Sharjah: Sharjah Art Foundation has announced the reopening of Al Majarrah Park, situated alongside the creek in the heritage district of Sharjah. Scheduled to open on 21st May 2026, the redesigned park aims to foster community engagement through recreation, conversation, and shared cultural memories.
According to Emirates News Agency, the park's new design was developed by the esteemed artist collective SUPERFLEX, in close collaboration with Schul Landscape Architects, Copenhagen, and KWY.studio, Lisbon. The design incorporates outlines of old courtyards and houses, with walkways that mimic the surrounding landscape's dunes. SUPERFLEX engaged local residents to identify everyday objects that hold personal significance, transforming ten such objects into large-scale sculptures that invite visitors to explore scale, perspective, feel, and function. These sculptures are expected to evolve in meaning as they inspire new stories and interactions in the park.
The Sharjah Art Foundation has maintained a long-standing collaboration with SUPERFLEX, beginning with their Sharjah Biennial 11 commission 'The Bank' in 2013. Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, expressed enthusiasm about the project, highlighting the park's potential as a communal space adjacent to the permanent Rain Room installation. The Foundation plans to organize public programs and activities in the park, enhancing their year-round exhibitions and events.
Sheikha Hoor further remarked on the fruitful partnership with SUPERFLEX, praising their ability to encapsulate residents' memories of Sharjah in the sculptures while creating a communal space for recreation. Jakob Fenger, co-founder of SUPERFLEX, described the sculptures as a tribute to the transient memories of the city's inhabitants, turning personal histories into tangible, shareable experiences.
Al Majarrah Park is part of a series of permanent public art initiatives by the Sharjah Art Foundation, which includes projects like the Rain Room, Gary Simmons' Across the Chalk Line, and Kerry James Marshall's Untitled: Excavation. The park's development was supported by Sharjah Municipality and the Sharjah Department of Public Works.