As part of the 26th Islamic Arts Festival, the House of Wisdom and the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Complex host seven distinguished works by a select group of creators. The House of Wisdom features four art installations: 'Abaya Pavilion' by artist Addison Chan from Hong Kong (WYWH Studio), 'Illuminated Passages: The Five Pillars' by artist Rumina Khanum from the United Kingdom, 'Minaret' by Emirati artist Salima Al Mansoori, and 'Keep Your Eyes on the Light' by Saudi artist Fatima Abdelhadi. Meanwhile, the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Complex hosts three works: 'Ash and System' by Emirati artist Rawda Al Marzouqi, 'Circle of Light' by Kuwaiti artist Mahmoud Shakir, and 'Repetition' by Iranian artist Nada Salmanpour. Mohammad Ibrahim Al Qasim, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Festival, accompanied by Muro Al Agrobi, Executive Director of the House of Wisdom, inaugurated the new artworks, toured the creations, and listened to the stories each piece tells in its own unique way. 'Abaya Pavilion' is an architectural tribute to this iconic Islamic garment, transforming it into a spatial experience that pulsates with the celebration of its beauty and the depth of its meanings. Meanwhile, 'Illuminated Passages: The Five Pillars' is a light installation that explores the spiritual rhythm of Islamic worship, drawing inspiration from the lantern, that ancient symbol of guidance, faith, and contemplation. This work consists of five colored acrylic panels, intricately carved with a laser and decorated with geometric Islamic patterns, where each panel represents one of the five daily prayers: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. The sculptural work 'Minaret' reimagines the decorative details that have faded in the Islamic architecture of the city of Al Ghaithi in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, drawing inspiration from the form of the minaret and the glow of the traditional lantern. The work contemplates the symbols of light, guidance, and spiritual vigilance that have been overshadowed by the simplicity of the modern era. 'Keep Your Eyes on the Light' is an immersive art installation composed of suspended mesh-printed panels that form a fantastical garden, preserving memory in layers of scent, shadow, and silence. 'Ash and System' is considered a sculptural reflection on the intersection of memory and engineering. The artwork 'Circle of Light' is based on the festival's slogan, and its essence revolves around the lantern with all its symbolic meanings, offering the artist's vision in a composite work. The artwork 'Repetition' offers a different visual approach, based on reshaping the simplest forms through an organized algorithmic repetition that gives them a special awe and a new meaning.
