AL-Monitor Dubai: Step into The Prism’s world
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Ramadan Kareem! As Ramadan enters its second week, we will guide you to some of the most exciting cultural events across the United Arab Emirates. A newly opened exhibition in Abu Dhabi showcases the work of Italian artist Stefano Simontacchi, featuring dynamic interplays of light, form and color. Alserkal Avenue Art Week kicks off on April 13, just ahead of Art Dubai, promising a vibrant celebration of contemporary art. For a unique food experience, visit a restaurant serving a delicious Moroccan-style iftar.
Leading the week: The Prism, Project Oneness
“Liberation in Blue,” by The Prism, 2025. (Courtesy the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation)
“Trust, Gratitude, and Love Journey,” an immersive and experiential exhibition, newly opened at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, explores the connection between art, emotion, and oneness in works by the Italian artist Stefano Simontacchi, also known as The Prism.
The exhibition showcases The Prism’s unique perspective on how aesthetics, design, and color create emotional and spiritual connections with viewers. The artist also recently showed works at Abu Dhabi Art, the modern and contemporary art fair in the UAE’s capital.
The large circular compositions displayed throughout the space invite visitors to engage with them, challenging their perception and drawing them into moments of contemplation. The reflective surfaces also allow viewers, through their own images, to at times merge with the artwork, integrating them into the experience.
“Based on circular emblems and innovative use of light and space, I want the exhibitions to bring the community of Abu Dhabi closer to art, and help every individual find inner peace,” says Simontacchi in the exhibition’s opening press release.
Curated by philosopher and contemporary art theorist Marco Senaldi and presented in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the exhibition offers a multilayered experience that goes beyond visual art.
Accompanied by public programs focusing on well-being and mindfulness, the show features yoga classes, sound-healing sessions, artist talks, and workshops.
Date: Until Aug. 31
Location: Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, Saadiyat Island
Find more information here.
Word on the street: Moroccan style Iftar buffet at Tagine
A spread of Moroccan dishes at Tagine. (Courtesy of Tagine)
If you’re craving Moroccan cuisine this Ramadan, look no further than Tagine. Its delightful iftar buffet begins with refreshing mint tea and dates to break the fast, followed by an array of delicious dishes.
Guests can savor chargrilled kebabs, fluffy couscous, and mouthwatering tagines along with meghoui, slow-roasted lamb shoulder served with saffron rice, fresh mint, and crushed almonds.
Relaxing in Tagine’s majlis-like ambiance, diners enjoy their meals in semiprivate alcoves and accompanied by live music, a transportive experience that feels like a night in Morocco.
Location: Tagine, One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Find more information here.
Dubai diary
Vikram Divecha, “Roof-Structures,” 2024. (Courtesy of Alserkal Arts Foundation)
• Alserkal Avenue Art Week Returns
Just before Art Dubai kicks off on April 18, Alserkal Avenue will present “A Wild Stitch,” the latest edition of Alserkal Avenue Art Week. The public program brings together diverse voices to explore multiplicity during times of change.
Visitors can enjoy more than 15 exhibitions at various galleries along with film screenings, open studios, and other cultural gatherings, making Alserkal Avenue Art Week a must for art enthusiasts.
Date: April 13–20
Location: Alserkal Avenue
Find more information here.
• “Nice to Meet You!,” by Louis Granet at Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery
“Nice to Meet You!” marks Louis Granet’s first solo show in Dubai, showcasing a series of vibrantly painted canvases that straddle the genres of pop art and comic book illustration. The French artist adapts and incorporates techniques he honed at the prestigious School of Comics of Angoulême to his works on canvas. Reinterpretations of tulip bouquets are a central theme, which allow him to explore light, color, and texture in ways reminiscent of Van Gogh and Monet yet distinctly rooted in a 21st-century aesthetic.
Date: Until March 29
Location: Zidoun-Bossuyt Dubai, 796 Jumeirah Street, Umm Suqeim 2
Find more information here.
• “Ramadan Nights,” at the Dubai Opera
Immerse yourself in the spirit of Ramadan with music and poetry at Dubai Opera’s "Ramadan Nights," featuring the rhythmic expressions of renowned Khaleeji poets Faisal Al-Adwani (Kuwait), Mohammed Saakran (Saudi Arabia), and Nasser Alwobair (Saudi Arabia). This event offers a unique opportunity to experience the richness of Arabian culture through its poetic traditions and musical heritage.
Date: March 21
Location: Dubai Opera
Find more information here.
Book of the week: "When Ground Shifts — The Story of Dubai Expo"
“When Ground Shifts” offers a compelling, firsthand account of the United Arab Emirates' successful bid to host the first World Expo in the Middle East, South Asia, or Africa.
Written by Reem Al-Hashimy, UAE minister of state for international cooperation, it provides an intimate look at her journey both as the person responsible for bringing Expo 2020 Dubai to fruition and as a mother balancing family and diplomacy.
Al-Hashimy shares a story of resilience, relating how she and her team overcame international and personal challenges to stage a unifying and groundbreaking event amid a global pandemic.
View from Dubai
An Emirati woman and man in Fujairah, by Ahmed Obaid Alnaqbi. (Courtesy of Ahmed Obaid Alnaqbi)
Emirati photographer Ahmed Obaid Alnaqbi, a 2021 winner of the prestigious Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA), showcases stunning photographs of the United Arab Emirates on Instagram. Through his lens, Alnaqbi seeks to preserve and celebrate the traditions and heritage of his homeland, offering a captivating visual narrative of Emirati culture.
See more of his work here.
By the numbers
- Dubai’s population has increased by more than 169,000 in the past year, reaching 3.8 million, according to the Dubai Statistics Center.
- Nearly 20% of homes in Dubai are worth over $1 million, according to global real estate consultants Knight Frank. The comparable figure for New York, one of the most expensive real estate markets, is around 30%.
