Sculpture, painting: Al Ain Book Festival celebrates beauty of art
13th edition will shine new light on heritage and promote a sense of community
Aseries of artistic and cultural events, including sculpture, painting and ceramics, are on the agenda at the Al Ain Book Festival, which began yesterday and will continue until November 20.
The festival, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), is being held at Al Ain Square — Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. Six influential and inspiring artists from the region and the world are participating in the fest. They include Dr. Abeer Issa, Ali Al Jabri, Bassam Kyrillos, Mohamed Youssef, Wael Hilal and Ali Mualla.
Themed ‘All Eyes on Al Ain’, the 13th edition will shine a new light on Al Ain’s rich heritage. Home to the UAE’s first Unesco World Heritage Sites, Al Ain is not only the birthplace of the UAE’s Founding Father, Shaikh Zayed, but also of renowned poets who helped keep Nabati poetry alive. The festival celebrates their work while also reviving legendary characters from Arabic folktales through interactive installations.
Platform for Emirati talent
Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of ALC, said: “The Al Ain Book Festival is a vital platform to celebrate the work of Emirati writers, intellectuals and innovators. The reinvigorated festival programme is also an opportunity to promote a strong sense of community in young Emiratis and inspire the values of culture and creativity.”
Leading artists
Dr Issa from Egypt, who specialises in ceramic sculpture, has a masterpiece on display. By sculpting a face with traditional features on a base inspired by the shape of the Al Jahili Fort in the city of Al Ain, she creates a link between Emirati history and women’s role in society.
Syrian artist Ali Mualla is displaying a group of wood and leather carvings that represent the beauty of Emirati heritage on one hand, and the future of the digital world on the other.