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In Global Village, the Arts Village, an initiative of the Dubai Cultural Council, showcases various facets of the burgeoning arts scene in the UAE. Distinguished by the beautiful traditional latticework on the façade, the Arts Village is attracting a lot of visitors.
Culture of UAE
On display inside the Arts Village is a large collection of artworks by UAE based artists. These include photographs and paintings depicting the landscape and culture of the UAE, sketches of falcons and horses, traditional calligraphy as well as modern abstracts, surrealist paintings, collages and sculptures. The exhibits are for sale and the display will be changed every week giving many more artists the opportunity to display their talent at this international forum.
Other attractions at the Arts Village include a children's corner with a variety of art activities and a photography studio where visitors can have their pictures taken in the UAE national dress. Various live art demonstrations have also been organised.
Paying tribute
On the inaugural day, Dr Kimberley Lund and Abdul Rahman Al Mohuni were busy painting on the walls on either side of the entrance while two young artists worked on a charcoal drawing on the pavement. Al Mohuni's painting was a colourful abstract.
"I have tried to represent the Bedouin lifestyle by using warm colours and traditional symbols taken from their desert environment. The entire Arts Village represents the local environment. Whether the artworks are traditional or modern, each artist here is paying tribute to this land, just as the people in every pavilion at the Global Village are paying tribute to their land," he said.
Golden sand
Dr Lund is from the US and teaches at the College of Fine Arts and Design, Sharjah, and loves the idea of being involved in a project that gives people a chance to see art in progress. Her painting depicted a pair of hands playing with golden sand.
"My painting is titled 'From this land, by my hand', and it shows that there is potential even in these grains of sand that seem to slip through your hand," she said.
Her students Ebrahim Swaid and Ahmad Manar were creating a charcoal drawing on the pavement.
"It is a new experience for us to work in front of so many people, and we are enjoying it," said Swaid.
'Brilliant concept'
Manar was equally happy. "The Arts Village is a brilliant concept. It takes the Global Village to a different level and adds meaning to it because art is a medium of communication that needs no language," said the young Syrian.
Majida Al Mazm also enjoyed the interaction with visitors from around the world. The UAE national is studying traditional Arabic calligraphy in Istanbul and is doing demonstrations of her art by writing names for visitors in calligraphic style.
Workshops
Jassim Al Awadi, director of the Arts Village and a well-known artist and art teacher, explained that the concept of the Art Village developed from DSF COO, Ebrahim Saleh's idea of an art bazaar.
"The Dubai Cultural Council wanted to do something more than that and so we have this village inside a village. We want to familiarise international visitors with art from the UAE whether it be from UAE national artists or expatriates. We will hold many workshops and live demonstrations that are free and open to all. We have invited members of the UAE Photography Club to document people and events at the Global Village with their cameras and we have also organised a photography contest themed around the Global Village that is open to all," said Al Awadi.
Go there
The Arts Village is located near gate six of the Global Village, opposite the Singapore pavilion and behind the Syrian pavilion.
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