Dana Al Mazrouei Selected as Curator of 5th Sharjah Children Biennial

One of the most sought after international artistic highlights for children in the region, Sharjah Children Biennial (SCB) is preparing in full swing for its fifth edition, which will take place from 15 January to 15 February 2017. The selection of the exceptionally talented young artist Dana Al Mazrouei as the event’s curator reinforces SCB’s commitment to bring to life this year’s theme, ‘A World as Big as Your Imagination’, in the most visually pleasing ways.

A PhD candidate in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, with a grant awarded from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Higher Education, Dana painted the 89th floor of Burj Khalifa and designed the cover of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s poetry book. With her extensive background in the arts, and proven international experience in museums and curatorial fields, Al Mazrouei has been given the responsibility to envision and oversee every detail of the production of the biennial, being held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs.

From conceptualising and organising displays and exhibition spaces; identifying, cataloguing and overseeing installation of the artworks; to arranging tours and activities during the event, Al Mazrouei will orchestrate the event down to its last detail to perfectly reflect this edition’s theme and SCB’s overall message of ‘unleashing creativity and art talents within a universe of imagination’, delivering an exceptional visitor experience.  

“Dana’s colourful creativity and artistic spirit was an instant match with the theme of SCB’s current edition. She is young and exceptionally talented – a shining archetype for young innovative leaders that Sharjah Children Centres aims to carve out of our nation’s youth. We want Dana to inject her love for art and pour her imaginative soul into the biennial as well as into the hearts and minds of the young artists who will be participating and visiting the event,” said Reem BinKaram, Director of Sharjah Children Centres and President of Sharjah Children Biennial.

Dana graduated from the Sorbonne University with a Master’s in Art History and Museum Studies, and has interned in the Louvre Paris, Centre Pompidou, and Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Her doctoral dissertation aims to develop an innovative outreach strategy for museum education, in order to expand and define the role of the museums in the United Arab Emirates.

Al Mazrouei’s talents evolved throughout her studies, during which time she was exposed to different cultures during her travel around the world. Her work has been showcased in numerous public venues, including Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales, Bastakiya, Emirates Palace and Art Abu Dhabi.

The following line from her welcome letter on the SCB website gives a fair idea of what visitors to the biennial this year are in for: “The Sharjah Children Biennial this year, addresses the theme of ‘A World as Big as Your Imagination’, I believe the world is a big place, but your imagination is even bigger.”