MOCAfest is an international creative arts festival presenting 39 artists from over a dozen countries in various disciplines and genres including visual arts, poetry, film and music. MOCAfest 2013 was held in conjunction with the 9th WIEF in ExCeL London. Both events took place in London from October 29 until October 31, 2013.

The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) was opened by Gala Dinner, which hosted many prominent guests from around the globe, among them: Hon. Tun Musa Hitam, the Chairman of the WIEF Foundation; Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia; HRH The Prince of Wales; Hamid Karzai, President of Afganistan and Bakir Izetbegovic, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

image Hon. Tun Musa Hitam, the Chairman of the WIEF Foundation / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image HRH The Prince of Wales / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Prominent guests: Hamid Karzai, President of Afganistan, Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, HRH The Prince of Wales / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

At the Gala Dinner performers from Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia presented a performance created especially for the 9th WIEF. It was an amazing journey from 'West to East, representing the strong relationships that WIEF helps to build around the world.

image Artists from Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Sheila Majid performing at the Gala Dinner / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image 9th WIEF / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

The 6th MOCAfest started with the MOCAfellows, a new fellowship programme which focused on professional and business development in the creative industry. The artists shared ideas, collaborated on projects and attended many workshops. The end-goal was to give artists the key skills they need to plan and launch a successful career as well as to learn from other artists and art professionals.

MOCAfest artists presented their work at the exhibition and the performers showed their talent at stunning concerts taking place both nights of the event. The MOCAfest was filled with compelling discussions, interactive workshops, fusion performances, independent films and inspiring visual arts.

The Highlights from the MOCAfest 2013 Exhibition

image MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image MOCAfest 2013, Installation view / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image A photographer Ahmed Krausen from Denmark exhibiting at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Ahmed Krausen's photography exhibited at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image A photographer Noor Iskandar (from Singapore) besides his work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Fatimah Chik, a visual artist from Malaysia exhibited her work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Elvira Bojadzic, a visual artist from Bosnia and Herzegovina exhibited her paintings at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image A visitor looking at Elvira Bojadzic's painting / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Aidah Rasheed, a visual artist and a filmaker from USA exhibited her work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Nilgün Akinci, a visual artist and a filmaker from Germany, Tasnim Bahdadi, a visual artist from Germany and Saba Barnard, a visual artist from USA exhibited their work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Saba Barnard's work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Tasnim Bahdadi's work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Islamic Calligraphy by Soraya Syed at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Installation view at MOCAfest 2013 showing works by Qasim Arif, Soraya Syed and Fatimah Chik / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Qasim Arif, a visual artist infront of his work / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Nadia Janjua, a visual artist from USA infront of her work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Husin Hourmin, a visual artist from Malaysia exhibited his work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Art by Fadli Yusoff from Malaysia and Mohammed Ali (Aerosol Mohammed) from UK, at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Mohammed Ali (Aerosol Mohammed) / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Art by Suhaimi Fadzir, a visual artist from Malaysia at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Housin Hourmin, a visual artist from Malaysia exhibited his work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Fadli Yusoff, a visual artist from Malaysia exhibited his work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Mohd Noor Mahmoud, a visual artist from Malaysia exhibited his work at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

Some of the Panels at 9th WIEF and MOCAfest 2013

image Bankers Panel: Internationalising Islamic Finance / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Rabia Zargapur, President and Creative Director of Award-winning Fashion Brand Rabia Z from United Arab Emirates shares her experience at the Panel 'Capitalising the Online Market' / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Aida Begic, a filmmaker from Bosnia and Herzegovina speaking at the Panel 'Imagining Muslim Cinema- Mediating Identity through Film' / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image The Panel 'Imagining Muslim Cinema- Mediating Identity through Film'. Panelists: Aidah Raheed, Mansoor Suleman, Aida Begic, Nilgün Akinci / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image The Panel 'Curating the Future: Integrating Ideas, Design, Arts and the World We Deserve'. Panelists: Mark Zeyba Rahman (Art Coordinator, USA), Gonzales (Poet, USA), Elvira Bojadzic (Visual Artist, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Abid Hussain (Art Coordinator, UK), Mohammed Yahya (Hip Hop, UK) / Photo by Qasim Arif, © Islamic Arts Magazine

The Amazing Concert of MOCAfest 2013

image The singer-song writer Sar­ina Leah from Uk and Tasleem Firdausse, a poet from USA / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image N'Faly Kouyate, kora player from Guinea Conakry and Sukina Pilgrim, a poet from UK / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Tasnim Baghdadi, a visual artist from Germany drawing on the stage / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Jamal Raslan, Spoken Word from Malaysia / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Ravinderjit Singh, a percussionist from Malysia and Zeshan Bagewadi, a vokalist from USA / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Saif Adam, a vokalist from USA / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Mark Gonzales, a poet from USA (in the background we see Mohammed Ali creating a graffiti art) / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Saif Adam, Mohammed Ali, Ravinderjit Singh, Mark Gonzales / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Silkroad at MOCAfest 2013 / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Abdelkader Saadoun, oud player from Algeria; Rakae Jamil, sitar from Pakistan; Asif Sinan, a guitarist from Pakistan and N'Faly Kouvayte, kora player from Guinea Conakry / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Kilema Clement, a musician from Madagaskar / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Qasim Arif, a visual artist making calligraphy on the stage / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Abdelkader Saadoun, N'Faly Kouvayte and Joel Cerdor (from Australia) / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Saba Barnard with her painting in the background that she completed during the concert / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine

image Mohammed Ali and Asad Jafri / Photo: © Islamic Arts Magazine


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