the palm tree of life at dubai design week

the palm tree of life at dubai design week . 2020 (image by fatma al mahmoud)

i'm so happy to announce that my textile piece 'the palm tree of life' is being exhibited at this year's edition of dubai design week. this is the second time this piece is shown – the first being in the 'fashcultivate' exhibition last year at 1971 design space, whom the piece was originally commissioned for and is part of their permanent collection.

the 'fashcultivate' exhibition, curated by khulood bint thani and fatma al mahmoud, returns with a new exhibition design by alya alghfeli. dubai design week is from the 9th until 14th november. so make sure to check it out if you can, and keep your social distancing in check! this exhibition has some great fashion and textile pieces on display – photos don't do it justice. the dubai design week edition of 'fashcultivate' is on display in building 5, at dubai design district (d3). for exhibition and venue details, check out the links here and here.

before ending this post, i'd like to thank khulood for her constant support and inviting me to be a part of this exhibition last year. also a huge thank you to fatma, alya and the entire 1971 team for their efforts in installing the show, their constant updates over whatsapps and dm's, and making sure it all looks great for the public to enjoy...

if speech is silver...continued

if speech is silver... (body wrap) . 2019

if speech is silver... (sarong) . 2019

if speech is silver... (shirt) . 2019

if speech is silver... (mask) . 2020

hello november – this strange year is almost coming to a close. hopefully, no more surprises until then...

i'm happy to announce my textile series 'if speech is silver...' will be exhibited once again some time early next year. for those that missed the exhibition and post about this particular textile series, check out last year's post here. in addition to the 3 textile pieces created last year (body wrap, sarong and shirt), i was commissioned to create an additional textile piece for next year's exhibition. keeping with the theme of talismanic textiles, i created a face mask, inspired by the traditional face covering worn around the middle east, commonly known as a 'burqa' or 'battulah'. and just like the previous pieces, i incorporated letters from an ancient script that was among the many languages preceding arabic, titled 'dadanitic' – commonly used in regions around today's saudi arabia. here's a short description about the new edition to the collection:

the tradition of face coverings and wearing masks in the region is deeply prominent, rooted in the region’s history and culture. concealing one’s face happens for various reasons, be it religious, a form of modesty, or protection from various factors including weather. even though covering one’s face in the region is commonly practised amongst women, there are some instances where men cover their face as well.

by adorning the battulah with select letters from the dadanitic script that reference talismanic symbols, the mask will carry properties that protect the wearer when worn. can a mask with symbolic protective powers serve a purpose in today’s world? looking back at 2020, covering one’s face has become extremely prevalent, with mandatory mask wearing a common practise in most parts of the world. there is a sense of pertinence to reviving age-old traditions of wearing talismanic garments for these uncertain times – protection is both a physical and intangible force.

i'm really happy with how the mask turned out. it really does feel talismanic with its combination of patterns, motifs and symbols, pigments and dyes, embroidery and fringe – all carrying talismanic properties based on textile traditions.

stay tuned for a future post announcing the exhibition details. until then, enjoy looking at the complete 'if speech is silver...' collection. this is the first time i photographed my textile works prior to sending them off to exhibit – usually i photograph my works at the show. i have to thank my buddy azim for all his help in assisting with the setup and photography. i should definitely invest more time in photographing future textile works, and maybe invest in a textile display stand!