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Dubai, United Arab Emirates - The Etihad Museum offers visitors a rich and engaging visual representation of UAE history, from the pavilion to the landscape and the historic Union House. Adding to the fascinating layers of national meaning and symbols, visitors will find that five new calligraphic installations have been introduced to reinforce the museum’s unique identity and celebrate its rich display of the nation’s heritage and culture. The installations have been created by artist Wissam Shawkat – a master of Arabic calligraphy and graphic design.
The centrepiece of the magnificent collection is situated in the museum pavilion opposite the marble amphitheatre, and captures the opening quote of the United Arab Emirates Constitution in bronze. Bringing the Founding Fathers’ words and devotion to life, and displaying the solid foundations of the nation for all to see, the installation reads:
“We, [the Rulers of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Qaiwain, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah;] whereas it is our desire and the desire of the people of our Emirates to establish a Union between these Emirates, to promote a better life, more enduring stability and a higher international status for the Emirates and their people.”
By immortalising these monumental words, casting them in lasting bronze, and showcasing the beauty of Arabic calligraphy, the installation reflects the purpose of the museum, which is to enrich the public’s understanding of the 1971 Union Agreement, tell the story of the birth of the UAE, and both preserve and celebrate Emirati heritage. The installations invite visitors to share in the nation’s rich history and also strengthen civic pride in the Arabic language – the cornerstone of UAE culture – via stimulating visual displays that demonstrate the power of the written word for putting forth momentous ideas that are bound up with Islamic heritage and the region’s cultural and social identity.
Wissam Shawkat fell in love with the calligraphic art form at the tender age of 10, when his childhood teacher wrote four Arabic characters on a blackboard during an art class. He has since developed a unique style that borrows from both the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional practitioners and the vibrancy of contemporary culture, ensuring that calligraphy entrances the largest possible audience across various international cultures, while remaining true to its classical origins. Wissam Shawkat is an Iraqi national but is now based in Dubai; he has showcased his work internationally and his Etihad Museum collection is testament to his outstanding skill.
For more information, log on to http://etihadmuseum.dubaiculture.ae; follow us on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/DubaiCultureArtsAuthority; Twitter: @DubaiCulture; YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/DubaiCulture; and Instagram: @etihadmuseum
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About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:
The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in order to drive the growth of the city’s artistic and cultural landscape. The Authority has grown to play a major role in the realisation of the Dubai Plan 2021, to highlight Dubai as a thriving capital for creative industries and further embed the Emirate’s credentials as a city of happy, creative and empowered people.
As part of its mandate, Dubai Culture has several initiatives that are focused on strengthening both the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai, including Dubai Art Season - the city’s premier umbrella arts initiative which kicks off with Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and encompasses Art Week including Art Dubai, Design Days Dubai, and SIKKA Art Fair, Middle East Film & Comic Con, SIKKA Art Fair - an annual event aimed at promoting Emirati and local artists in the UAE and the wider GCC region, Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre - an annual festival that fosters the art of theatre in the UAE and that is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016, and Dubai Next - a dynamic platform that aims to showcase the Emirate’s cultural ethos and its vibrant creative scene on the global stage.
The Authority’s other key initiatives include Creatopia (www.creatopia.ae) - the nation’s first government empowered virtual community that guides and nurtures the creative culture of the nation and provides a platform of information and opportunities that lead to exposure and personal growth.
Dubai Culture also plays a leading role in support of the UAE National Strategy for Reading 2026, in particular by undertaking a major refurbishment of all Dubai Public Libraries branches to transform them into state-of-art cultural and artistic hubs. Across all of its branches, Dubai Public Library also provides children and young adults with a range of educational and entertaining activities that encourage the use of its facilities. The ‘Our Summer is Filled with Culture & Arts Programme’ is a Dubai Public Library initiative which complements the UAE National Reading Strategy, with its activities open to all age groups, and which revolve around four key themes: happiness, reading, family and the future.
The Authority also manages more than 17 heritage sites across the Emirate, and is a key government stakeholder in the development of the Dubai Historical District. As the custodian Authority of Dubai’s museum sector, Dubai Culture will officially launch Etihad Museum in December 2016. The museum will provide a platform to encourage cultural exchange and to connect Emirati youth with their culture and history. As part of the Authority’s mandate to support Dubai’s vision of becoming the focal point of diverse cultural exchange (regionally & globally), all of its museums will provide a catalyst to preserve Emirati Heritage.
For more information on Dubai Culture, visit www.dubaiculture.gov.ae
© Press Release 2017
