Hazem Harb explores displacement and memory in new Dubai exhibition
Updated 29 April 2025
Rawaa Talass
DUBAI: In his new exhibition, “Not There, Yet Felt,” at Tabari Artspace in Dubai, the Palestinian artist Hazem Harb is making things personal, both literally and figuratively, exploring the theme of displacement.
“It’s an out-of-body experience. I’m here and I’m not here,” he told Arab News. Harb is feeling torn; while his life and studio are physically based in Dubai, his heart and mind are emotionally attached to his birthplace of Gaza.
The show, on view until May 27, is lined with a series of aluminium self-portraits, based on silhouettes of the artist’s head and upper chest. Instead of seeing detailed facial features, the silhouettes are black, filled with images of colorful walls of Harb’s family home, which was destroyed as a result of the continuing Israeli assault. Such details of the walls, which were photographed by Harb’s nephew and a photojournalist in Gaza, took him by surprise. “I had no idea we had shades of blue, pink and yellow in the house,” he said. “There are so many layers and memories in that house.”
Above this series of self-portraits, a central neon artwork reads “Hope Is Power,” yet ‘power’ is flickering, indicating uncertainty and a loss of normalcy in daily life. Another instance of disturbance can be sensed in a large self-portrait, printed on paper and hanging on the wall, where the end parts of the paper are intensely crumpled. Exploring the multi-layered idea of peeling, there is also a group of calming, hand-made collage works, where wall peelings resemble figurative shapes.
Unlike his solo exhibition last year, in which there was a heady showcase of violently passionate work, entering Harb’s new show has a lighter, romantic feel, thanks to the gentle and romantic hues and language used. “Your Skin Is My Land,” a wall text reads. In the back room of the gallery, Harb is also presenting figurative paintings he made 20 years ago, resembling the flowing forms he experimented with for his new exhibition.
Despite the uncertainty felt by the artist, there is a glimmer of hope. One piece that shows this is a large work, where a body (made of medical gauze) stands still, carrying emotional wounds yet rising from the ashes. “The show is a statement. I felt a responsibility,” he said. “The whole world, not just Palestine, is in a very critical time, and I was thinking about the role of art in a sensitive, genocidal time. Art is a way to say something and is a part of history, an archive for the future.”
How the Michelin Guide will boost the culinary scene in Saudi Arabia
Updated 03 July 2025
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The Michelin Guide — the restaurant industry’s most-respected guidebook — has finally come to Saudi Arabia. In a significant milestone for the Kingdom’s culinary scene, the guide — organized in partnership with the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission — will be released in three stages: on the 15th of each month from October to December this year, it was announced at the launch event last month.
The guide “will focus on the bustling cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, while also beginning to explore the diverse regions of the Kingdom, including Khobar, AlUla, and many more,” Michelin said in a statement, adding that its inspectors — who visit venues anonymously — are “already in the field.”
As it does throughout the world, Michelin will award one star to restaurants providing “high-quality cooking that is worth a stop,” two stars for “excellent cooking that is worth a detour,” and three stars for “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.”
Alongside the much-coveted star ratings, the selection also includes the popular Bib Gourmand category, a distinction awarded to restaurants that provide good quality food at a moderate price.
The well-known Jeddah-based chef and restauranteur Nihal Felemban says the arrival of the Michelin Guide will raise the bar for chefs and restaurants in Saudi Arabia.
“It's a dream for most chefs to obtain that star. That will create a very healthy sense of competition,” she tells Arab News.
And Felemban believes the Kingdom’s local and homegrown concepts are more than capable of holding their own against the big-name brands that have been imported in recent years.
“These concepts deserve to be known. They deserve to be recognized outside the Saudi market,” she says.
“This will give a chance to these homegrown concepts to be on the international culinary map, similarly to what happened in Dubai,” she adds, referring to the 2022 launch of the guide in the UAE. “There were a lot of restaurants we didn't know about (then). The Michelin Guide gave them a voice, gave them a name abroad; it’s a beautiful thing.”
UAE-based Samantha Wood, founder of the impartial restaurant review website FooDiva.net, says the Michelin Guide has had a hugely positive impact on Dubai’s culinary scene.
“Since the launch, the number of independent homegrown concepts has grown every year, with the most recent 2025 guide featuring 29 independent homegrown concepts taking the lion’s share in the top cut of Michelin stars and Bib Gourmand.”
For the Saudi guide, Wood says, “I hope Michelin will prioritise dishing out stars and bibs for the homegrown concepts — like it has done in Dubai. This gives restaurateurs the incentive to develop their own (ideas), rather than rely on importing concepts and franchise agreements.”
Felemban is the founder of one of those homegrown concepts that will be hoping for recognition later this year. Her Jeddah restaurant, The Lucky Lllama, offers Nikkei cuisine, blending Peruvian and Japanese culinary traditions. “I would love to see The Lucky Llama (in the guide), because I believe it can compete on international levels,” she says.
Felemban predicts that the French Riviera-inspired Le Petite Maison — more commonly known as LPM — and top burger spot Marble will earn some recognition, as well as Jeddah’s Korean BBQ joint HWA-RO.
The guide isn’t just a boon to the restaurant industry either. Michelin-starred restaurants can offer a significant boost to tourism.
“Foodie travellers use these guides to plan holidays, often booking high ranking restaurants first before planning holidays around these reservations,” says Wood.
Lifestyle and food blogger Sarah Taha, who showcases the luxury food industry in Saudi on her page Swirl The Fork, also believes the guide could be a game-changer for tourism in the Saudi capital.
“The arrival of the Michelin Guide has the potential to spotlight both ends of Riyadh’s culinary spectrum — from its most luxurious dining rooms to its beloved casual gems — making it one of the most exciting food cities in the region,” she tells Arab News.
“Michelin’s presence won’t just put a global spotlight on our chefs and restaurants; it will also raise the bar for quality, creativity, and service across the board. It’s a powerful statement that Saudi is ready to be recognized as a serious player in the world of fine dining,” she continues.
Riyadh is home to several standout restaurants that Taha believes are strong contenders for Michelin stars. Her predictions include Japanese restaurants Zuma, Myazu, and Nozomi (the latter “remains a benchmark for upscale dining,” she says), and Italian restaurant Mamo Michelangelo.
When it comes to the Bib Gourmand category, which celebrates more affordable yet high-quality dining, Taha highlights Saudi staples like Mama Noura — concepts that “fuse authenticity with consistency and have built loyal followings. They may not be fine dining, but they’re rooted in culinary excellence and local relevance,” she says.
Like Felemban, Taha is confident the arrival of the Michelin Guide can only be a good thing for the Saudi food scene.
“From what I’ve seen running Swirl the Fork, there’s so much passion and creativity here. This kind of spotlight will not only validate that, but also inspire a new generation to invest — and believe — in local culinary ventures. It’s about putting Saudi flavors and stories on the world stage.”
REVIEW: ‘Ironheart’ — compelling hero let down by shoddy storytelling
New Marvel series doesn’t play to its greatest strengths
Updated 03 July 2025
Matt Ross
LONDON: For a studio so adept at world-changing bombast, Marvel has enjoyed a surprising amount of success with shows working on a smaller scale, with lower stakes, about characters and the places they actually live: “Ms Marvel” and “Daredevil: Born Again,” for example, have fared better than, say, the globe-trotting mess that was “Secret Invasion.”
So while genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) was introduced during the ocean-spanning events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” we really get to know her and her Iron Man-esque suit in “Ironheart,” which sees her return home to Chicago. Without the backing of the Wakandans, or the money of someone like Tony Stark, Riri falls in with a slightly more nefarious crowd in order to make money and keep her suit running. Soon enough she’s pulling off jobs for the shady Hood (Anthony Ramos) and his gang, all while dealing with her overprotective mother, trying to find a way to use her inventions for good, and processing the grief of losing her best friend Natalie in a drive-by shooting.
It's quite a bleak story arc for a Marvel hero — Riri makes some questionable choices and some surprisingly selfish ones too. This could have been mined a little more, perhaps, were “Ironheart” not more concerned with racing through the story at breakneck speed. The six-episode run means there’s not much time for character development — a crying shame when there are hints of some fascinating backstories. It also means, sadly, that not much time or money was given to effects. Some of the CGI is shonky in the extreme, while the armor suit Riri has so lovingly crafted is often relegated to little more than a means by which to arrive. Thorne makes for a charismatic lead, and the supporting cast is great (Alden Ehrenreich’s black market tech dealer Joe especially). The plot, however, feels heavy and cumbersome: shoehorned exposition and one-note villains.
The great stuff here is the little stuff. Riri and Natalie’s relationship, a few snatched glimpses of their life in Chicago, Joe’s backstory — all of these deserve more airtime. Without that attention to detail, “Ironheart” feels flimsy. Fun, but ultimately unsatisfying.
Recipes for Success: Alexandre Thabard offers advice and a tasty ‘honey lemon pollen’ recipe
Updated 03 July 2025
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: At just 26 years old, Alexandre Thabard is responsible for the pastry program at one of the most high-profile kitchens in the UAE.
As executive pastry chef at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi, Thabard manages everything from banquets and afternoon tea to the hotel’s cake shop, and has created custom desserts for members of the Abu Dhabi royal family.
As executive pastry chef at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi, Thabard manages everything from banquets to afternoon tea. (Supplied)
Originally from Paris, Thabard trained at Maison Lenôtre, where he also taught pastry courses and honed his technical skills across pastry, chocolate and ice cream. In 2018, he received the “Best Young Pastry Hope” award from Relais Desserts.
Thabard told Arab News his goal is “to reduce sugar as much as possible and celebrate the natural flavors of each ingredient” when it comes to pastries.
“To maintain consistency and lower glycemic impact, I often use Nascita date sugar and allulose as alternatives,” he said.
Here, Thabard talks about learning to slow down in the kitchen, why balance matters more than sweetness, and offers a honey lemon pollen recipe.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
In the early days, I often found myself rushing — eager to be efficient and to see the final result. That sometimes meant I overlooked crucial steps. I’ve learned that great desserts demand patience and precision. Quality takes time. Cooking should be a joyful, sensory experience, not a race.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Keep it simple and let the quality of your ingredients shine. Follow the recipe and, most importantly, taste along the way.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Lime, or any good source of acidity. A touch of lime zest can instantly lift a dessert, bringing balance, freshness and vibrancy. It can transform something pleasant into something memorable.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I try to enjoy the experience as any guest would, but, naturally, I tend to view things through a professional lens.
What’s the most common issue that you find in other restaurants?
Often, I see desserts that are visually stunning but not well-balanced in flavor. They’re either too sweet, lacking contrast, or missing freshness. For me, the priority should be flavor and emotional connection, not just presentation.
What’s your favorite dish to order?
I have a deep appreciation for plated desserts, especially those paired with sorbets or ice cream. The interplay of temperatures and textures — warm and cold, smooth and crisp — creates a dynamic and refined end to a meal.
What’s your go-to pastry when you want to make something quick at home?
A quick pavlova. I usually have baked meringues on hand, made from leftover egg whites. So, I top them with vanilla cream, fresh seasonal fruits, and a touch of lime zest. It’s a simple yet elegant dessert that delivers texture, flavor and freshness in under 20 minutes.
What customer request most annoys you?
When a guest asks to change a dessert entirely before tasting it, or dismisses it based on appearance. While we aim to accommodate, I believe in trusting the chef’s vision. Occasionally, I receive feedback that my desserts aren’t sweet enough, which I actually take as a compliment — it means I’ve succeeded in creating something balanced.
What’s your favorite pastry to make?
I particularly enjoy working with chocolate-based desserts. There’s a refined technicality and sensory depth to chocolate that allows for endless creativity — whether you’re exploring bitterness, sweetness, or contrasting temperatures and textures. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with (chocolate brand) Valrhona on a bespoke couverture, crafted specifically to reflect the luxury and distinct identity of Emirates Palace. The result is a unique chocolate with complex notes that elevates our plated desserts. I also work extensively with camel milk chocolate, which has become really popular in the region. Its naturally tangy flavor, combined with the use of date sugar as a sweetener, creates a beautifully balanced profile is perfect for guests seeking lighter, more mindful indulgence.
What’s the most difficult dessert for you to get right?
The soufflé. It’s technically demanding, time-sensitive and allows no margin for error. When executed well, it’s a true testament to skill and discipline.
As an executive chef, what are you like?
I’d say I’m demanding but nurturing. I believe in building strong, collaborative teams and mentoring young talent. A good dessert is often the result of a unified, motivated kitchen. My style is modern and refined, with a strong focus on health-conscious and sustainable practices — no additives, no artificial colors, and a respectful use of sugar. I aim to create pastries that are elegant, balanced, and meaningful — desserts that not only please the palate but tell a story.
Chef Alexandre’s honey lemon pollen recipe
Honey sponge
Ingredients:
Butter: 150 g
Egg yolks: 220 g
Whole eggs: 90 g
Honey: 270 g
Sugar: 170 g
Almond powder: 30 g
Sour cream: 170 g
Cream: 30 g
Flour: 350 g
Salt: 2 g
Baking powder: 10 g
Method:
Whip the egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and honey until light and airy.
Add the sour cream and cream.
Incorporate the melted butter (at 45°C).
Fold in the dry ingredients.
Pour into a frame or mould and bake at 170°C for 18 minutes. Cool and cut to fit your insert mould.
Honey mousse
Ingredients:
Milk: 72 g
Honey: 14 g
Egg yolk: 10 g
Gelatin: 2 g
Water: 9 g
Whipped cream: 143 g
Method:
Soak the gelatin in cold water.
Heat the milk.
Mix the honey and egg yolk, then combine with the milk and cook to 83°C.
Remove from heat and add the gelatin.
Cool to 25°C, then fold in the whipped cream.
Use immediately for assembly.
Lemon confit:
Lemon juice: 308 g
Sugar: 115 g
Lemon zest: as needed
Additional lemon juice: 77 g
Method:
Blanch the lemon zest three times to remove bitterness.
Cook the zest with sugar and lemon juice until translucent and candied.
Blend into a smooth confit.
Pollen shortbread:
Icing sugar: 40 g
Butter: 35 g
Egg: 20 g
Almond powder: 12 g
Flour: 92 g
Salt: 1 g
Pollen: 15 g
Method:
Mix all ingredients until combined.
Roll out to 2 mm thickness.
Bake at 160°C for 12 minutes. Cool completely.
Assembly:
Spread a thin layer of lemon confit on the honey sponge.
Pipe or pour the honey mousse into a mould.
Insert the sponge with confit into the mousse.
Freeze until solid, then unmould.
Place the entremets on the pollen shortbread.
Decorate with bee pollen, chocolate garnishes, and edible flower petals.
Exhibition on animal rights in Athens spotlights Arab artists
Updated 02 July 2025
Rebecca Anne Proctor
ATHENS: An art exhibition at EMST, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens, ponders a challenging yet crucial question: What are the rights of animals?
The exhibition, “Why Look at Animals? A Case for the Rights of Non-Human Lives,” curated by EMST’s artistic director Katerina Gregos, is among the most ambitious staged by a public institution on animal ethics at a time when wars rage around the world and basic human rights are in crisis.
The show presents more than 200 works by 60 contemporary artists from four continents and runs until Jan. 7, 2026.
Evocatively curated, with works unfolding in the various rooms of the museum in dialogue with the visitor and each other, the various depictions of animals prompt both philosophical and political questions.
The show evokes questions on the nature of humanity, the emotional intelligence of animals and how to confront systems of political domination, such as colonialism and rampant industrialization, that have restricted humans and animals.
From the Arab world, Egyptian artist Nabil Boutros has created “Celebrities,” a moving series of studio portraits of lambs, ewes and rams. Each image depicts not only their aesthetic beauty but seemingly also their emotional state.
Part of Nabil Boutros's 'Celebrities' series. (Supplied)
“I wanted to talk about the human condition through these works,” Boutros told Arab News. “These first portraits of (these animals) show they are different. They have different races, different attitudes and different characters, but we never look at them.”
“What is our relationship with animals? Is it just about food, about slaughtering?” he asked. “We are all part of this world and there is a whole organic structure that connects us that has been forgotten.”
Boutros’ touching portraits, exalting the personality and individuality of each animal, similar to traditional human portraiture, show us a rarely encountered world of animals and their emotional depth.
The show presents more than 200 works by 60 contemporary artists from four continents and runs until Jan. 7, 2026. (Supplied)
“They’re very expressive,” said Boutros, when discussing the moments he photographed them. “We imagine that they don’t have feelings, but that is not true.”
Algerian artist Oussama Tabti’s “Homo-Carduelis” is an installation that covers an entire wall of empty birdcages, each encompassing a speaker playing a birdsong created by human voices to imitate that of birds.
The work strives to show the connection between animals and humans. “The idea for the work came from the goldfinch, an appreciated bird in Algeria,” Tabti told Arab News.
“Born and raised in Algeria, the goldfinch was always in our daily soundscape.
“My work talks about the relation between the bird and the human because people appreciate (the goldfinch) and have it as a pet. They keep the bird in a cage and sometimes even go for a walk with it.”
Tabti finds the relationship at times “awkward and strange.” He thinks that Algerians at times “identify themselves in the birds.”
He added: “The work goes beyond the state of Algeria to reflect on the state of the human condition. Each one of us is in our own cage; it could be work, the environment or even one’s identity.
“I thought the bird in a cage would be a good metaphor for what we are today as human beings. We human beings are able to accomplish a lot but we live in a society that does not let us be completely autonomous.”
“For this installation,” said Tabti, “it was important for me that we can hear the birds, imitated by human beings, so it is like a human in a cage.”
Ghiya Rushidat’s album ‘Chasing Dopamine’ seeks to help listeners with ADHD
Updated 01 July 2025
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: As the awareness around neurodiversity spreads, composer and pianist Ghiya Rushidat and cognitive scientist and author Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman have co-created a genre-defying musical experience tailored specifically for people with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought).
The upcoming collaborative album, “Chasing Dopamine,” blends neuroscience, ambient soundscapes and special composition into a powerful auditory journey designed to enhance focus, emotional regulation and mental clarity.
The album cover for the upcoming meditation album. (Supplied)
“What I’m really hoping is that when people listen to this, whether they have ADHD or not, that they not only feel compassion for themselves, but they also are able to achieve their goals, or at least feel better about their day-to-day life,” Saudi Arabia-born, Jordan-raised composer Rushidat told Arab News.
Set to release this summer, the album is anticipated to be the first in a series tackling different neurotypes, including OCD and autism.
The tracks will feature guided spoken word by Dr. Kaufman, layered with original music composed by Rushidat. Each track is tailored for different ADHD states: Hyperfocus, feeling emotional overwhelmed, low dopamine, task initiation, creativity, and grounding.
“It’s more of a storytelling kind of track for each topic, rather than just one basic music track that doesn’t change or do anything. That’s more stimulating to the ADHD brain, and that just doesn’t allow you to get distracted during the meditation, but rather just be focused, because you don’t really know what to expect afterwards,” Rushidat said.
“The album, the seven tracks, take you through that process (of) overcoming brain fog, and then overcoming procrastination, and then how to ground yourself and how to feel good about yourself and not beat yourself up because you’re not getting enough things done.”
After her late ADHD diagnosis, Rushidat found that none of the existing meditation albums were compatible with her brain’s wiring. “I couldn’t sit still for five minutes or focus on my breathing at all,” she said. She decided to create her own affirmations that worked for her, prompting her interest in creating a collaborative album with Dr. Kaufman.
“ADHD comes with challenges as well as gifts. If we can help quiet the ADHD mind just enough to get into a creative flow state; there is no limit to what people with ADHD can achieve,” Kaufman said.
Considering his cutting-edge research in creativity, neurodivergence and positive psychology, and Rushidat’s award-winning background in music composition, the work aims to be a science-informed, musically immersive tool for the ADHD community.
“Of course, you don’t expect people to just heal from this. As cliche as it sounds, but ADHD is a superpower because there are so many advantages to it. Once you figure out and realize that this is what you have, then you just navigate through life with that diagnosis,” Rushidat said.
Kaufman is a professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of the Center for Human Potential. He has written for The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and he is the author and editor of 11 books. Rushidat is a Grammy, BAFTA and Emmy voting member and has scored films, games and performed at Carnegie Hall. She works between Los Angeles, Dubai and Riyadh.
