The lantern lights the way in the 26th Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival

The 26th edition of Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival (SIAF) with the theme Siraj (Arabic) or Lantern, will be held from November 19 to January 31, 2026. Featuring 114 events and 473 artworks by 170 artists from 24 countries, both Arab and non-Arab, over a span of 70 days, the fest will include 52 exhibitions hosted at various significant landmarks in the emirate of Sharjah, including Sharjah Art Museum, House of Wisdom, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, University of Sharjah, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, Khorfakkan Amphitheatre and Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation. There will also be eight lectures on Arabic calligraphy.

The announcement was made by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department, Sharjah Department of Culture and SIAF Director. The event will be attended by more than 316 guests, including media representatives, lecturers, calligraphers, and workshop supervisors. Solo exhibitions include Siraj by Emirati artist Fatma Lootah at the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum; Succession of Generations by Emirati artist Mohammed Mandi and his students at the Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation; and Reflection by Turkish artist Professor Omar Farouk Tashkale and his students at the Calligraphy Studios, among others, at Calligraphy Square.

The Khorfakkan Amphitheatre showcases Light upon Light by Kuwaiti artist Aseel Yaqoub and the collaborative artwork Lantern by Emirati artists Majid Al Bastaki and Abdullah Al Astad. The House of Wisdom presents Manara by Emirati artist Salma Al Mansoori and Luminous Passages: The Five Pillars by British artist Romina Khanom, alongside other works. Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park features Circle of Light by Kuwaiti artist Mahmoud Shaker; Ash and Order by Emirati artist Rawda Al Mazrouei; and Takrar by Iranian artist Neda Salmanpour. Meanwhile, 1971 – Design Space will showcase works such as A Star in Storage by Jordanian artist Omar Darwish and The Space Between, by Emirati artist Ruqaya Al Hashmi, among others.

Artist Catalina Swinburn from Chile is taking part for the first time in SIAF. She presents her work Enlightenment Portal, as a contemporary homage to sacred texts that have transcended time and territory. Specially conceived for SIAF, the piece draws inspiration from a Qur’an manuscript attributed to Sultan Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Isma’il of Morocco, dated 1735, and housed at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization. Swinburn’s work, in handwoven leather, tinted deep green and engraved with gold patterns reminiscent of historical bookbinding techniques, aligns with SIAF’s theme Lantern, which is a symbol of illumination, contemplation and inner guidance.

Tagalsir Hassan looks at the camera.

Aref Montazeri, from Iran, said that he was working with a mirror; he had endowed it with a geometrical sculpture, handcrafted meticulously. “I also use hi tech,” he said. “My work is a mixture of hi tech and handmade effects.” The mirror, in his hands, takes on the role of a memory bank, capturing the passage of time, layer by layer.

As time progresses, the layers are designed to accumulate, unveiling a mysterious tapestry of images on the mirror’s reflective surface. Laurelie Rae who is from Montreal, Canada, is presenting a trifecta of her works in ceramic, paintings and sculptures. Titled Cities of Light, the composition is a research-based installation that bridges history and innovation. Inspired by her forthcoming book Cities of Islamic Art: Volume Two, the work reframes how Islamic cities and the artisans who shaped them, are seen, honoured and remembered.

The installation treats each city as a radiant point of light across the Islamic world, highlighting their cosmopolitan contributions. It builds on Laurelie’s years of research and fieldwork, and is an inclusive and decolonial celebration celebration of Islamic arts. Nima Nababi lives in the USA, having grown up in the UAE (he went to school in Sharjah). His Inner Space room installation uses 777 paper prints, which change colours on a wall. It may be compared to a light box. Artist Eric Standley, from the USA, is presenting works on cut paper; it is the third time he is showing at SIAF.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer on stage.

Anna Kruhelska is a visual artist and practicing architect from Poland. She is showing two bodies of work, in paper and plywood. The central concept of her work is the interplay of light and shade, contrast, and the repetitive patterns created by the folds and hollows in a composition. “I am interested in geometry and repetitive patterns,” she said. At SIAF, her creation, Constructed Light, though rendered in different materials such as paper and plywood, converge on a shared pursuit, as they explore how light and form generate transformative encounters. It offers a contemporary interpretation of the Lantern theme.

Veteran calligraphy practitioner, graphic designer and painter, Tagalsir Hassan, who designed the Siraj-Lantern SIAF logo, noted that each annual SIAF exhibition has its own theme, “chosen carefully to represent the totality of ideas of the exhibition. The Siraj or Lantern theme talks about the luminosity of Islamic art.” The lantern is not only a symbol – it is a narrator and a thread woven through history. “To trace its path is to walk through time itself,” SIAF says, “for it stands as a testament to the legacy of Islamic art.” The lantern was a defining feature of early Islamic history. It emerged at a time when light installations played a vital role in the artistic and architectural expressions of Islamic culture. “It was inherent to Islamic architecture and was an adornment to various decorative and applied elements,” SIAF concludes. “It is a masterpiece of craft and devotion.”