Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 

Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 
Bilal Allaf’s 'What I Heard in the Valley.' (Supplied)
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Updated 21 February 2025
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Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 

Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 
  • Curator Muhannad Shono discusses how contemporary works bridge present, past and future 

JEDDAH: “The role of contemporary (art) is to act as a link between the past, our present and this imagining of our future,” says Muhannad Shono, contemporary art curator at the second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, which opened in January and runs through May. 

Shono’s section of the biennale features 30 new commissions from local and international artists “giving shape to the theme,” which this year is “And All That is in Between” — drawn from a Qur’anic verse: “To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between” — guiding artists and audiences to reflect on the spaces that exist between known boundaries, whether physical, spiritual, or conceptual. 

Set across multiple indoor galleries and integrated into outdoor spaces, the contemporary works are woven seamlessly into the Biennale’s landscape alongside ancient artifacts. 




Muhannad Shono. (Supplied)

One striking example is in the AlMidhallah section, where Japanese artist Takashi Kuribayashi’s installation, “Barrels,” features a formation of oil barrels from which a tree emerges, with reflective mirrors blurring the line between man-made and natural elements.  

Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi’s “Zubaydah Trail (Between Sacred Cities),” meanwhile, is an immersive space where visitors are invited to kick off their shoes and sit and reflect between the Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah biennale pavilions. Deeply saturated, vibrant strips of color make the space feel both playful and serious at once. Each color and shape carries symbolic meaning — the zig-zag pattern represents the streaming water of Makkah’s Zamzam well, while the green hue evokes the peacefulness of Madinah. 

There are many other beautiful works, such as Saudi artist Bilal Allaf’s “What I Heard in the Valley,” which draws inspiration from Sa’i, the ritual walk performed by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah. 

“The overall theme of the biennale is interpreted across five galleries and, of course, across the contemporary interpretations as well,” says the biennale’s artistic director Abdul Rahman Azzam. Contemporary art here serves as a bridge, as Shono suggested, linking the past, present, and possible futures. 




Takashi Kuribayashi's 'Barrels.' (Supplied)

AlBidaya, which translates to “the beginning,” is one of the galleries where this concept comes to life, exploring the emotional connections between objects and ideas. 

“In the beginning, we were kind of focusing on the heavens and the earth. But then we realized that the true power and potential of this biennale is ‘all that is in between,’” Shono tells Arab News. “This idea of the inclusive, the expansive, the layered, the transformative space that is liminal, that is not interested in its edges, it’s not focused on the binary of options of right and wrong and light and dark and good and evil. It is more interested in that new space that we are exploring.”  

Shono was a featured artist at the first Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023. His role this time is very different, but it’s an opportunity he embraced wholeheartedly. 

“I responded yes immediately and I threw myself into the work,” he says. “It was a shift in priorities, it was a shift in what I thought my year was going to look like, and it was completely kind of throwing yourself into the process, into motion. 

“The most surprising part about preparing was how natural it felt. (I wanted to make sure) that I went through this with a smile, and because I experienced the last edition, I knew what it was going to end up feeling like. So it wasn’t an attempt to top anything or compete with anything but more to do it honestly and naturally, as I would do my own work.” 




Imran Qureshi’s 'Zubaydah Trail (Between Sacred Cities).' (Supplied)

What was especially important to him as a curator was working with younger Saudi artists and emerging voices. 

“The word ‘change’ is used a lot here in Saudi and the Biennale really embodies that, bringing in the past — which was very rigid… did not want to be negotiated with, did not want to change its narrative or the parameters of its definitions and space — and bringing contemporary thoughts embodied in contemporary art practices, whose roles are to question, think laterally, reimagine, reinterpret,” he says. “It’s a big testimony to what the country’s going through. And so when I was invited, I really wanted to do it — this speaks to my work and I wanted to extend that into the role of curation.” 

Many of the featured artists were present at the opening, engaging with visitors. “(Art) is not just about showing things; it’s about experiencing things, exchanging things. It responds to your presence. It reacts to you,” says Shono. 

He is grateful to see so many visitors eager to engage with Saudi Arabia’s art scene. The experience, he believes, speaks for itself. 

“Every visit, every person who takes that leap of faith — beyond the stereotypes — is enacting change, is experiencing something that can’t be reversed because you’re really coming in contact with the truth, with people, their lives, their generosity, their authenticity,” he says. 

While he is curating the spaces, he does not want to curate the impressions. 

“I think most of the people are coming here and seeing for themselves what is going on in this country,” he says. “I grew up here in Saudi, so to see a country go through this very rooted experiment of social change… it’s important for it to succeed not only for the sake of this country, but for the entire region.” 


Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout

 Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout
Updated 29 April 2025
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Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout

 Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout

ABU DHABI: Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, joined Kazakh-Russian film director and producer Timur Bekmambetov on Tuesday at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi to discuss screenlife, a pioneering format developed by Bekmambetov that is coming to the region for the first time.

Screenlife is a style of filmmaking where the entire story takes place on a digital screen — through text messages, video calls, social media and other everyday apps — reflecting how people communicate in today’s tech-driven world. Notable examples include the horror film “Unfriended” (2014) and the mystery thriller “Searching” (2018).

Ben Ross (L) and Timur Bekmambetov (R) at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi. (AN Photo by Mohamed Fawzy)

In the session, Ross and Bekmambetov announced that they have selected eight stories from UAE filmmakers to bring to life after the launch of the Screenlife Program in June 2024, which aims to help UAE citizens and residents master this new format and create authentic narratives with global resonance.

“We were drawn to it because it is so innovative and so forward-thinking,” Ross told Arab News. “We enjoyed the screenlife movies, and it just felt like a natural step to evolve it into this region.”

Bekmambetov emphasized the universality of digital communication. “The digital world is the same universally. There is a different cultural element … but every family has a WhatsApp chat with hundreds of people on it. My family in Kazakhstan have one, and the internet in Abu Dhabi is the same,” he told Arab News.

He said that the format is “socially very impactful” and can give voice to those often left out of traditional cinema. “Because it costs nothing, you can tell stories about your individual life with no money. It will help us to engage very different storytellers.”

Ross noted that the selected projects reflect a wide range of stories. “Every story that we have chosen ... stood out in its own way. There’s a huge variety being told — it’s not formulaic.”

Bekmambetov also noted that Muslim women lead very different lifestyles, saying, “maybe screenlife will bring their stories to life,” to which Ross added that some of the stories currently in development already do.


Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’

Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’
Updated 29 April 2025
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Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’

Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’

DUBAI: US singer Kehlani has taken to social media after her appearance at Cornell University’s annual campus concert was cancelled due to her pro-Palestine stance.

Last week, Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced he was withdrawing the R&B singer’s invitation to perform at the event due to what he called “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Kehlani (@kehlani)

“Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year’s headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day,” Kotlikoff wrote last week, referring to the concert.

“For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani’s invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly.”

He continued: “In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media. While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.”

In a new Instagram video responding to the cancellation, Kehlani said: “I am being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I’m anti the bombing of innocent children, men women… that’s what I’m anti.”

The 30-year-old, a frequent collaborator with the Jewish Voice for Peace group, added a caption, stating: “I know you’ve seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations I’ve already experienced over the past year. If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your Zionism. don’t make it anti-Jew. this a played out game. all this because we want people to stop dying. I hope this helps.”

 


‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support

‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support
Updated 29 April 2025
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‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support

‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support

DUBAI: Irish actress Nicola Coughlan – who rose to fame for her role in Netflix hit series “Bridgerton” – was awarded the Commitment Prize by French media company Konbini at Canneseries, where she also gave a career talk.

During the hour-long masterclass, Coughlan spoke in depth about not only her work on shows like “Derry Girls” and “Doctor Who,” but also her support of Palestine. 

“There is a factor of ‘it’s better if you say nothing’ because our job is to entertain you,” said the actor when asked about speaking in support of Palestine, according to a report by Variety. “My dad was in the Irish Army, which is a peacekeeping force. My family lived in Jerusalem and Syria in the 70s, so it’s something that is in my bones. We are talking about right or wrong, about children being bombed in their beds. I wouldn’t accept that anywhere in the world.”

The actor, who was given the award for being a “talent actively making a change well beyond television,” continued by highlighting how there has “always been a connection between Palestine and Ireland,” and that the two countries have “shared ideals and struggles.”

“Any country in the world that was facing this, I would talk about it. It’s not difficult. For me, the killing of innocent people is never right,” she said.

Coughlan just landed her first BAFTA nomination for her role in “Big Mood.”

“I never got to play anyone like her before, because she is quite cool, in a way. It’s a comedy that morphs into a drama. It bends the genre. She’s difficult, she’s funny.”


Focus on AI rise in creative industries at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

Focus on AI rise in creative industries at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi
Updated 28 April 2025
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Focus on AI rise in creative industries at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

Focus on AI rise in creative industries at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI: Industry leaders gathered at the 7th Culture Summit Abu Dhabi on Monday to discuss the rise of artificial intelligence in creative industries — and what it means for the future.

Panelists at the event, held at Abu Dhabi’s Manarat Al-Saadiyat, included Riyad Joucka, founder and principal architect at the Middle East Architecture Network, a practice based in Dubai.

Others included Stephen King, senior lecturer at Middlesex University Dubai; Imad Mesdoua, director of government affairs for the Middle East and Africa at Spotify; and Dr. Patrick Noack, executive director at the Dubai Future Foundation.

The panel examined AI’s impact across multiple creative fields, exploring the opportunities AI presents as well as the challenges that arise when employing machine intelligence.

Joucka was keen to emphasize the importance of using AI as a tool to “extend human creativity,” rather than replace it.

“I see technology as an important tool to extend human creativity and knowledge, and not necessarily as a substitute for the human touch in design,” he said, adding that human-AI collaboration was the ideal creative journey from ideation to finished product.

Mesdoua echoed the importance of the human touch at Spotify, saying “there are two ingredients to the Spotify secret sauce, one is personalization … and the other one is discovery.

“Personalization is to a large extent driven by AI and technologies and algorithmic advances … it makes sure that your app fits you like a glove. The other ingredient to the secret sauce is what we call discoverability.

“And what that means is every now and then on your Spotify app, you will get a suggestion for a song or an artist or genre that you might not have typically listened to, and that’s largely the work, not solely, but largely the work of human editors.”

The panel examined AI’s impact across multiple creative fields, exploring the opportunities AI presents as well as the challenges that arise when employing machine intelligence.
(AN Photo by Mohamed Fawzy)

That is “very important, particularly for diversity,” Mesdoua noted, adding “a big part of the work that the editors are doing to make sure that up-and-coming genres are being spotlighted and playlisted to global audiences in a unique way.

“So AI can reflect the user, but editors can help recommend new things to users.”

While human curators are key to promoting international music to global audiences, Mesdoua did note the importance of AI in the music industry, saying one of the most important positives is lowering the barriers to entry.

“If you think back to 70 years ago or 80 years ago, becoming a really established musician required you overcoming a ton of barriers and hurdles, particularly on the infrastructure side of things.

“You had to have an expensive studio at your disposal … now you can be all by yourself in your room with amazing AI software and amplify whatever creative spark you have in your mind and really go from ideation to production super-fast.”

It is something Noack was more cautious about, though, with the executive director at the Dubai Future Foundation saying “a barrier to entry is not necessarily a bad thing.”

“I think a lot of people come into space that is not necessarily their calling or (they do not have a) high level of skill and suddenly they know how to do something and they’re the expert in this space.”

A litmus test for good AI, he added, is “whether it can be switched off or rolled back.”

Taking into account differences between various creative fields, the panelists took a nuanced approach and discussed whether AI’s influence was similar across sectors.

There was one warning repeated across various creative fields — including architecture, marketing, education and music — panelists warned that practitioners need to “know when to stop and when to bring the human element back into creativity,” as per Joucka.

Running until April 29 and organized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the three-day summit includes policymakers, artists, scholars, and innovators.

The theme is “Culture for Humanity and Beyond,” focusing on the intersection of culture, technology and global governance.


Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday

Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday
Updated 28 April 2025
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Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday

Jordanian crown prince marks Princess Rajwa’s 31st birthday
  • Royal family shares new official portrait of princess

DUBAI: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah took to social media on Monday to send best wishes to his Saudi-born wife Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on her 31st birthday.

“Happy birthday Rajwa! Grateful for the love, kindness, and warmth you bring into Iman’s life and mine,” he wrote, referring to their infant daughter Princess Iman.

Princess Rajwa gave birth to Iman — the first grandchild of King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania — in August last year.

The Jordanian royal family shared a new official portrait of Princess Rajwa to celebrate her birthday. (Instagram)

The Jordanian royal family shared a new official portrait of Princess Rajwa to celebrate her birthday.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Hamzah Azoqa (@hamzah_azoqa)

She is seen wearing a jewel-toned ensemble featuring a cowl neck top and wide-leg pants from Los Angeles-based label Simkhai. She accessorized her look with the two letters lariat necklace from Joy Jewels, featuring the Arabic starting letters of the names of the crown prince and Princess Rajwa.