Sharjah: The Sharjah Art Foundation has announced that it will open Image Keepers, the first exhibition to be presented at its new Photography Gallery in Al Manakh.
Running from November 8, 2025 to April 26, 2026, the exhibition presents more than 50 photographic works by 17 regional and international artists and collectives.
Curated from the foundation’s extensive collection, Image Keepers features works that explore the evolution of photography as a form of artistic expression and cultural documentation.
The exhibition presents a diverse range of formats, from studio portraits and documentary photography to multimedia installations, offering visitors a broad perspective on the intersections between memory, identity, and image-making.
The exhibition takes its title from the work Gardiennes d’images (Image Keepers) (1998–2001) by Franco-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira, whose practice celebrates the role of women as custodians of family and cultural memory. This theme resonates throughout the exhibition, highlighting photography’s power to preserve both personal narratives and collective histories.
Through its curatorial approach, the Sharjah Art Foundation continues to emphasize the importance of contemporary visual culture in shaping social awareness and creative dialogue. The establishment of the Photography Gallery in Al Manakh further demonstrates the foundation’s commitment to developing dedicated spaces for emerging and established photographers in the region.
By opening Image Keepers, the foundation not only expands access to its growing art collection but also reinforces Sharjah’s position as a regional hub for artistic innovation and cultural exchange. Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to engage with works that bridge past and present, documenting transformations in society, identity, and the artistic process itself.
The exhibition underscores the Sharjah Art Foundation’s ongoing mission to support artists, foster public engagement with contemporary art, and build sustainable platforms for creative expression in the UAE and beyond.
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