Vibrant, ancient and detailed – are some of the synonyms that describe Phad paintings of Rajasthan, India. Made on a long piece of cloth or canvas called Phad, these paintings depict heroic folk tales of local deities – Pabuji and Devnarayan. The stories on these scroll paintings were inspired from mythological books and were used as mobile temples. […]
‘Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale’ was coined by the man who gave the world some of the most iconic stories of our times. Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, published 169 fairy tales in his lifetime, and gave us the fascinating tales of The Ugly Duckling, Wild Swans, The Tinder Box, Little Mermaid, […]
Tomorrow, I will Fly — a book of essays written by Dubai prison inmates will be launched at the Emirates Literature Festival, to be held from February 4 to 9, 2020. The book, a ground-breaking venture is the culmination of a two-year long collaboration with the Dubai Police and a year-long project with authors Clare […]
Gazans are noted to be resilient but little is known about their rich culinary tradition. Ironically, years of living under occupation has dispossessed the Palestinian kitchen resulting in several ingredients and recipes disappearing from dinner tables. The Palestinian Hosting Society founded in 2017 by Mirna Bamieh, an artist and cook, aims to reconstruct some of […]
The historic medieval town of Pietrasanta in Tuscany, Italy, is famous for its marble and bronze workshops. Artists and sculptors have lived and worked across centuries in Pietrasanta since the time of Michelangelo. Some of the well-known sculptures and artworks from this artistic town are now on display at the newly opened OBLONG Contemporary Gallery […]
A few tomes on Palestinian embroidery are placed strategically across the long table. I open one of them, a page where a pink slip was used as a bookmark, the headline here reads – ‘Embroidery under military occupation’. It’s mid-afternoon and as I sit leafing through the book, the other chairs in the conference […]
Driving through the scenic roads of Fujairah on family holidays Sadaqat Pervaiz often stopped enroute to admire the historic Al Bidiya Mosque. The diminutive rock and mud structure known as the oldest existing house of worship in the emirates held a special place in his heart. Over the years he captured its rustic charm by […]
Bold illustrations showcasing contemporary and culturally-inspired designs is the forte of Emirati artist Khalid Mezaina’s work. Centered around local traditions his art largely includes hand-drawn elements. He has a Bachelor’s degree in visual communication from American University of Sharjah and a Master’s in textiles from Rhode Island School of Design, USA. Khalid is an independent artist, […]
“Two overjoyed kids in a candy store!” that’s what we transformed into as we pushed open the glass door of Al Samadi sweet shop in Deira. Surrounded by trays full of sweet treats in all hues, oozing appetizing aromas, it was overwhelming to make an appropriate choice to begin our sugary adventure. So, we hopped from one […]
Two writers based in Dubai. Their books — historical fiction — set in diverse eras — one in 1930s Germany and the other in 16th century Turkey and England. How did they conceive these intriguing plots from a past they had not lived in — what were their points of reference, their inspiration and their […]