Contemplation - A Room for Thoughtful Consciousness - Magazine

A peaceful place to meditate and connect

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and ruler of Sharjah, the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture has organised the 20th edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival.

The installation 'Contemplation - A Room for Thoughtful Consciousness' by Pia Jensen, is on view at the Sharjah Art Museum as part of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival 2017/18.

Pia Jensen explains the installation to Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi, at the opening of the Festival / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

The site-specific installation, made for the space at the Sharjah Art Museum, is a place where one can sit on the bench and experience peace. The walls represent nature made of one single element - the hexagon, extracted from Islamic pattern. The walls are painted white, whereas the selected holes of the wall are painted with vibrant orange and red. The room feels clean, relaxed and contemporary, a peaceful place to meditate and connect.

Pia Jensen is a member of the Danish Arts and Design Association, the Danish Women's Artist Association. She was educated by weavers Lotte Dalgaard and Annette Juel. She had several international exhibitions and was commissioned to carry out artworks for different entities, such as the Danish Arts and Crafts Association. Jensen received many prizes and grants since the 1990s and her works are widely acquired, for example by Copenhagen Council's Cultural Federation, Forestry and Environmental Department's Art Fund, and the Danish Arts and Crafts Association.

The 20th edition of Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival (SIAF) 2017/18 opened on December 13, 2017 and will run through January 23, 2018. Many exhibitions and large scale installations are on view at the Sharjah Art Museum, and at other venues such as Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Awqaf Department, Al Qasba, Maraya Art Centre, and Calligraphy Square.