Sharjah Biennal 16: to carry : Rita Mawuena Bennisan & Kaloki Nyamai Participation

Sharjah Biennal16: to carry is officially underway! Running through June 15, 2025, this year’s Biennale brings together artists from around the world to explore themes of migration, identity, memory, and shared histories. Gallery 1957 is proud to present the work of two of its artists, Rita Mawuena Benissan and Kaloki Nyamai, who are featured in this powerful exhibition.

Rita Mawuena Benissan’s immersive installation at the Sharjah Biennal, “You Must Cross and Seek” (2024), offers a profound meditation on the intersection of culture, memory, and the spiritual world of the Ewe people from Ghana's Volta region. The installation integrates photography, film, sculpture, and tapestries to highlight water as an essential cultural and spiritual force for the Anlo community. Through evocative imagery and sensory experiences, Rita creates a space for reflection on ancestral legacies, community rituals, and the cyclical relationship between nature and humanity.

 

Also participating in Sharjah Biennal 16 is the work of Kaloki Nyamai, whose powerful assemblage paintings provide a complex navigation of Akamba heritage, while also addressing contemporary social and political challenges. Kaloki's large-scale canvases, which incorporate newsprint, found documents, and intricate stitching, reflect not only the scars of shared labor and historical struggles but also the process of healing and transformation.

 

The Sharjah Biennale 16: to carry, curated by Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala, and Zeynep Öz, brings together over 140 international artists to explore the intersection of movement, migration, and identity.

This edition of the Biennale examines the precariousness of migration, the impact of political dislocation, and the endurance of cultural heritage. The theme to carry speaks not only to the literal weight of our belongings but to the intangible histories, traumas, and collective memories we transport with us. As the curators state: “What do we carry when we travel, flee, or move on? What do we carry when we remain? What do we carry when we survive?”

 

Both Rita and Kaloki’s participation in Sharjah Biennal 16 represents a monumental moment for African art on the global stage, and we were deeply proud to stand beside them in this historic gathering. Their works speak to the richness and complexity of African histories and futures, offering new perspectives on identity and cultural transformation.

We are excited to see how these artists’ works will continue to inspire conversation, reflection, and change in the months ahead.

 

Find more information about the Sharjah Biennal 16 Here