Literary Criticism: Poetic imagery and the biography of poets

The Magic of Scent is the winning work of the annual ADMAF Design Fund, by young Emirati jewellery artist Noura Alserkal. The Design Fund is a partnership with L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, which brought Alserkal to Paris for a bespoke mentorship programme to further develop her skills and launch her creative career. The artist’s jewelry designs incorporate the traditional dukhoon scented oils made by her mother that she remembers from childhood. The ADMAF Design Fund reflects the Foundation’s dedication to supporting emerging artists through training, inspiration and professional guidance to help launch their careers in the creative industries.

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Abu Dhabi Art, in partnership with ADMAF and the National Pavilion UAE – La Biennale di Venezia are showcasing a seminal installation by Emirati artist Nujoom Al Ghanem titled Passage as part of Abu Dhabi Art Fair 2021, and as part of Abu Dhabi Festival’s 2022 flagship exhibition Portrait of a Nation II: Beyond Narratives. Passage is an immersive video and sound installation created by the acclaimed poet, filmmaker and artist and featuring actress Amal Hawijeh. Filmed in the UAE and Venice, Passage was conceived and developed for the National Pavilion UAE’s exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia, with the 2019 pavilion curators Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, co-founders of multidisciplinary curatorial platform Art Reoriented. The work responds to the theme of La Biennale for that year, May You Live in Interesting Times, and explores themes of displacement and journeying.

In 2021, ADMAF’s STEAM programme partnered with MIT to bring university students from a variety of disciplines together in teams for a specialized course in 3-D printing technology, mentored by a UAE-based 3-D printing expert. The course culminated in students using the technology to collaboratively produce functional and sustainable designs for a variety of uses.

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ADMAF’s booth at Abu Dhabi Art will host a talk with the team from the American University of Sharjah on their work as part of ADMAF’s STEAM programme, on display at ADMAF’s booth. This vessel for coral resettlement and simulation along the coastlines of the UAE is meant to support dying coral reefs. As coral reefs in the UAE continue to perish, these artificial pieces of reef would support existing coral by offering an attractive site for coral larvae to settle.

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ADMAF’s booth at Abu Dhabi Art will host a talk with Noura Al Serkal, the winner of the ADMAF Design Fund, in partnership with L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels. Noura’s work The Magic of Scent explores the sense of smell is an integral part of being human, its connection to our memories, emotions and intimacy, and the adjustment of this important sense with Covid-19.

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