The 11th Sikka Art and Design Festival has begun in Dubai, showcasing six murals, nine outdoor installations, and over 100 talks, panels, and workshops related to global art trends.
The event is being held from February 24th until March 5th in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, under the patronage of H. H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Member of the Dubai Council.
The festival’s theme is “New Creativity. Same Path” and was inaugurated by Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, on Friday. The festival also features musical performances, cinematic shows, entertainment activities, and over 30 local food and beverage vendors, showcasing Dubai’s local culture and flavors in collaboration with Brand Dubai and “Proudly from Dubai” members.
The Dubai Culture has collaborated with a group of institutions and art centers to create unique cultural and artistic experiences for the Sikka Art and Design Festival, which is part of the Dubai Art Season. The festival aims to showcase the aesthetics of the arts and reflect the richness of Dubai’s creative scene through various events and activities.
During her visit to the Sikka Art and Design Festival, Badri was given an overview of the festival’s main attractions and toured the houses in the neighborhood, each showcasing a variety of artwork. She began her tour with the installation ‘Threads of Time: weaving history on a blank canvas,’ which pays tribute to the region’s weaving heritage, and was created by Hamda Ahmad Al Falahi and Reema Al Mheiri. Badri also visited the mural ‘Ya Labes el Tally’ by Fatima Al Ali and viewed the collection of artworks exhibited at House 38 by artists such as Fatima Jawad, Maryam Al Huraiz, and Maitha Al Omaira, among others.
Badri was given a tour of House 31 and received information about the works of 14 artists. Among these works were Moza Al Falasi’s ‘Tasbih series’, which portrays emotions and their impact on objects, Melika Shahin’s ‘Shahin’ installation, which explores the relationship between tradition, identity, and escapism, and Areen’s ‘Rugs’, an artwork that encourages the audience to spread love to others.
Furthermore, Badri commended the artists who contributed to the Talli House exhibit, which featured the work of Sarah AlKhayyal, Hajer Al Tenaji, Feryal Al Bastaki, Munira Al Mulla, and Noora Taher. Their artwork was created in the Al Talli craft tradition to celebrate the UAE’s achievement in registering it on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. Badri also visited the Digital Arts House, which showcases pieces by 14 artists, such as Mohamed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Madani, Ahmed Al Attar, Ahmed Al Ali, Reem Al Mazrouei, Dalia Omran, Patrick Lichty, and others.
Badri’s tour also included Bait Al Khazaf, where 35 artists’ works are displayed in various sculptures and artistic installations, such as Abdullah Al Kindi’s ‘Thigmomorphogenesis’, Rawdha Al Ketbi’s ‘Al-Darisha’, and Moey Studio’s ‘Migrant Minds’. In addition, Badri visited the Photography House that showcases the works of Noora Al Neyadi, Shoug Abdulla, Walid Al Madani, Zayed Ibrahim Al Haddar, and Mohamed Almaazmi.
Badri also visited House 5, which is participating in the festival for the first time with the Ministry of Health and Prevention. They aim to promote the National Programme for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation (Hayat) through their innovative ‘Art for Health’ initiative that engages and interacts with the community to address health issues. Badri also visited Sikka House which showcases the works of several talented artists, including Omar AlNajjar, Sarah Al Saman, Salma Al Mansouri, Hamda Ahmed Al Falahi, Mayed Abdulla, Ayesha Hadhir, and others.