“Nights of Art” .. Dubai is a global meeting place for the arts of sustainability

Under the slogan “Art for Change: Building a Sustainable Future”, the 15th edition of “Nights of Art” was launched yesterday in the Dubai International Financial Center, with the participation of more than 50 artists who displayed more than 180 creative pieces based on sustainable materials that preserve the environment. As well as recycling some materials, cardboard, wood and pens. The event is an opportunity for the public to participate and engage in discussions about sustainability and its place in the art world, as sustainability is the broad theme for 2023, in conjunction with the UAE hosting the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) this year.

Dubai vision

Saleh Al-Aqrabi, CEO of real estate at the Dubai International Financial Center, told Emirates Today about this version, and said: “We worked to ensure that this version is in line with the Year of Sustainability, and therefore the majority of the existing works are related to the concept of sustainability and recycling, and the effectiveness It creates a connection with schools and fashion, because we wanted to be innovative in our presentation of the evening of art, and it was remarkable that it was easy to find many artists who oriented towards sustainable materials. He added, “Art Nights serve Dubai’s direction and vision to enhance the presence of art in public places. Dubai has become a hub for art and to attract artists from the region, and for this we are keen that the share of art is very important in the Dubai International Financial Center.”

The works that participated in this event varied, especially with regard to the media used, as they varied between “stainless steel”, wood, cardboard, plastic, clay, and other materials that include art with an environmental awareness message.

“words”

Emirati artist Narges Noureddine presented her interactive work “Kalimat” from “stainless steel”, where she intended to formulate the Arabic letter from this solid material in a free formation by placing words and letters that can be reconfigured. The artist presented verses from Nizar Qabbani’s poem “Words” and gave the audience the freedom to compose them. Noureddine talked about her work to “Emirates Today”, saying: “The work bears the meaning of the poem, including dance, so the letters seem to be dancing, and I present in it the idea that the artwork can be touched unlike what is written in all art exhibitions, because I wanted to present to the public a work that they can touch.” and interact with it.” She added, “This presentation of Arabic calligraphy takes him out of the classical framework, as the artist must search for presenting everything new to the public, and this also reflects a beautiful picture of calligraphy for non-Arabic speakers.” Noureddine presented her work from “stainless steel”, noting that it is important for the artist to turn to sustainable materials in art, and to mitigate tools that may have a negative impact on the environment.

rose garden

As for the Lebanese artist, Hayat Nazer, she turned the shredded and crushed plastic into a garden full of colored roses in the shape of a chair, and she said about her work: “I like to turn painful things into what is positive. I used these remnants in the basic composition of the work, and placed plastic water bottles inside it, and the gloves that I used during the work, and I deliberately formed the work in the form of a chair because I wanted it to be a piece of furniture as well. Nazer explained that she seeks to provide a new life to the materials, and hopes to develop her project further, especially since the piece carries with it a lot of joy, whether in terms of composition or even colors.

rotation force

Emirati artist Jassim Al-Awadi worked on sustainable materials through iron and discarded materials from which he reformulates his works, and confirmed that his work suggests strength, especially in terms of reused iron, as well as the red color that indicates this symbolism. He pointed out that the work emphasizes the power of recycling, pointing out that the materials he uses are found in nature and are easy to obtain, but the main challenge is for the artist to control the work and present it in a distinct way, as there must be eternal compatibility between the materials.

«Art C»

As for the Tunisian artist Asmaa Al-Areedh, who participated through “Art C”, she pointed out that she seeks to present clay through natural texture, and in a contemporary and abstract character, noting that this type of work carries many challenges, as these forms may bear the difficulty of drought or even Exposure to breakage during work stages. She indicated that when she started in art, she worked on many different materials, including sculpture, but today she turns to the clay that calls for the artist to present creativity in it, explaining that her participation in Art Nights is the second, and the most prominent characteristic of this event is that she directs art to the audience directly. This contributes to the access of art to all.

Recycled robot

The students of the “Repton Dubai School” participated in presenting a sustainable work, based on the concept of recycling, as they worked on making a robot man from computer waste, including internal parts in the computer, or even CDs and keyboards. The school and the supervisor of the “Future Leaders” project at the school, Samah Auqel, said: “This project is a joint work between students of Repton School in its two branches, and children with special needs from the (Manzil) center, and its aim is to teach the art of leadership and produce an artwork entitled ( An artist’s journey into a sustainable world). She pointed out that the work was completed within four days with intensive work, and is made of computer and technology remnants.

Saleh Al-Aqrabi:

• “Art Nights serve Dubai’s direction and vision to enhance the presence of art in public places.”

• 180 creative pieces with sustainable materials.

• The event is an opportunity for the public to engage in discussions about sustainability and its place in the art world.

• The event works are linked to the concept of sustainability, and recycling creates an association with schools and fashion.

• The 15th edition of “Nights of Art” is held under the title “Art for Change: Building a Sustainable Future”.