DUBAI: The biennial, multi-artform Shubbak Festival is returning to London this week for its another edition from June 23-July 9 with a program of Arab art, film, music, theater, dance and literature. Read on for just a few of the events to look forward to.
Taroo
When? June 23, 30, July 1, 2 and 8
Taroo is a parkour and circus comedy show that tells stories from streets all over the world. The show has a fusion of acrobatics, Chinese pole and urban street moves. It is performed and created by Moroccan circus artist Said Mouhssine – a free runner, stage director, actor and stuntman.
The London edition of Taroo has been developed in partnership with the Babylon Project and will be performed in multiple public squares and neighborhoods.
Sound & Silence
When? June 23 to July 9
This immersive and interactive exhibition explores the practice of Arabic calligraphy. In Sound & Silence, internationally renowned calligrapher Soraya Syed dives into the essence of her practice, the geometry of Arabic letters and their connection to the human form.
Through a display of photographic images and a series of artworks and sculptures, Syed draws an unprecedented connection between the human body in contortion and calligraphic form. Her sculptures are formed from white Carrara marble dust from the same quarries that provided Italian sculptor Michelangelo his single block of stone for his sculpture “La Pietà.” To coincide with her show, Soraya is delivering two hands-on Arabic Calligraphy Workshops on June 23 and 24 at Cromwell Place.
Sonic Frontiers Night 01
When? June 23
Palestinian singer, songwriter and composer Haya Zaatry will bring her debut album “Rahwan” to audiences in the UK for the first time. The album consists of songs transcending the complicated threads of history, time and geography to pay tribute to generations of mothers and matriarchs from the Levant.
Acclaimed Tunisian singer, composer and musician Badiaa Bouhrizi – who sings in standard Arabic – will present her distinctive vocal style and committed lyrics in her latest album “Kahru Musiqa.” The night will end with a DJ set by Lebanese DJ and producer Sam Karam.
Art & Disability Under Siege
When? June 24
For this event four participants will engage in a virtual conversation on disabled artists and cultural practitioners from Jordan and Palestine as they discuss the challenges and opportunities of living with a disability and working with geo-political instability.
Bahiyya
When? June 25
Egyptian band Bahiyya revive Arabic heritage and folk music, taking both a sarcastic and philosophical approach to their re-arrangements and interpretations.
Layered with musical arrangements distinguished by the oud, violin, electric guitar, bass guitar and percussion, Bahiyya’s performances are peppered with jazz and funk flavors.
The Power (of) The Fragile
When? June 27-29
This dance show is about what the relationship between a mother and a son can look like. Tunisian Brussels-based dancer Mohamed Toukabri presents this performance with his mother Latifa.
