The festival concludes the activities of the 11th edition today

Sikka leaves a vibrant imprint on Dubai

  • Zayed University students presented the mural "Translations of the United Arab Emirates". From the source

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Installations, innovative products and various arts sparkled in the spaces of the SIKKA Art and Design Festival, which left its mark and colors on the walls of Skaik Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, allowing visitors to explore the creativity of local and regional talents, as its 11th edition, which concludes today, will witness the presentation of a series of unique experimental paths and visual works, which were presented by the festival's partners to introduce the public to the diversity of artistic visions and the local cultural scene.

This year's edition of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) opened the "Sikka Store", in cooperation with Art Jameel, at Beit Sikka (House 11), to give everyone the opportunity to receive a collection of quality products and gifts carefully designed for the festival, and the initiative comes to support emerging creators in the country, and give them a special space to display their products, which is part of Dubai Culture's endeavors to support the cultural and creative industries in the emirate. While the Ministry of Education launched its program "Masterpieces", which was launched in 2017 with the aim of discovering students' talents in the artistic fields and working to develop and nurture them, and within the activities of "Masterpieces", the Ministry also screens the film "Bedouins" directed by Emirati Abdullah Al Kaabi.

Hologram

As for the Ministry of Health and Prevention, it unveiled at Bayt 5 its "Art for Health" initiative, which includes a series of innovative activities that express the mission of the National Program for Donation and Organ Transplantation "Hayat", and also displayed within the walls of the house a group of paintings based on hologram technology, while embodying the concept of sustainability by presenting three-dimensional models of human organs.

On the other hand, the Sharjah Institute for Dramatic Arts, through its full program of training workshops, paves the way for visitors to the festival, offering them the opportunity to develop their skills in teamwork, using the body as a form of expression, and opening their eyes to different musical options that enhance their knowledge of different acting and dance styles. Among the corridors of Sikka was the aesthetics of the Kalimat Foundation initiative, which participates in a range of products inspired by Braille, and the entire proceeds of which are allocated to the production of accessible books for visually impaired children.

Balance and strength

As part of the SIKKA events program, students of the College of Arts and Creative Industries at Zayed University reserved a special space, in which they presented the mural "Translations of the United Arab Emirates", as a representation of their perceptions of what life is like in the UAE using comic drawings using different traditional, exploratory and practical techniques.

This year's Sikka Art and Design Festival has expanded its scope to Al Seef District, which hosts the Cat Of All Trades mural, created by South African artist Staines, which reflects balance and strength through its narrative of man's journey from the past to the future.

Also in Seef District, Jordanian Shireen Shalhoub is showcasing her five-meter artwork "Dozen Alhani", in which she chose to focus on musical notation because of her ability to draw attention to Sikka and its inspiring and vibrant atmosphere.

Virtual Experience

Khawla Art Gallery's presence at Sikka Festival was demonstrated by artist Wedad Salem Al Kindi, whose work "Beloved by Man and Earth" was inspired by our relationship with the tree, as one of the oldest symbols of nature and part of the Emirati heritage.

As for the College of Technology, in this year's edition of the festival, it presented the collective work "Harmony and Understanding", which bore the fingerprints of Emirati artists: Saif Saud Al Riyami, Hamad Al Jassmi, and Mohammed Ahmed Al Dhanhani. The work is a conceptual photography, highlighting the nature of the difference in the human personality, and the role that passion, attitudes and interests play in its formation.

• This year's SIKKA Art and Design Festival expanded its scope to Seef District.

• The presence of Khawla Art Gallery was evident in the festival, through the artist Wedad Salem Al-Kindi.

Space travel

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) was not absent from the SIKKA Art and Design Festival, providing a virtual experience that allows visitors to travel and explore space, reflecting the UAE's ambitious vision in the field of space and its strategy to consolidate its position in this sector.