‘Sikka Art and Design’ story of creativity told by 188 artists

Murals, photos, art galleries and installations inspired by the festival's themes
‘Sikka Art and Design’ story of creativity told by 188 artists
• Dubai Culture begins the countdown to open the doors of 13 houses for art enthusiasts.
• Sara AlKhayyal delivers ‘Textile Tales’ – an oral female history told through pattern design
• Al Madani and Al-Attar explore concepts of identity, and Rashed AlMazrouei produces his work with artificial intelligence.
• 6 murals, 9 outdoor installations, and 100+ talks and workshops at the festival

With the opening of the 11th edition of Sikka Art and Design Festival, which is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of Dubai Council, Dubai Culture has revealed the participating artists. The festival, which is held at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood from 24 February to 5 March, will be one of the most prominent components of Dubai's cultural calendar.

Over 188 Emirati and UAE & GCC-based creatives are participating in the festival, whose works were inspired by the festival's theme 'New Creativity. Same Path', falling within the framework of Dubai Culture's commitments to creating a sustainable creative environment that contributes to the display of talent. These artistic and cultural works and products are in open spaces, which is in line with the Dubai Public Art Strategy that the Authority leads the movement to promote visual culture in Dubai.

The festival, under the umbrella of the Dubai Art Season, celebrates the pioneers of the Emirati and GCC creative scene, and works to provide a platform that brings together murals, exhibitions, installations, artworks and more distributed over 13 houses and outdoor spaces, each of which showcasing a unique set of artworks that highlight the interaction of artists with the cultural and creative industries.

The festival’s jury evaluated and chose the participating works that reflect the divergence in the artists’ visions and orientations, so that the rich programme of activities and events offers the public the opportunity to enjoy unique cultural and artistic experiences, highlighting Dubai as a global cultural centre and an incubator for talent.

During this edition, the artist, Noora Al Neyadi, is exhibiting her collection ‘Camel Sea’, which contains rare photos that she took of Lake Guelta d'Archei after an exploration trip to the Aouzou Strip between Chad and Libya.

Sara AlKhayyal’s artistry is displayed in Al Talli House via her work ‘Textile Tales’, which represents an invitation to the new generation to discover its culture through the patterns of engraving on fabrics, while Wedad Salem Al Kindi presents her ‘Loved by man and island’, inspired by the local heritage and that took 320 hours to complete. The Palestinian artist Areen reveals her ‘Rugs’, incorporating Islamic, floral, geometric and linear motifs into abstract shapes.

‘In a Moment of Stillness, Nature Never Stills’ is the title of the work in which Maitha Al Omaira relies on the cyanotypes technique to observe still moments and temporary nature. Moza Al Falasi presents ‘Tasbih’, through which he depicts the feelings that we project on ordinary things, while the work ‘Van Gogh’ shows artist Noora Taher influenced in silk by Van Gogh's style and dotted patterning. Feryal Al Bastaki and her colleague Munira Al Mulla bring to us the ‘O’ collection – in a special Sikka edition, which is an installation that combines contemporary furniture design with traditional handicrafts, such as Al Talli.

The artist, Shoug Abdulla, presents her series ‘Domestic PPE II’, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture & Youth, while Ayesha Hadhir, continues through ‘Portable Installations’ to explore a range of materials to bring to light the traditions of women here. Hamda Al Falahi and her colleague, Rima Al-Muhairi, celebrate creativity through their work ‘Threads of time: weaving history on a blank canvas’ in memory of the textile industry in the region and its role in the history of trade in Dubai. Wafa Al Falahi was inspired for her work ‘Slip’ by small studio Fujairah potters.

The Syrian artist Stephany Sanossian exhibits her work ‘The Goal Oriented + PINK PILL’ to reflect the remarkable richness of our culture and traditions, while Amna Al Banna restores through ‘BRX Fabrics’ nostalgia for the nineties in her particular style. The artist Zayed Ibrahim Al Haddar’s ‘Girl with Tasa’ portrays the power of a woman's spirit, and Fatima Al Ali’s mural ‘Ya Labes el Tally’, in which the various types of Emirati thobes and kandooras are presented, focuses on the embroidery of Al Talli.

Through ‘Undulation’, Saeed Al Madani and his colleague Ahmad Al Attar seek to explore concepts of identity in the era of technology and mechanics. Rashed AlMazrouei presents his work ‘Eid Morning’, produced by artificial intelligence, in a series of verbal descriptions that constitute the inherited Emirati identity.

Dubai Culture, in cooperation with a group of institutions and centres specialised in the arts at the state level, have even created a children's section titled ‘Little Sikka’.

The current edition of the festival will witness the launch of 6 murals, 9 outdoor installations, and over 100 talks, panels and workshops that highlight the trends of the international arts sector, in addition to a wide range of cinematic and musical shows and entertainment activities held within an inspiring atmosphere along with over 30 local F&B concepts in collaboration with Brand Dubai, fuelled by 'Proudly from Dubai' members.