On November 27, 2024, at Al Safa Art & Design Library in Dubai, Inloco Gallery presented its annual conference, Inloco Talks 2024, which focused on urban semiotics in the Gulf region. The event organizers, now in their second year, aim to cultivate interdisciplinary connections among professionals to strengthen interest in the public art scene across the region. Inloco Talks 2024 fostered a synergistic atmosphere where academics, curators, developers, architects, and artists exchanged thoughts and ideas, encouraging an intersectional understanding of the theme.
One of the most compelling presentations was a retrospective by Emirati artist and Dubai Culture representative Khalil Abdulwahid. Drawing from his personal archives, he shared insights on the Emirates Fine Art Society pioneers and the evolution of art movements in the UAE since the 1980s.
Artist Karim Jabbari discussed his extensive and multidisciplinary artistic practice within The Arabic Letter as a Street Art Medium. Notably, the artist’s discourse marks the start of their residency with Inloco Gallery, set to conclude with an art intervention and a solo exhibition in early 2025. Jabbari’s primary medium – calligraphy – serves as a foundation for murals, photography, and video installations, which also became a focal point of Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares, founder of the Khatt Foundation. In her talk, The Poetics of the Arabic Script in Public Space, she emphasized the significance of Arabic script in shaping the identity of spaces and cities. Central to her speech was the idea that Arabic script is not merely a writing system but a deeply rooted cultural asset tied to poetry, thought, and abstract art. At the close of the first session, esteemed independent curator Nadine Khalil presented her thought-provoking research on languages of embodiment in contemporary art practice. The conference also featured distinguished academics from leading local institutions, whose presentations enriched the discourse with profound scholarly perspectives. Laure Salma Assaf, Assistant Professor at the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), guided the audience through a deeply introspective examination of urban nostalgia, offering a nuanced academic analysis of this universally relatable subject. Professor Maurice Pomerantz (NYUAD) delivered a fascinating session delving into Abbasid-era graffiti from Baghdad, shedding light on a lesser-explored facet of cultural history. Nelida Fuccaro, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at NYUAD, invited
participants to explore the symbolic and visual representations of oil in the urban landscapes of the Persian Gulf. Adding a unique interdisciplinary angle, Dr. Mariam Al-Attar, lecturer at the American University of Sharjah, provided an insightful exploration of semiotics through the prism of Islamic theology and philosophy.
Inloco Talks 2024 concluded with the public talk “Why We Return: Unpacking the Power of Place,” which brought together artist Hessa Alghandi, architect Aida Balaš, the cultural initiative Abu Dhabi Streets, and architectural designer Tala Gharagozlou, moderated by cultural advisor Alexei Afanasiev. The discussion delved into the key aspects of creating successful public art projects, placemaking, and community building, drawing on the speakers’ extensive and diverse expertise. A particularly valuable dimension of the talk was the participants’ reflections on nurturing conditions for creative collaborations and a deeper understanding of how creative industries and municipal authorities can collaborate effectively on public art initiatives.