logo
What to see at Alserkal Art Week in April, from exhibitions to public discussions

What to see at Alserkal Art Week in April, from exhibitions to public discussions

The National21-03-2025
Dubai's arts district, Alserkal Avenue, has announced a week-long programme of exhibitions and public discussions in April. Alserkal Art Week will run from April 13 to 20 under the theme A Wild Stitch. The programme 'gathers voices challenging the single grand narrative, carefully threading space for multiplicity, hybridity and alternative perspectives that refuse to be neatly stitched into place'. Among the highlights is Vanishing Points, a mixed-media exhibition inspired by South Asian cityscapes, at Concrete. The show will include photography, video, painting, and a site-specific installation. Works by Emirati artist Nujoom Al Ghanem and Indian artist Shilpa Gupta will be displayed throughout Alserkal Avenue. Curated by writer Fatos Ustek, Al Ghanem's photography explores the connection between identity and the surrounding physical landscape, while Gupta's sculptures take inspiration from the desert and the sea. A diverse selection of regional and international galleries will present exhibitions centred on themes of displacement, resilience, and identity. I Am Soil. My Tears Are Water, a solo exhibition by Cuban artist Magdalena Campos-Pons at Efie Gallery, is a reflection on ancestral memory shaped by colonial histories across Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iraqi-Palestinian artist Sama Alshaibi will present a photographic series capturing Baghdad's shifting landscapes at Ayyam Gallery. Leila Heller Gallery is staging Iranian artist Reza Derakshani's first solo exhibition in five years. I Paint Your Grace, I Paint Your Pain, I Paint Your Love is a meditation on memory and personal transformation. The programme also includes Majlis Talks, a series of public discussions in which participants will debate 'unrealistic questions and impossible positions' within the UAE's arts scene. Alserkal Avenue will also host the Hong Kong Film Festival, from Saturday until March 28 at Cinema Akil. Presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, the festival screens a selection of films spanning romantic fantasy, classic cinema and action genres. This year's programme features newly released titles alongside timeless classics of Hong Kong cinema. Among the films showing is An Abandoned Team, starring Lawrence Cheng, Amy Lo and Jay Fung, and Montages of a Modern Motherhood, starring Hedwig Tam, Patra Au and Chun Yip Lo. In the classics slot is 1993's The Bride with White Hair, a beloved film in the wuxia (adventures of martial artists) genre, the film follows a young man who is set to succeed to his clan's throne, as he battles the powers of evil while falling in love with a female warrior.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

11 homegrown brands to shop instead of international luxury labels
11 homegrown brands to shop instead of international luxury labels

What's On

timea few seconds ago

  • What's On

11 homegrown brands to shop instead of international luxury labels

There's no shopping like shopping in Dubai. You get all the international luxury labels and beyond in the many malls available here, as well as numerous online websites delivering from around the world, but what if we told, you don't need to look that far. We have incredible luxury labels right here on our doorstep, offering the very best of the fashion world. This list of homegrown brands swaps will take you through an entire outfit – from the dress to the accessories. The dress… Reemami Launched by Reema Al Banna in 2009, Reemami is a homegrown hero championing all forms of dopamine dressing – bright prints, playful colours, whimsical design and big, bold silhouettes for days. Reemami collections come in beautiful unique shapes and flowy designs. @reemamiofficial …and That's My Gal Shop That's My Gal, a homegrown label that celebrates bold prints, joyful hues, and resort-ready silhouettes, all with a distinctly Indian flair. Founded by expat Pia in 2022, the brand offers breezy dresses, kaftans, co-ord sets, and beach-ready accessories. Expect free-flowing fabrics, thoughtful handwork, and pieces designed for sun-drenched style and carefree days. @thatsmy_gal Ahlam Shahin Emirati designer Ahlam Shahin's namesake label offers flowy, frilly, feminine silhouettes, with drama and flair. Rooted in traditional local fashion, the pieces are perfect for special occasions, incorporating the art of fall, fabric and embellishment into their designs – perfect for your next big party. It's a beautiful blend of local and international taste. @ahlamshahinatelier My Fancy Closet Founded by Bashayer Al Mahmoud, this Emirati brand is dedicated to reimagining the romance of vintage elegance for the modern era. Founded in 2013, the brand brings those big, bold silhouettes, flowy and romantic, with lots of fabric, detailing and inspiration taken from traditional local fashion. If you're looking for your occasion wear find, this is where you need to look. Bonus: it's great for the modest girlies too. @my_fancy_closet The shoes… ZAIA Emirati footwear brand ZAIA is all about quiet luxury, effortless design and all-day comfort. Featuring a line of stunning, classic loafers in a variety of colours, this is your swap for the wildly popular Loro Piano loafers that still have the luxury fashion community in a chokehold. Pick from beautiful shades, neutrals to brights and more combinations. Dhs1,450, @zaiadubai The bag… Okhtein Founded by Egyptian sisters Aya and Mounaz Abdel Raouf, Okhtein is known for its bold glamour, artisanal craftsmanship and unmistakable silhouettes. Each bag is a statement piece that blends heritage and high fashion – from sculptural shapes and metallic accents to their newly launched woven summer collection. Designed to elevate evening wear, these are accessories with a story, rooted in culture and made to stand out. @okhtein Odeem Emirati brand Odeem is all about leather craftsmanship, bringing leather bags in iconic, timeless designs, meant to be keepsakes for life. Founded by Fatma Al Otaiba in 2019, the brand is deeply passionate about putting only the best product on your arm. Swap the ever-popular Hermès Picotin for an Odeem design – homegrown, made on this land with love. But not just for this one design – if you're looking for quality leather craft, then Odeem is the one for you. @odeem_official Nuaimi Collective Huda Al Nuaimi is the brains behind this luxury print and product design label. With several gorgeous fabrics to choose from, anyone can purchase these designs and utilise it for your own personalised creation. Whether you want a bag, dress, shirt or scarf made, your item will be totally unique. @nuaimi_collective The accessories… Toktam In a world full of trends, how does one stand out? You take the trend and make it your own, and Toktam will help you do just that. Wrist stacks have been made insanely popular by brands like Cartier and Tiffany – everyone seems to have a Juste Un Clou or Tiffany T bangle. Homegrown brand Toktam's bangles are perfect for stacking, but making it your own. Fine jewellery designer Toktam Shekarriz blends her Persian heritage with Arabic influences in these stunning pieces. @ Zei Jewels Same vibe, but elevated. The novelty of Zei Jewels is that the pieces come with a fine skeleton and interchangeable back plates in different materials. One piece, endless versatility. You'll find the same colours and pearlescent finish that is so recognisable with Van Cleef and the Alhambra collection, with a bit more bling. Inspired by all things land, sea and nature, this brand has a collection for every mood. @ Karen Wazen Eyewear Founded by influencer and entrepreneur Karen Wazen Bakhazi, this eyewear brand has gone global, but remains true to it's homegrown roots. Offering sleek and extremely on-trend pieces for every outfit and mood, reach for this brand instead of the viral Miu Miu skinny glasses that practically everyone was wearing last year. Besides this, they also have a load of other designs to choose from. @bykarenwazen Images: Socials

9 farm-to-table restaurants in Dubai for nourishing meals
9 farm-to-table restaurants in Dubai for nourishing meals

What's On

time2 hours ago

  • What's On

9 farm-to-table restaurants in Dubai for nourishing meals

Once upon a time it was fashionable to add the words 'farm to table' to a restaurant description. Just a way to attract more of an audience and to appear different, but now it's evolved and grown into a culinary movement, led by environment and community conscious chefs and restauranteurs who are bringing local farms and farmers into the spotlight. Think fresh, seasonal produce – organic vegetables, free-range and ethically-raised meats, and non-processed dairy. These restaurants in Dubai offer just that. Teible Teible at Jameel Arts Centre is the seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant you need to try this summer. The spot sources 95% of its ingredients from within the UAE – 60% of its fruit and vegetables are supplied by Sharjah's The Greenheart Farm; meat products, such as beef, lamb and camel are sourced from Home Meat Farm; ingredients such as lemon verbena herbs and mushrooms are collected from My Farm Dubai. Guests visiting will see Teible's eco-friendly ceiling made from superfine wood wool sourced from an FSC-certified forest, countertops made with a date seed-based material, and walls built using discarded palm trees from Abu Dhabi. Location: Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront Times: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, 10am to 5pm, 6pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm, 6pm to 10pm, Monday and Tuesday, 10am to 5pm Contact: (0) 4 243 6683 @teible_ Gerbou Atelier House Hospitality teamed up with with Tashkeel for this farm-to-table restaurant that embodies contemporary Arab culture. Gerbou is a sustainable, homegrown restaurant that celebrates Emirati cuisine, housed in a renovated building from 1987. The spot itself has been decked out with art done by Tahskeel. Mirroring the look and feel, the menu promises to be a flight through Arab and Emirati flavours, with locally sourced, sustainable ingredients taking centre stage. Emirati chef Sahar Al Awadhi has consulted on the culinary offering, which will be led by chef Ionel Catau. Location: Gerbou, Nad Al Sheba Times: Monday to Friday, 7am to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 11pm Contact: (0) 4 222 6888 @gerbou Lila Molino + Taqueria Chef Shaw Lash's brands of homegrown, authentic, flavour-packed Mexican dining are all farm-to-table concepts. Other than the heirloom corn from Mexico, Lila uses locally-sourced ingredients from the likes of Deira Waterfront Market, Dibba Bay and Al Rahba Organic Farm in Abu Dhabi. If you think Mexican food is all mushy avocados and greasy tacos, these spots will prove you wrong. Quality ingredients and authentic flavours are well-presented in a different but warm atmospheres, sure to keep the stomach full but the heart even fuller. Lila is all about good food, and good food only. Lila Molino in Alserkal Avenue also has a concept store you can shop from. Location: Alserkal Avenue, Jumeirah Contact: @lilamolino , @lilataqueria Boca Boca is somewhat of a legend in the Dubai dining scene. 10 years into operation, this restaurant has been pioneering industry-leading sustainability initiatives, that look to further the use of local produce not only in their own restaurant in DIFC, but across the city. When Boca started out in 2014, they looked to include a dish or two that featured seafood from the local fish market. But over the last ten years, the sustainability programme has expanded to a 30-page, 5-pillar sustainability manifesto covering everything from local sourcing to their energy consumption, which has resulted in Boca being recognised with a Green Michelin Star in the Dubai Michelin Guide. Location: Boca, DIFC Times: Sunday to Wednesday, 12pm to 12.30am, Thursday to Saturday, 12.30pm to 1.30am Contact: (0) 4 323 1833 @bocadubai The Growhouse by One Life One Life has always had a made-from-scratch, sustainable philosophy, but now with an indoor farm where they're growing their own ingredients, they're executing it in the most absolute manner – real zero-mile, farm-to-table stuff at The Growhouse, brand new outpost number 3. Housed within industrial chic walls, the cafe and co-working space features a regenerative biodiversity farm and a massive kitchen, three times larger than the sister branches, and is also now the catering HQ of the brand. UAE-based sustainable solutions provider LetitGRO is offering horticulture expertise. Location: The Growhouse by One Life, Alserkal Avenue Times: Daily, 8am to 10.30pm Contact: ( 0) 4 257 3984 @thegrowhousedxb Lowe Dubai's only recipient of a Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, Lowe has a firm focus on reducing waste, sourcing local and giving back to its community – not only with farm-to-table dining, but also other aspects of sustainability. This eatery first pushed this ethos with its popular Waste Not dinners made entirely of food scraps and has since adapted to the rest of their operations. Think nose-to-tail dining, using leftover peels in recipes and fermentation, and avoiding single-use plastic. Lowe even has its own vegetable garden in their backyard to grow some of their own produce. Location: Lowe, Kao Canvas, Wadi Al Safa 3 Times: Friday to Sunday, 8pm to 4pm, 6pm to 11pm, Monday and Tuesday, closed, Wednesday and Thursday, 6pm to 11pm Contact: ( 0) 4 320 1890 @lowedxb Dibba Bay Oysters What's On Award-winning sustainable restaurant, Dibba Bay Oysters has built an Emirati mariculture business that's almost single-handedly put the UAE on the food producing map. Identifiable by their white and gold-flecked shell and meaty texture, The Friends of the Sea-certified aquaculture farm produces the first and only gourmet oysters from the Middle East. Now you can enjoy them at two standalone Dibba Bay Oysters restaurants. The original can be found at Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 2, while its latest opening promises licensed dining down on the beach at Sheraton JBR. Location: Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 2, Sheraton JBR Contact: @dibbabay_restaurants. Cheesefarm Opening soon on the Nakheel Mall rooftop, this is the UAE's first in-house creamery restaurant. Created by the Novikov Group, Cheesefarm is more than just a restaurant. It is a fully operational creamery and open kitchen, where handmade cheese is prepared daily on-site using organic milk from local UAE farms such as Meliha Dairy in Sharjah. It marks the first restaurant in the UAE to produce fresh cheese in-house, bringing an authentic farm-to-fork dining experience to the city. Here, the food is all about Italian flavours and flair – hearty dishes paired with fresh, made-on-site dairy. Location: Nakheel Mall Times: Sunday to Thursday, 12pm to 12am, Friday to Saturday, 12pm to 1am Contact: ( 0) 52 123 8777 @cheesefarm_uae Farmers Commons Farmers Commons in The First Collection in Jumeirah Village Triangle is a community-inspired, farm-to-table restaurant offering all-day dining in a relaxed, contemporary setting. Born from a simple idea in Texas and now rooted in the heart of Dubai, this is a restaurant that celebrates local farming and sustainable dining in Dubai. The spot has partnered with passionate farmers to honour the rhythms of nature, support local growers, and deliver authentic farm-to-table experiences. Location: The First Collection, Jumeirah Village Triangle Times: Daily, 6.30am to 12am Contact: ( 0) 4 545 2037 @farmerscommonsdubai Images: Socials

Watch: Kids arriving at DXB get souvenir 'passports' to help them explore city
Watch: Kids arriving at DXB get souvenir 'passports' to help them explore city

Khaleej Times

time6 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Watch: Kids arriving at DXB get souvenir 'passports' to help them explore city

As the summer heat intensifies in Dubai, crafting an engaging itinerary can be challenging for visitors, with most outdoor attractions becoming virtually inaccessible. To help those coming to the emirate make the best of their stay, Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, has announced that children arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will receive souvenir 'passports' to help them navigate the vibrant city that thrives all year round. In a video shared by Dubai Media Office on X, kids arriving at Children's Passport Control are shown as they receive their passport from officers, shake hands with airport officials before getting their real travel documents stamped. Take a look here: Dialling up the excitement surrounding the #DubaiDestinations summer campaign, Brand Dubai and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs partner to highlight the very best of Dubaiâ��s summertime experiences for visitors. @BrandDubai | @GDRFADUBAI — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 25, 2025 The colourful passports serve as a guide for young visitors to explore the city, providing them with curated itineraries and interactive guides. By using a QR code in the passport, kids will be directed to Dubai Destinations website for guidance on where to go and what to do in Dubai this summer. The initiative is the fruit of collaboration between Brand Dubai and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Special immigration counters dedicated for children were set up at DXB Terminals 1, 2 and 3 in 2023 to make the arrival process 'more enjoyable and interactive' for children aged between 4 and 12. More than 550,000 children have passed through these counters since they were first opened, GDRFA announced last year.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store