Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim discusses sunsets, nature and his hometown ahead of the Venice Biennale

Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, The Space Between The Eyelid and The Eyeball Installation View, Lawrie Shabibi, Dubai, 2019. (Supplied)
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Updated 01 February 2022
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Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim discusses sunsets, nature and his hometown ahead of the Venice Biennale

DUBAI: Known for his playful and colorful abstract organic sculptures that dialogue with the land and its surroundings, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim has a deep connection to the local environment, particularly that of his hometown of Khor Fakkan, on the Gulf of Oman, near Fujairah in the UAE.

Known for its beachfront and dramatic Al-Hajar mountains with their waterfalls and natural pools, it has one of the most stunning natural landscapes in the Gulf nation.

His work, notable for its electric colors and anamorphous forms, appear immediately at one with the landscape in which they are placed, as if they have always belonged there.




Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim, Falling Stones Garden, installation view at Desert X AlUla. (Supplied)

Ibrahim is part of the UAE's first generation of contemporary artists from the late 1980s, an avant-garde scene that included Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi, Hussein Sharif, and Mohammed Kazem.

What distinguishes his work is his lifelong and deep connection to the landscape of his hometown and the Hajar mountains, both which he continuously references through his installations, paintings, drawings and objects.

“I love working with organic material because it comes from nature,” he told Arab News. “I use an experimental mix of materials. Papier-mache, leaves, clay, and glue. When I start creating, I prepare the material and then I make the objects, and it is through making the objects that I start to make an assemblage. It is through this process, working with the materials and forms, that my ideas come.” 




Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Untitled, 2019. (Supplied)

He then studies the colors to see which best suit the objects he is creating.

“I am a child when I create my art; it is like I am playing,” he laughs. Indeed, his artwork evokes a childlike wonder and view onto the world, one never lacking in exuberance. “Playing gives way to seriousness,” he adds.

The dichotomy could not be more apparent in his work—his objects, installations and drawings play with their surroundings as much as they offer fruit for serious contemplation.

The materials he uses, and their resulting forms, reflect his interest in archaeology and also psychology. 




Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Khorfakkan, 2005. (Supplied)

Many might have seen his current installation “Hugs at Terra” in the Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, an interactive installation forming a reflective walk-through space covered in his signature indecipherable symbols in black and white.

The installation acts like a metaphorical and also literal hug for visitors, prompting them to question if they honor their values over their desire for comfort and convenience. 

In “Memory Drum,” the second solo show of the artist at Lawrie Shabibi in Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, presenting works the artist made during the 2020 lockdown in the UAE, he explored the psychological theory of the memory drum and how the unconscious neutral patterns acquired from past experiences were stored in the central nervous system within a memory storage organ.

Nature, and that of his UAE homeland, is ultimately Ibrahim’s greatest inspiration. It is through nature that the artist examines society and human psychology.




Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Untitled, 2016. (Supplied)

His works serve as joyful contemplations of the world around him, and they provide lightness and vibrancy to even the darkness of spaces. 

In “Falling Stones,” for example, his installation for Desert X Al Ula in 2020, a site-specific installation comprising 320 sculptures, varying in size and hue, were all inspired by the natural landscape and surrounding natural rockfalls and sandstone cliffs of AlUla.

Ibrahim’s colored sculptures added dynamism and contemporary vibrancy to the ancient region’s old rocky landscape but in a manner that seemed almost natural, as if his sculptures had been there in AlUla for years, decades even.




Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Green Boulevard, 2020. (Supplied)

Now the artist is embarking on his most prestigious work yet: An exhibition at the UAE pavilion of the 2022 Venice Biennale, which takes place from April 23 until Nov. 27. Titled “Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim: Between Sunrise and Sunset” and curated by Maya Allison, executive director of the New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, the presentation will reveal a human-sized sculpture in the artist’s signature abstract and organic sculptural forms. The artist has been working on the piece for over two years since the biennale’s original dates were delayed due to COVID-19.

The work, like its title, refers to the various states of the sun throughout the day.

“In Khor Fakkan, the sun makes a shadow not a proper sunset,” the artist said. “At the end of the day the sun goes to the back of the mountains. When we were growing up, we didn’t see the sunset because the mountains would hide it.”

His new work will be revealed at the UAE’s pavilion during the opening of the Venice Biennale in April.




Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Installation view, Memory Drum, 2020. (Supplied)

Experimentation, he said, was a crucial component of his artistic practice.

“I experiment with my materials, shapes and my thoughts. Sometimes I make an object that looks like a figure but is not a figure. I give a chance to the viewer to read my work as they see it in these experimental works. I create my art out of a need not for someone or something.”

Regardless of how much is explored through his artistic practice, one constant is the landscape of Khor Fakkan. In the land, he said: “You can see poetry and almost hear music.” In this sense he hoped that his works took on an otherworldly quality, which he hoped led his viewers to states of transcendence, joy, and to find deeper meaning with the natural world.

His works on paper often incorporate his own indecipherable language. Featuring lines, inscriptions and abstract forms that evoke ancient cave drawings, while they might be devoid of any literal meaning, Ibrahim’s symbols serve to mark time and memory through the meditative repetition of forms and symbols. 

Their resulting depiction is itself another form of visual language that communicates between individuals and the natural landscape of the artist’s homeland through the simplicity yet poignant use of the artist’s forms and color.


Elyanna hypes up Coldplay show in Abu Dhabi

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Elyanna hypes up Coldplay show in Abu Dhabi

DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna is excited to open for British rockers Coldplay as they get ready to take to the stage in Abu Dhabi, on Jan. 9, 11, 12 and 14 at Zayed Sports City Stadium.

“Still can’t believe I’m opening for @coldplay’s Music of The Spheres tour. Abu Dhabi,” she posted on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Elyanna (@elyanna)

“Yanna Merch coming your way soon,” she added, crediting artists Nadine Ghannoum and Fairdose.

Elyanna’s formal introduction to Coldplay took place when she was invited to collaborate on their track, “We Pray.”

Elyanna also released her own Arabic-language version of the track on Sept. 20 last year.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Elyanna (@elyanna)

Elyanna is set to perform live with Coldplay again when the band heads to Abu Dhabi for four shows in the UAE capital. The band will perform as part of the “Music of the Spheres World Tour” on Jan. 9, 11, 12 and 14.


Georgina Rodriguez promotes collaboration with Saudi perfume label Laverne

Updated 6 min 31 sec ago
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Georgina Rodriguez promotes collaboration with Saudi perfume label Laverne

DUBAI: Argentinian model and reality TV star Georgina Rodriguez took to Instagram to announce that her debut fragrance collaboration with Saudi perfume label Laverne is back in stock.

“SENSE my new perfume with Laverne is back in stock,” she posted, alongside a photo of herself – dressed in an eye-catching red dress while holding the fragrance bottle.

On the official website, the label describes Sense as the result of a collaboration between Dalia Eisem and Rodriguez that lasted more than a year and included the creation of more than 740 samples.

“Finally, Georgina chose the perfect combination that embodies all her feelings in a perfume bottle,” it said, noting that the fragrance included notes of blackcurrant, mandarin, jasmine, cashmere and orange blossom.

In March 2023, Rodriguez – the longtime partner of legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo – collaborated with Laverne to become the face of their new fragrance, Blue Laverne.


Saudi star Model Roz makes guest appearance on Netflix’s ‘Dubai Bling’

Updated 11 min 56 sec ago
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Saudi star Model Roz makes guest appearance on Netflix’s ‘Dubai Bling’

DUBAI: Los Angeles-based Saudi influencer Model Roz made a surprise appearance in season three of Netflix’s gossip-filled drama show “Dubai Bling,” which premiered on Jan. 8.

The model, who boasts 15.2 million Instagram followers, shared a short clip of her cameo on social media.

In the video, Mahira Abdel Aziz, the Emirati Egyptian newcomer to the show, introduced Roz to the cast, saying” “Ladies and gentlemen, all the way from LA... Roz. We are happy to have her here in Dubai.” Roz responded by bowing gracefully and thanking the cast for their warm welcome.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Netflix MENA (@netflixmena)

“Welcome to Dubai,” added Zeina Khoury, a real estate agent and founder of the fashion brand I Am The Company.

“It’s my first time in Dubai, so all of you need to show me around,” Roz replied with a smile.

The scene then shifted to Roz sitting with Loujain Adada as they got their makeup touched up. 

Roz seized the moment to ask, “What happened the other day in the fitting? I heard your voices and sensed some stress.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Netflix MENA (@netflixmena)

Adada brushed off the question, saying: “Stress? Nothing happened. I don’t think it concerns you in any way, so don’t worry.”

Roz responded quickly, “Yes, I stay away from these things.” 

“I’m telling you now, don’t be a gossip. I really hate that kind of stuff,” Adada cautioned.

Roz clarified: “It’s not my thing. I just wanted to make sure everything is okay.”

The program has been praised by critics for its ability to attract a multicultural audience due to its diverse cast, as well as merging English and Arabic dialogue, often in the same sentence.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by(@model_roz)

Season three of “Dubai Bling” features a mix of returning cast members, new faces and notable departures. Familiar faces such as Adada, Khoury, Mona Kattan, Ebraheem Al-Samadi, Safa and Fahad Siddiqui, Farhana Bodi, Marwan Al-Awadhi (DJ Bliss), and Danya Mohammed return to share their glamorous lives. 

Joining the cast are media personality Abdel Aziz and Iraqi singer and actress Jwana Karim.

Saudi TV presenter Lojain Omran, along with radio host Kris Fade and his wife Brianna Fade, have exited the show.

Roz shot to fame in 2019 when she modelled for a Victoria’s Secret’s Pink campaign.

The model’s Instagram feed is littered with photographs of her various advertising campaigns, as well as visits to many a product launch party — from NYX Cosmetics events to TikTok gatherings. 


Zuma Riyadh ‘feels like a homecoming,’ says Azumi Group CEO

Updated 08 January 2025
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Zuma Riyadh ‘feels like a homecoming,’ says Azumi Group CEO

DUBAI: Born in London, coveted Japanese restaurant Zuma opened its doors in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District mere weeks ago, with Azumi Group CEO Sven Koch telling Arab News that Saudi Arabia’s capital city was chosen “because of its cultural importance to the Kingdom.”

With 15 locations across the world, this marks Zuma’s first outpost in the Kingdom — but Saudi foodies are familiar with the luxury brand, Koch said.

“Since its inception in London in 2002, guests from Saudi Arabia have been one of the most loyal Zuma demographics from around the world. Bringing the Zuma experience to the Kingdom feels like a homecoming,” he said.

With interactive sushi and robata counters offering a front-row view of the artistry and precision of Zuma’s chefs, the Izakaya-style restaurant serves traditional Japanese dishes with a modern twist.

There are a few Riyadh-exclusive items on the menu. The Ajwa Date and Miso Toffee Cake dessert comes with ginger crumble, poached pears, and sweet corn mochi ice cream.

It is “a creation that combines the essence of the region’s flavors with Zuma’s renowned techniques,” Koch said.

Koch described Zuma Riyadh as a space that blends Middle Eastern influences and classic Japanese designs.

“Designed by renowned architect Noriyoshi Muramatsu, the space is a blend of Middle Eastern influences and Japanese design, creating an ambiance that is both locally inspired and globally sophisticated,” he explained.

Zuma’s launch in Riyadh was inspired by the cultural and economic transformations that the Kingdom has been undergoing over the past few years, especially in the food and beverage sector.

In 2025, Riyadh will have several new glittering international restaurants including Latin hotspot Amazonico, Japanese-Peruvian eatery Chotto Matte and Italian dessert cafe Cipriani Dolci.

“This transformation has focused on fostering a more vibrant lifestyle, creating a bigger demand for world-class dining and flavors … Zuma Riyadh’s debut in the Kingdom is a testament to the growing demand for exceptional dining experiences while also catering to a clientele that values both tradition and innovation,” said Koch.

 


International Prize for Arabic Fiction announces 2025 longlist

Updated 07 January 2025
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International Prize for Arabic Fiction announces 2025 longlist

DUBAI: The longlist for the 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction has been revealed, with 16 novels in the running for the $50,000 award, sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

While works from Bahrain and Mauritania have made the list for the first time, other nominated novels come from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Iraq and the UAE.

The longlist has been chosen from a total of 124 submissions by a panel of five judges chaired by Egyptian academic Mona Baker. Joining her on the panel are Moroccan academic and critic Said Bengrad, Emirati critic and academic Maryam Al-Hashimi, Lebanese researcher and academic Bilal Orfali, and Finnish translator Sampsa Peltonen.

In a statement, Baker said, “This year’s longlist is remarkable in its diversity of both theme and literary form. Some novels address women’s struggles to achieve their dreams in a patriarchal society that prevents them from living fulfilled lives. Others offer a nuanced portrait of religious and sectarian worlds, where extremism and dogma contrast with human empathy and understanding.

“There are a number of historical novels on the list which deal with both the recent and more distant past, such as the Abbasid era, or the Inquisition and persecution of Muslims in Andalusia. There are also semi-autobiographical books, and others which read like detective stories.

“Repressive regimes and their power to crush the hopes and lives of ordinary people are also explored; some novelists paint a stark picture of this reality, while others employ sarcasm and humour, rendering these difficult topics more accessible for the reader.”

The 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction longlist:
Aqeel Almusawi’s “The Weepers” (Bahrain)
Inam Bioud’s “Houwariya” (Algeria)
Rashid Al-Daif’s “What Zeina Saw and What She Didn’t” (Lebanon)
Ahmed Fal Al-Din’s “Danshmand” (Mauritania)
Jan Dost’s “The French Prisoner” (Syria)
Sausan Jamil Hasan’s “Heiress of the Keys” (Syria)
Iman Humaydan’s “Songs for the Darkness” (Lebanon)
Azher Jirjees “The Valley of the Butterflies” (Iraq)
Hasan Kamal’s “The Stolen Novel” (Egypt)
Taissier Khalaf’s “The Andalusian Messiah” (Syria)
Ahmed Al-Malawany’s “Happy Dreams” (Egypt)
Mohamed Samir Nada’s “The Prayer of Anxiety” (Egypt)
Nadia Najar’s “The Touch of Light” (United Arab Emirates)
Haneen Al-Sayegh’s “The Women’s Charter” (Lebanon)
Sumar Shihada’s “My Life Has Just Begun” (Syria)
Ayman Ragab Taher’s “The Lamplighter” (Egypt)