Islam inspired Mocafest comes to Dubai

Mocafest, which shines the spotlight on artistic elements in the Muslim world, begins in Dubai. We have the details.

At Mocafest, Sumayyah Al Suwaidi will discuss her approach to digital art. Delores Johnson / The National

This week, a free Dubai festival is hosting some of the most innovative and creative minds emerging from the Muslim world. The seventh annual Mocafest kicks off today at the Mina A’ Salam hotel with lectures, workshops and installations focusing on the role of art and culture in the Muslim world.

A travelling event, Mocafest is organised by the World Islamic Economic Forum and runs in tandem with the event. With previous festivals held in London and Kuala Lumpur, the organiser Najmia Zulkarnain says Dubai is the best location yet, with its intersection of arts, culture and business. “The UAE hosts so many different nationalities and is the melting point of business and exchanges,” she says. “It is a really great place to facilitate the event.”

The speakers

A mix of new talent and industry veterans will be taking the stage to share their latest works and ideas. Leading the creatives is Peter Sanders. The award- winning British photographer and self-confessed wanderer is renowned for his stunning archive of images from the Muslim world that totals more than a quarter of a million photographs.

On the performance front, the spoken-word poet Zohab Khan is making his way to Dubai. The Australian recently appeared in the finals of the International Poetry Slam in Madrid and has completed successful tours of Asia, Africa and Europe. An American television personality and author will also be present in Dubai. Haleh Banani is the host of Al Fajr TV's self-help programme With Haleh, which melds psychology with Islamic principles.

Local talent

With Mocafest making its UAE debut, a large contingent of local talent is taking part. The Emirati digital artist Sumayyah Al Suwaidi will discuss her approach of transforming and manipulating seemingly normal photos into something emotional and sensual. The fine-artist Reem Al Rawi is also set to make an appearance, displaying her work that combines architectural sensibilities with various forms of Arabic calligraphy. The UAE musical favourites Melisa Le Rue and the percussion collective Dubai Drums will also perform.

What’s on

The panel discussions, exhibits and performances are set to keep the crowd stimulated throughout the three days of the event. Aspiring and established photographers should not miss out on the Peter Sanders workshop today at 3pm, as he shows ways to capture powerful portraits. At 6pm, a 90-minute music showcase will get under way featuring up to eight artists performing spoken word, percussion, dance and folk music.

Tomorrow at 2pm, film enthusiasts can catch a trio of filmmakers – Tariq Chow from the United Kingdom, the Canadian Adam Shamash and the American Monem Salem – who will showcase some of their acclaimed work. On Thursday, Mocafest’s final day, a networking session will run from 2pm.

Network and inspiration

The chance to meet fellow creatives is what pushed the Canadian filmmaker Adam Shamash to make the journey from his base in London to Dubai.

“First and foremost it is an amazing meeting spot for Muslim creatives from across the world,” he says. “There are so many different conferences catering to our specific fields, but that Mocafest really pulls it together with Islam is fantastic. That is important, because for many of us Islam is not just an integral part of our lives but also the source of our creativity and inspiration. It is really a celebration of that and a meeting of energies.”

Shamash, who will be appearing in a panel to discuss his award-winning short films, says more events like Moca­fest are needed to drive the creative scene in Muslim countries. “There are a lot of half-hearted events that do this and they are just too simple,” he says. “Having attended the event as a spectator and now attending it as speaker, I can say that it is really enriching. It is almost like a rite of passage for me.”

• Mocafest begins on Tuesday, October 28, and runs until Thursday, October 30, at Mina A’ Salam, Jumeirah Road, Dubai. Attendance is free. For more details, visit www.10thwief.org