Articles

‘In, At and Around’ by Soraya Sikander

KARACHI / An art exhibition 'In, At and Around' opened at the Unicorn Gallery in Karachi presenting work by Pakistani artist Soraya Sikander. The exhibition opened on January 10 and will run until January 17, 2013).

International Photography Workshops come to Dubai – Hosted by the HIPA

DUBAI / The Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) is set to host a series of photography workshops during the month of January to raise awareness of the art form in the Emirate. Workshops are set to take place from the 10th until the 14th of January at the Auditorium in the Dubai International Financial Centre and will be presented by some of the biggest names in the photography industry.

‘Falling Leaves’, by Golnaz Fathi at The Third Line

DUBAI / Golnaz Fathi returns to The Third Line gallery with a new body of work Falling Leaves. Using traditional Islamic calligraphy and the epic poem Shahnameh by Persian poet Ferdowsi as a point of departure, Fathi interprets the work through a contemporary lens with a new perspective on an ancient practice and story.

Haseki Hürrem Sultan and her Contribution to the Development of Ottoman Art

Haseki Hürrem Sultan, a beloved wife of the Kanuni Sultan Süleyman I, represents one of the most prominent figures of Ottoman history. Today, there are different opinions about her exact origin (“Was she Ukrainian or Russian?”), but it is known that she was purchased as a slave and brought to the sultan's palace where she embraced Islam and received quality education.

An Islamic Calligrapher in Texas: The Art of Sana Naveed

“One's spiritual progress is definitely directly linked to one’s improvement in the art of calligraphy. It is a sacred art because it expresses mostly the words of the Holy Qur’an. It requires a great deal of patience and peacefulness within the heart. If the heart is restless or distracted, the outcome is sloppy... I find myself only doing well when I’m totally involved with mind, body and soul, otherwise the art will suffer.“ (Sana Naveed)

Egyptian Art Today

LUCERNE / The group exhibition 'EGYPTIAN ART TODAY' featuring works by Mohamed Abouelnaga, Ahmed Badry, Hazem El Mestikawy and Khaled Hafez will open on February 3, 2013 and will run until March 16, 2013 at the AB Gallery Lucerne.

Muscat International Award for Innovation and Creativity in Crafts

ISTANBUL / The Album of the Winning Entries of the Muscat International Award for Innovation and Creativity in Crafts is one of the recent books published by IRCICA. The author of the publication is Dr. Nazeih Taleb Maarouf, Head of the Craft Development Program. The foreword is written by Dr. Halit Eren, the Director General of IRCICA.

The Veil: Visible and Invisible Spaces

"My motivations are complex, even somewhat convoluted, but in a nutshell, I grew up in veiling cultures –both heavily Roman Catholic and Muslim– and thus know from experience that what the West perceives as the whys and wherefores of veiling –primarily oppressive, antiquated customs of the “Other”– are often distorted. I wanted to dispute those notions." (Jennifer Heath)