Local and international creativity illuminated the festival’s ten days… Tenants’ houses in Sikka: artistic spaces that speak of beauty

• Fatmah Lootah’s ‘Earth’was a major highlight, and Majlis Gallery presented Matt Ryder’s work.
• Ana Liz Cordero openedthe doors to House 40 and Atelier featuredimpressive sculptures.

Dubai, UAE, 5 March 2023

The 11th Sikka Art and Design Festival has witnessed the active participation of 13 tenants who took the houses of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood as their headquarters, displaying the creativity of artists from the UAE, the wider region and all over the world.

The festival, which concluded on Sunday 5 March, showcased the creativity of Emirati artist, Fatmah Lootah, through her exhibition ‘Earth’ at her own gallery in House 35, in which she produced a group of innovative art projects. Majlis Gallery, located in House 52, is a private space for artists to express their visions and exhibit their unique experiences. In this year’s edition of the festival, the Majlis presented Quietude: A Solo Exhibition of British artist Matt Ryder’s Landscapes and Florals, drawing inspiration from the desert landscapes surrounding us, in addition to a water colour workshop by British artist, Trevor Waugh. Bait Alkhanyar Museum allowed visitors to the festival to learn about the history of the Emirati dagger, its designs and methods of use.

This year, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding had a new itinerary of activities in House 47 in line with the festival’s theme ‘New Creativity. Same Path,’ bringing forth varying artist displays, Estikana Cafe, the UAE/Japan Enka workshop on the aesthetics of Emirati and Japanese cultures, and ‘art therapy’ and the importance of using artistic and creative materials as a means of communication. Meanwhile, in House 26, SMCCU hosted numerous interactive sessions, including the Open House workshop and live cooking.

In January 2023, House 40 opened its doors to Ecuadorian abstract artist Ana Liz Cordero, who turned it into a private studio, in which she displays two exclusive series that revolve around the idea of restoring the true value of nature and freedom. In House 27, Atelier Art and Sculpture, which was founded by Egyptian artist and sculptor Amr Aziz, also participated in the festival to highlight the art of sculpture and its role in practical life, displaying a wide range of sculptures bearing the imprints of Emiratis Dr Eng Suaad Alshamshi, Hend Rashid, Farida Yahya, and Meera Alotaiba; Egyptian artists Dr Abeer Essa, Samia Saleh, Amr Aziz, Awatef Salah Abd Elaal, Samar Hussien, Mohamed Khalil, Mohammed Hussein, and Samar Kamel; and Pakistani practitioner Batool Jafri.

Akaas Visual Arts opened the doors of its centre in House 17 to visitors to explore the creations of several Emirati artists, including Rashid AlMulla, who presented his works ‘Counting Stars’, ‘Ocean Protector’ and ‘Don’t Be Fooled’; Marwa Alhosani who presented the multimedia interactive piece ‘Challenge Yourself’; Jassim Al Awadhi’s two sculptures: ‘The Shadow’ and ‘The Circle’; and Faisal Al Rais who had an interactive multimedia piece titled ‘People from the Neighbourhood’, in which he embodies his journey among the people on the banks of Dubai Creek; in addition to Egyptian artist Mai Majdy’s ‘The Identity’, in which she expresses the power of women.

As part of its participation in the festival, XVA gallery, which specialises in contemporary art from the Arab world, Iran and the Indian subcontinent, presented ‘Enheduanna’s Letter’, a solo installation by Halim Al Karim that includes portraits of sentimental letters hidden in the orbits of history, and ‘Witnessing Us’, a solo exhibition by Solimar Miller, in which he reflects on the way humans interact with nature through the past, present and future.

Tashkeel transformed the rooms of House 10 into artistic spaces open to the festival’s audience, to introduce them to the works of selected artists, including Abdulla Lutfi, Asma Baker, Natalya Konforti, Anja Bamberg, Lia Staehlin, Mike Arnold, Victor Sitali and others. Al Fahidi Arts and Culture Center also participated in the festival, offering the Al Fahidi Joint Bazaar exhibition, in addition to an installation by Emirati artist Capt.X

Under the roof of House 8 in the Architectural Heritage Society, a group of Emirati urban heritage experts gathered and presented certain workshops, while Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant offered visitors the opportunity to learn about the traditions of the local cuisine, and live the experience of traditional hospitality.

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) opened the doors of Houses 16, 31 and 38 for artists of different disciplines to show their work, including Emirati artists Wafa Al Falahi, Wedad Salem Al Kindi, Sara Alkhayyal, Moza Al Falasi, Balqees Sabir, Shamsa Al Omaira, Fatima Albudoor, Mohammad Almarri, Saif Saud Alreyami, Hamad Aljasmi, Mohamed Ahmed Aldhanhani, Maryam Al Huraiz, Maitha Al Omaira, Rodha Al-Mazrouei, Alzaina Ahmad Lootah, Yousif Alqassab, Sultan Saleh, Nasser Alnuaimi, Abdulla Almoosawi, and Mariam Alkatheeri. The artist showcase houses also included Bahraini Fatima Jawad, Syrian-Armenian Stephany Sanossian, South Korean Mihyun Kim, Palestinian Areen, and Iranian artists Melika Shahin and Neda Salmanpour, in addition to over 100 students from the College of Arts and Creative Enterprise at Zayed Universities.