Beej, 2017
Unregistered seeds, soil, water and supplies
Intervention at roundabout in Al Naba’ah area of Sharjah
Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation
Sharjah Biennial 13
Beej [Seed (in Urdu)] (2017) activates a potential for farming in the municipal workforce, largely from Pakistan, who tend to Sharjah’s landscaping. Two gardeners travelled home to bring vegetable and grain seeds from their family farms in Lahore and Punjab back to Sharjah. Along with others in the community of municipal gardeners, they will sow seeds of their choosing in a roundabout in the Al Naba’ah residential neighbourhood. The roundabout, a site of convening and dispersal, will host the cycles of sowing and harvesting. Spanning a few growing seasons, Beej explores the position of the gardeners in relation to the land that they cultivate, both in Pakistan and the UAE. The unregistered seeds highlight the movement, presence and status of those who tend them. The eventual consumption of produce and dispersal of the seeds extend the exploration of presence and sustenance throughout the city.
Seeds sown: Mooli (radish), dhaniya (coriander), tamatar (tomato), baingan (eggplant), shalgam (turnip), makki (corn), mirchi (chili), pyaaz (onion), palak (spinach), aloo (potato), bhindi (okra), mutter (green peas), pudina (mint)
Participating gardeners include Sajad Hussain Bughio, Muhammad Saleem Manzoor Ahmed and Muhammad Shabbir Ahmad Din. This project is supported by Sharjah Municipality and Maraya Art Centre.
