Artists from all over the Middle East have come together for the second Arab Art Festival, which kicked off yesterday in Dubai.
The fine art exhibition, boasting the works of 120 Arab artists, opened its doors to the public yesterday in the presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development. The festival ends tomorrow.
The show is taking place in the Marsam Mattar art gallery in Dubai’s Al Hudaiba district, near Bur Dubai and is open until tomorrow evening, 10pm.
Painters, sculptors, visual artists and installation artists will host workshops for students tonight from 5pm at two locations: Sharjah’s Al Qasba and Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach.
The festival, organised by the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, is one of several celebrations around the country to commemorate UAE Flag Day, which takes place tomorrow.
The festival will wrap up with a flag raising in Al Khor park tomorrow evening, alongside Dubai Creek, with all the visiting artists in attendance.
“We are honoured … to welcome and host the second Arab Art Festival and to host these creative and innovative Arab personalities and artists, so that we may celebrate together the UAE’s Flag Day,” said Dirar Belhoul Al Falasi, director general of the Watani Al Emarat Foundation.
The Iraqi sculptor Thamer Al Nasry, director of the Arab Art Festival, will also have his sculptures and ceramics exhibited during the event.
“We have established this festival as a message of love, and to give these artists the chance to showcase their creativity and artistic work. This is for both established artists, and the young, struggling artists who need to be shown support and appreciation,” he said.
Safia El Kabbani, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Cairo’s Helwan University, said: “The UAE has given so much to the Arab world, and continues to do so. There is support for artists and the arts here, and there always has been. As artists, we are honoured to help the nation celebrate its Flag Day.”
Tomorrow, November 3, marks the day Sheikh Khalifa became President of the UAE. The Flag Day initiative was started in 2013 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
artslife@thenational.ae
