sara Kontar documents her personal experiences of exile to investigate fragments of forgotten memories and explore themes of displacement. Thasil Suhara Backer examines ecology and biopolitics through the dual lens of theatre and visual art. Photojournalist Arum Dayu explores contemporary Javanese culture and society with a particular focus on feminism and motherhood. Anthropologist Mosfiqur Rahman Johan uses photography to document the hardships of marginalised communities struggling with displacement.

Bringing together diverse voices and lived experiences, the exhibition embodies the spirit of experimentation in contemporary photography and provides a dynamic platform for a spectrum of approaches, from documentary to experimental, in both analogue and digital forms.

Each artist’s work will be showcased as independent presentations throughout Bait Obaid Al Shamsi. VPS12 also includes a one-on-one professional mentoring programme, pairing artists with cultural practitioners or industry professionals of their choice.

Vantage Point Sharjah 12 is curated by Sara Al Mheiri, Assistant Curator, Sharjah Art Foundation.