Faced with a pandemic and a cultural reckoning around race and inequality, the art world is navigating a challenging era.
In the region, the Beirut blast brought its own devastation, claiming lives and livelihoods, as well as heritage and art spaces in the Lebanese capital. Despite all of this, artists, institutions and galleries have remained resilient, adapting to our new reality with online initiatives and creating art to address issues, as well as raise awareness or funds for frontline workers, social justice groups and charities.
Here, we look at Arab artists who have pursued major projects despite the difficulties of the year or have received notable awards that honour their work.
This is the third and final list in The National's series of 50 Arab stars, including filmmakers and writers, of 2020.
Bahjat
The talented singer-songwriter has put Libya on the regional pop music map. Fulfilling the promise of last year's impressive track Istanbul, Bahat (full name Bahjat Alturjman) released his career-best single Halba in April. The breezy synth-pop tune is a revelation in that it shows how good the Libyan dialect sounds in pop music form. It is both strident and elastic. It can be elongated to stretch out a note or clipped to sharp staccato to provide an extra surge of rhythm. No wonder it was immediately placed in Spotify's influential regional playlist Arab X – a guaranteed way to spread the word about the talented independent artist.
Farah Al Qasimi
In her vibrant, and sometimes fantastical, photographs, Abu Dhabi-born Al Qasimi reflects on everyday life and consumer culture in the Gulf. In January, as part of a project for the Public Art Fund, she transformed 100 public bus shelters in New York City to art installations, covering them in 17 images of immigrant communities in Queens and Brooklyn.
Freek
Where last year he went on his first overseas tour to the UK, Somali rapper and Dubai resident Freek notched another milestone, thanks to his video for the hit single Wala Kilma. Shot from a rundown Soviet-era aircraft in the middle of the Umm Al Quwain desert, the video continues to soar, having achieved more than a million streams on YouTube, a landmark achievement for the independent artist.
Fatma Said
While the pandemic severely curtailed her international touring plans, the Egyptian soprano still managed to make her mark on the classical music scene. This year, she signed up to major label Warner Classics, as well releasing her well-received debut album El Nour. The record has her taking on an eclectic collection of traditional songs from French, Spanish and Egyptian composers.
Hassan Hajjaj
His fusion of pop art with Middle Eastern references makes his work some of the most recognisable. The Moroccan artist, who often creates from his studio in London, photographed singer Billie Eilish for Vogue this year. He has also leaned into fashion, and this month launched a '90s hip-hop-inspired eyewear collection.
Khtek
While the fierce Moroccan rapper's music may deal with local concerns, Khtek's voice has been heard far and wide with the artist listed as part of the BBC's 100 Women of 2020. Khtek (real name Houda Abouz) has carved out a space for female talents in Morocco's hip-hop scene over her four-year career. In January, she appeared on the boisterous track Hors Serie on which she more than held her own alongside Moroccan hip-hop leaders ElGrandeToto, Don Bigg and Draganov.
Mika
The singer has often spoken about his affection for Beirut, but he has never expressed it as clearly as with his affecting online concert dedicated to his native Lebanon. Blending performance with documentary-style images of the extensive destruction in Beirut in the wake of the port explosion, as well as interviews with survivors, September's I Love Beirut concert remains a stirring tribute to a resilient city picking itself up from the wreckage.
Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim
One of the most prominent artists in the Emirates and a member of the avant-garde group that forged the country's contemporary art scene, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim will represent the UAE at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. His work builds on his connection to the local landscape in his home of Khor Fakkan, resulting in totemic sculptures and paintings made of organic materials.
Mohamed Bourouissa
The French-Algerian artist, whose work looks at power structures and disenfranchised communities, won this year's Deutsche Borse Photography Foundation Prize for his exhibition Free Trade. Bourouissa's subjects are often those who live on the margins of society – young men of colour in Paris's suburbs, or banlieues, which reflects his own experience with discrimination.
Munira Al Sayegh
Emirati writer and curator Munira Al Sayegh, from Abu Dhabi, has curated exhibitions for Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Art Dubai and UAE Unlimited. This year, she and fellow writer Gaith Abdulla founded 101, an online platform for emerging artists in the UAE to sell artworks directly to collectors, eschewing the traditional gallery model.
Nour Flayhan
Known for her psychedelic images of young women, Nour Flayhan takes her inspiration from childhood memories of summers in Lebanon. Her work gained attention on social media after the October 17 protests in Beirut last year, with illustrations of the faces of Lebanese people who took to the streets. After the Beirut blast in August, the illustrator joined other artists in raising funds for charities in Lebanon by accepting commissions for her work.
Omar Offendum
Syrian-American Omar Offendum released an album in September that marked his importance in the Middle Eastern hip-hop canon. Lost in Translation is a bilingual love letter to the region in terms of beats and words. Buttressing Offendum's Arabic and English lyrics is the production work from compatriot Thanks Joey. The producer and audio engineer embellishes his swaggering beats with samples taken from classic Syrian films.
Rami Kadi
A principal name in the world of couture, Lebanese designer Rami Kadi took another impressive stride in his career this year by becoming the UN Goodwill Ambassador for sustainable fashion in west Asia, for his long-time ethical-fashion advocacy. In his spring / summer 2020 collection, he created a dress made entirely out of plastic recovered from the ocean; even the sequins were made from reused plastic, Kadi told The National. He was also the first designer in the region to launch a virtual fashion show, before they became necessary owing to the pandemic.
Red One
One of the world's biggest pop producers and new UAE resident RedOne had another stellar year at home and abroad. When it comes to the latter, the Moroccan-Swedish pop-meister (real name Nadir Khayat) had another track, Kings & Queens, which he co-produced for singer Ava Max, top the US charts. Meanwhile in the UAE, he produced and duetted with Emirati singer Ahlam on Together, this year's official anthem for Dubai's entertainment and shopping destination Global Village.
Sandra Saad
A year ago American-Egyptian actress Sandra Saad announced she would be voicing Ms Marvel in the Marvel's Avengers video game. With the release of the video game in September, fans finally got to see the elastic-limbed superhero in action outside the comic books for the first time. And though she shares a storyline with better-known Marvel characters such as Iron Man and Thor, Saad not only manages to ensure that the character gets noticed, but also delivers a show-stealing performance.
Shaima Al Tamimi
Weaving her documentary photography with her own personal history, Yemeni-Kenyan photographer Shaima Al Tamimi, who also grew up in Abu Dhabi, explores issues of migration and identity in her work. This year, she received the Photography and Social Justice Fellowship from the Magnum Foundation.
Soolking
It is a rare feat for a rapper to top Eminem in any hip-hop list. This is what Algeria's Soolking did in May when streaming service Deezer named him the most streamed artist in Africa on its platform. The Guerilla and Dalida rapper beat Eminem and Drake, who secured third and fourth place respectively.
Sultan Bin Fahad
Saudi Prince Sultan bin Fahad broke into the art scene last year with his sprawling exhibition The Red Palace, shown in Riyadh and Jeddah, which featured objects collected by the artist from the kingdom's flea markets. The show travelled to Abu Dhabi's Cultural Foundation this year, and in November, bin Fahad staged his first solo exhibition in Europe, held in Rome, titled Frequency.
Tarek Atoui
Known for exploring music history and creating experimental instruments, the Beirut-born sound artist and composer was recently awarded the 2022 Suzanne Deal Booth / Flag Art Foundation prize, one of the largest art prizes in the US. In addition to the cash prize, Atoui – who was at the centre of a major solo exhibition at the Sharjah Art Foundation this year – will present a show at The Contemporary Austin, in Texas, in spring 2022.
Zuhair Murad
World-famous Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad was directly affected by the Beirut port explosion in August. His 11-storey Gemmayze studio was severely damaged by the blast. "My heart is broken. Can't stop crying. The efforts of years went in a moment," he wrote on his social media channels, posting pictures of the devastated site. The next day, Murad received the first copy of a book written by author and fashion critic Alexander Fury that celebrates Murad's work.
The book, Murad told The National in November, gave him the morale boost he needed, imbuing him with "a new spirit and outlook". In the weeks after the blast, the designer ran a fundraising campaign through the design of a T-shirt that had the words: Rise from the Ashes, featuring Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Celine Dion.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Napoleon
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 24
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 4 (Mount 18',Werner 44', Hudson-Odoi 49', Havertz 85')
Morecambe 0
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
