One hundred years of Arab painting at Dubai’s Kutubna Cultural Center

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Kutubna Cultural Center, Dubai’s newest independent bookstore and cultural centre, has announced a new art exhibition featuring Arab artists. “One Hundred Years of Painting: Arab Art from 1916 to 2017” which opens to the public from August 17 - October 13, offers a retrospective journey through the evolution of Arab art over the past century. Featuring 27 paintings selected from two collections of Arab art in Dubai, the International House Group collection and Al Noon Residence collection, the display highlights significant works from the region. It is worth noting that Kutubna’s exhibit contains pieces from one of the most important Emirati art collections, collected over three decades. It includes landscapes, still life, abstract works and calligraphy by celebrated Arab artists. The earliest of these artists, Georges Hanna Sabbagh, was born in 1877.

Sabbagh was born at Alexandria, Egypt, to a family of Syrian and Lebanese descent. He studied art in Paris, being the first Egyptian at the Louvre School. His trips to Egypt led him to rediscover the lights, landscapes and characters of his Egyptian childhood. He excelled in portraits and landscapes, and was enchanted by the old districts of Cairo. Art enthusiasts at the Kutubna show can look forward to exploring works by Farid Aouad, Amine El Bacha, Saliba Douaihy, Farghali Abdel Hafez, Faek Hassan, Shaker Hassan, Emanuel Guiragossian, Saad El Khadem, Michel El Mir, Fateh Al Moudarres, Abdel Kader Al-Rassam, Georges Sabbagh, Najat Makki, Khaled Ben Slimane, and Ali Hassan.

One Hundred Years features diverse paintings and styles. It includes Shaker Hassan’s cubist “Red Rooster” from Iraq and Saliba Douaihy’s abstract “View of Qannoubine Valley” from Lebanon. Modern surrealism is represented by the works of Egyptian artist Farghali Abdel Hafez and Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres. Also on display is a work by Lebanese artist Michel El Mir using the palette knife technique, making the subject of the painting three-dimensional. Additionally, the exhibition highlights Douaihy’s artistic evolution, with two paintings from distinct career stages.

  Khaled Ben Slimane’s artwork titled Water.

Shatha Almutawa, founder and director of Kutubna Cultural Center, said: “Because of hundreds of years of European colonisation around the world, art history programmes and art history books have focused primarily on works by European and European American artists, even though artists from other backgrounds have produced works of equal beauty and depth. Kutubna seeks to make creative works from the Middle East visible and known. We want people from the region to recognise the great accomplishments by Arabs and Muslims throughout our history, especially in the contemporary period. The selection of the artworks on exhibit reflects the cultural importance of art to the people of Dubai and furthers the project of bringing paintings and exhibits to Dubai. The paintings in “One Hundred Years of Painting” are now in one place for the first time and open to the public, and we are so excited to show the collection to our visitors.”

The exhibition is supported by The International House Group; Al Bait Al Duwaliy Real Estate; Al Noon Residence and Alef Noon Residence. Volunteers include Fatma Zebadia, Raquel Plowman, Robert Powers and Therese Mac an Airchinnigh. Established in 1998, International House Real Estate Project Management L.L.C (IHRPM) is a privately owned, medium-sized family business based in Dubai. It is recognised as a real estate innovator across Dubai and is one of the most trusted names in the real estate industry across the UAE.

IHRPM builds local communities, attracts international investments, offers strategic management of property assets, raises capital and financing, and provides expertise and guidance to local and international investors in the Emirates’s worldclass property market. IHRPM utilises over two decades of market experience and provides bespoke, diversified investment opportunities to clients. Al Bait Al Duwaliy is an award-winning property developer in Dubai. It is a part of International House for Real Estate Project Management. The developer is known for Al Noon Residence, Heritage Building and Alef Noon, as well as commercial projects in Nad Al Hamar and 93-94 Avenues. Incorporating art and creative designs, Al Bait Al Duwaliy aims to establish itself as an industry leader by developing innovative and unique luxury real estate projects designed and delivered by top professionals.

Alef Noon Residence is a luxurious residential development that blends contemporary design with sophisticated amenities, offering a premium living experience in a prime Dubai location. Alef Noon Residence is situated in the heart of Jumeirah Village Circle, with its family-friendly atmosphere, expansive green spaces, and blend of residential and commercial offerings. Al Noon Residence is an apartment complex featuring modern amenities and artistic design elements. It is the first real estate property in the UAE to incorporate contemporary Arabic art in every part of the building, including each apartment’s design.

Kutubna Cultural Center was established in 2023 as an independent bookstore and literary hub for Dubai and the Gulf region. It offers community space for books, art, speciality coffee, and cultural events. Kutubna’s vision is to become a premier destination for literary and cultural enrichment in Dubai and the larger Gulf region. It celebrates the accomplishments of Khaleeji, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, and Muslim writers, poets, thinkers, artists and researchers, amplifying their voices through lectures, readings, guided conversations, workshops, and other activities for people of all ages. It strives to make creative and scholarly pursuits accessible to people who are traditionally at the margins. “We work especially hard to make cultural events easier for mothers with young children to attend,” says the Center.