Biennial Bytes

• EP11: Pratchaya Phinthong x Alia Swastika

  Artist Pratchaya Phinthong speaks to Alia Swastika about his interest in mitigating the impact of the global climate crisis and the generative possibilities of research-based, contextual practice. Tune in to hear more about his collaborative project ‘We are lived by powers we pretend to understand’ (2024), commissioned for Sharjah Biennial 16 which included hand-carved granite stones bearing the patterns of solar panel grids being placed around Sharjah’s public spaces. Phintong tells us about how he organised this ecological initiative—involving scientists, divers, coral activists and UAE-based environmental policy makers—to extract coral from a heritage wall to resurrect reef structures. CREDITS Host: Alia Swastika Guest: Pratchaya Phinthong Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei Podcast Producer: Kamayani Sharma Sound Producer: Basil Kisswani Show Notes: Rosalyn D'Mello, Kamayani Sharma and Jyoti Dhar Music and Sound: Excerpt from field recording for 'We are lived by the powers we pretend to understand' (2024) Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee, Sara Al Mheiri and Khalid Mohammed © Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025 This episode was recorded on 2 September 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• EP10: Naeem Mohaiemen x Natasha Ginwala

  Natasha Ginwala speaks with filmmaker Naeem Mohaiemen about themes such as death, displacement and cinematic time.  Mohaiemen discusses his multilayered practice across photography, drawing and essays intertwining historical archives, political and personal stories spanning multiple geographies, from Bangladesh to Libya and Greece. In particular, he recalls a Bengali phrase by Nirmal Sen that translates to ‘we want the guarantee of a natural death’, an idea that echoes through his works presented at SB16: ‘Jole Dobe Na’ (Those Who Do Not Drown)’ (2020), ‘Karen’s Last Books’ (2023) and ‘Jamahiriya Means People: Okba ibn Nafa’ (2024). Listen to a song from ‘Jole Dobe Na’ and their discussion on these works. ‘Jole Dobe Na', ‘Karen’s Last Books’ and ‘Jamhariya Means People: Okba ibn Nafa’ are on view at Bait Al Serkal from 6 February to 15 June 2025. CREDITS Host: Natasha Ginwala Guest: Naeem Mohaiemen Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei Podcast Producer: Kamayani Sharma Sound Producer: Basil Kisswani Show Notes: Rajwant Sandhu and Suguna Sridhar Music and Sound: Excerpt from ‘Jole Dobe Na’ (Those Who Do Not Drown)’ (2020) Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee, Amal Al Ali and Osemudiamen Ekore © Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025 This episode was recorded on 31 August 2024. ‘Jamhariya Means People: Okba ibn Nafa’ is supported by Sharjah Art Foundation and Experimenter, Kolkata/ Mumbai.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• EP09: Ana Iti x Megan Tamati-Quennell

  Megan Tamati-Quennell speaks with Māori artist Ana Iti about the environments, sites and structures—such as Hokianga, the artist’s tribal landscape—evoked in her sonic and sculptural installations. Text and language run through her practice, including her Sharjah Biennial 16 commission ‘A hybrid made of both’ (2025), an installation that explores the historical and technological transition of te reo Māori from the spoken to the written form. Together, Iti and Tamati-Quennell discuss the responsibility of conserving te reo Māori as form of resistance against erasure. Tune in to learn more about Iti’s research and the role of writing in her creative process, and to hear a field recording from ‘A resilient heart like mānawa’. ‘A resilient heart like mānawa’ is on view at Kalba Ice Factory, and ‘A hybrid made of both’ and ‘A dusty handrail on the track’ (2021) are on view at Old Al Dhaid Clinic from 6 February to 15 June 2025. CREDITS Host: Megan Tamati-Quennell Guest: Ana Iti Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei Producer: Kamayani Sharma Sound Producer: Basil Kisswani Shownotes: Mahshid Rafiei Music and Sound: Excerpt from ‘A resilient heart like mānawa’ (2024) Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee and Reem Sawan © Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025 This episode was recorded on 5 November 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• EP08: Hellen Ascoli X Zeynep Ôz

  Zeynep Öz, along with artist, educator and weaver Hellen Ascoli, delves into the textile traditions of Guatemala. They discuss Ascoli’s contributions to SB16 — a combination of collage, writing and weaving for the YAZ publication series, as well as a commissioned site-specific work using brick moulds, called 'The World Upside Down' (2024). Ascoli’s work with the backstrap loom, along with her translation practice in Baltimore, serve as entry points to explore the interconnections between tools and place through reflections on migration, language and hierarchies of knowledge production. Tune in to listen to the sound the backstrap loom produces as you learn about the embodied experience of weaving with it. 'The World is Upside Down' is on view at Al Dhaid Farm from 6 February until 15 June 2025. CREDITS Host: Zeynep Öz Guest: Hellen Ascoli Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei Podcast Producer: Kamayani Sharma Sound Producer: Basil Kisswani Shownotes: Rajwant Sandhu and Suguna Sridhar Music and Sound: Sound recording of the backstrap loom in use by Hellen Ascoli (2024) Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee, May Rashid and Meera Madhu © Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025 This episode was recorded on 15 October 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• EP07: Stephanie Comilang x Amal Khalaf

  Amal Khalaf and Stephanie Comilang discuss her SB16 film installation 'Search for Life II', investigating socio-cultural and technological influences on migration, labour and ideas of belonging. Working in a genre she refers to as science fiction documentary, Comilang layers places and timelines, alongside human and non-human characters such as seafarers and monarch butterflies, to tell multifaceted migration stories. Their conversation reflects on how cargo ships and pearls embody complex narratives of movement, globalisation and industrialisation. Listen to an excerpt from her first iteration of her film 'Search for Life'. The second part is being presented at SB16. 'Search for Life II' is on view at Al Mureijah Square from 6 February until 15 June 2025. CREDITS Host: Amal Khalaf Guest: Stephanie Comilang Editorial and Content Strategy: Jyoti Dhar, Kamayani Sharma and Mahshid Rafiei Podcast Producer: Kamayani Sharma Sound Producer: Basil Kisswani Shownotes: Rajwant Sandhu and Suguna Sridhar Music and Sound: Excerpt from Search for Life (2024) by Stepanie Comilang Special Thanks: Nawar Al Qassimi, Jiwon Lee, Abdulla Aljanahi and Raja’a Khalid © Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025 This episode was recorded on 3 December 2024. Search for Life II is commissioned by TBA21, Sharjah Art Foundation and The Vega Foundation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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