New Book Sheds Lights on Cultural Figures from the UAE

Book, Mohammed Ghabris.
Book, Mohammed Ghabris.
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New Book Sheds Lights on Cultural Figures from the UAE

Book, Mohammed Ghabris.
Book, Mohammed Ghabris.

Dar Al Muheet Publishing House, Fujairah, released a new book by poet and journalist Mohammed Ghabris.

Titled ‘Cultural Conversations, Figures from the UAE’, the book explores the United Arab Emirates’ cultural, artistic, and creative history in interviews with Emirati writers, poets, novelists and artists, providing a clear picture of the cultural scene in all its trends and shapes, and highlighting the experiences and journeys of prominent names who played a major role in establishing and promoting the cultural, literary, and artistic movement in the country.

“Those creative, prominent people are a bridge of communication about art, creativity, and music with no preconditions except for passion, love, and hope. Their role is to establish a human, universal dialogue enhanced with ideas, visions, and dreams; a dialogue that reshapes history with truth and achievements and adds sanctity and ovation to people’s aspirations and hopes.

“Art promises future, music unifies the world, and creativity renews life; here, culture grows, and celebrates diversity and plurality,” Ghabris wrote in the introduction.

The interviews published in the book reflect opinions and testimonies that observe past and present cultural and intellectual transformations, young talented names that proved their position and presence with worthy achievements, and rich initiatives and projects that contributed to social advancement.

The book is composed of three chapters: the first, ‘Events’, includes a glimpse on the biographies of a group of intellects and their works, including Mohammed Khalifa bin Hader, Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Dr. Shehab Ghanem, Maryam bin Fahed, and Mohammed al-Kassir.

The second chapter, ‘Creations’, includes some interviews with poets, novelists, and artists including Ahmed Obeid al-Hindasi, Khouloud al-Maalla, Basima Younes, Fatima al-Mazroui, Dr. Talal al-Junaibi, Sheikh al-Mutairi, Louloua al-Mansouri, Aisha al-Sheikh, Mohammed al-Imadi, Fathia al-Nemer, Salma al-Merry, Hassan al-Najjar, Maryam al-Zaouni, Narjes Noureddine, Jamila al-Rouaihi, Abdullah al-Jaberi, and Salima al-Mazroui.

The writer used the third chapter, ‘Theatrical Insights’, to shed light on some of the efforts made to ‘promote, advance, and upscale theater by a group of theater actors, directors, and playwrights, who devotedly worked to provide all the needed training, development, sponsor, and incubation.
They had major contributions in the history of Emirati theater despite the difficulties and challenges, and proved with their abilities, potentials, and dreams a significant influence in enriching the cultural scene with visions, opinions, and achievements that reflected their creative values and rich expertise.

These names include Ismail Abdullah, Mari al-Haliyan, Mariam Sultan, Omar Ghbash, Abdullah al-Manai, Abdullah Saleh, Samira Ahmed, Hamid Sambij, Salem, al-Hitawi, Ahmed al-Jasmi, Mohammed Abdullah al-Ali, Ibrahim Salem, Seif al-Ghanem, Bilal Abdullah, Ahmed al-Ansari, Said Salem, Saber Rajab, Aisha Abdulrahman, Naji al-Hay, and Mohammed Said al-Salti.



Diriyah Art Futures Announces 'Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World' Exhibition

Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
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Diriyah Art Futures Announces 'Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World' Exhibition

Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh
Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) announced on Sunday that its second major exhibition titled Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World will run from April 21 to July 19, at DAF in Diriyah, Riyadh.

Bringing together works by more than 40 artists from the MENA region, Maknana features pioneering voices from across the region who have embraced and redefined technology as a medium for creative expression.

Spanning decades and disciplines, from early video art and experimental film to generative systems and expanded media, Maknana offers a rare survey of how Arab artists have engaged with and reimagined the digital landscape on their own terms.

According to a DAF statement, the Arabic term ‘Maknana’, translated as automation, inspires the exhibition’s central inquiry: how Arab artists have navigated, repurposed, and challenged technologies to shape their own creative vocabularies.
The exhibition is structured across four thematic sections: Automation, Autonomy, Ripples, and Glitch, which trace recurring artistic concerns and gestures across different generations, geographies, and technological paradigms.
In tandem with the exhibition, Diriyah Art Futures will present a public program of talks, performances, screenings, and workshops, expanding on the themes of Maknana and offering visitors direct engagement with artists and thought leaders in the field of new media art.