WHAT’S HOT IN ARABIA’S POP CULTURE

FEBRUARY 2015

The hottest new lounge in Cairo at Four Seasons: the entertainment includes live bands, guest DJs, stand-up comedians, art installations.

The JLT project, Dubai: Spanish street artist Ruben Sanchez creates art at JLT on a Creative Wall. A 5-day project to highlight Dubai's creativity and provoke the UAE's thriving art scene.

“Rehlatna” - graffiti representing the history of the UAE, painted on 2-km wall near Jumeirah Beach Park. November 2014

STREET ART Graffiti artists are awakening the art scene of the Middle East, encouraging young artists to join the legal urban movement.

Graffiti Artists: Maryam Abushal (Jeddah)

Khawla Darwish (Dubai) Keyvan Heydari (Tehran)

Opened in 2013 in Jumeirah, www.streetartdubai.ae

“Spray-painting Dubai: Graffiti gang’s Middle East art mission.” December 2014

Graffiti Burger jam - an event by Dhad store in Jeddah, combined graffiti artist with chef Ali Tunkar.

CONTEMPORARY ART (WITH HERITAGE ELEMENTS)

Humaid Mansoor is one of the quintessential Emirati artists of the present art landscape in the UAE. Vibrant colour palette is infused with delicate calligraphic abstractions.

Contemporary artists of Arabia prefer abstract themes with distinctly palpable elements from the East.

Bouthayna Al Muftah, 27, an emerging Qatari artist is taking the

local and regional art scenes by storm. Tangible elements from her

heritage – old jewelry and local personalities are very unique in their

commentary of Qatari culture.

“In the past decade, investors and collectors have bought more contemporary Middle Eastern art and at higher prices than at any other point in history. Sotheby’s in Doha and

Christie’s in Dubai routinely break records. Christie’s art sales in Dubai have more than doubled to $29.6m between 2012 and 2014.” December 2014

Maha Al-Rabieani, KSA The Desert Dance: “Portrays the heritage of the dancing

movements of the old Saudi tribes, where it appears as a dagger from one angle, and a desert sand storm from the other angle.”

Ayman Hafez, KSA Palms: “The Palm is one of the most

distinguished signatures of the Arabian culture, and it remains the

most important element of the heritage.”

Outdoor company Al Arabia has re-created selected work sourced from 900 young artists on over 3,000 giant OOH sites in Riyadh. Artwork collected through alarabiaarts.com December 2014

REVIVAL OF CALLIGRAPHY As an artistic signature of the Middle East calligraphy is seen and portrayed in a new, contemporary way.

Babak Rashvand – born in Iran, his rising international presence propels contemporary calligraphy into the global art landscape, modernizing traditional calligraphy style.

“CALLIGRAFITTI” is a new style fuses calligraphy and street art in Sharjah. Artist eL Seed, best

known for calligrafitti, decorates an abandoned 12-storey building in Sharjah with Ahmed Bu

Sneeda’s poem that was so well known in the area that it became a common neighbourhood song.

February 2015

This style was invented by Khaleelullah Chemnad (UAE) the First Anatomic Arabic Calligrapher in the world. E-mail: kchemnad@gmail.com.

Chinese, Tibetan and Maori symbolism once dominated body art style. Today Arabic calligraphy is gaining interest from non-Arabic speakers, even if they don’t understand the meaning.

Calligraphy is becoming a new element in international fashion.

MIXED MEDIA Mixed media go hand in hand with experimentation in storytelling and the quest for personal signature styles.

Fatema Al Mazrouie, a born resident of Abu Dhabi, completed her bachelor degree in Visual Art and Design at Zayed University. Muslim women and their lifestyles, expressions and struggles are the subjects of her artwork. Sold at Sotheby in 2010.

A Saudi creative experimental mixed-media artist.

Wdyan Ali Al-Hmaydan, KSA Heritage

Heba Farahat, KSA Saudi Super Women: sculpture 3D illustration portraying the strength of the Saudi Woman

PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY Photography is still flourishing in the Middle East as a form of artistic self-expression with a variety of themes, styles & techniques.

Arwa Fahad Ghamas, KSA – Instagram influencer and independent photographer capturing moments of her daily life with an artistic spice.

Sara Al-Balooshi, UAE – became famous with her “Abaya series.” Sara has 20K followers on Instagram.

PRE–WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Is a new phenomenon. Between elegant & classy themes to retro & casual,

couples want to capture the romance in series of photos

to share with family & friends and use for the

printed reception book.

Blue Eye Picture Studio - UAE

Gallery One – Dubai

Gulf Photo Plus Feb 2015 exhibition showcased 90 images from more than 500 photos. GPP is an organization dedicated to furthering photography through education, exhibitions & events has collaborates with Everyday Middle East (@everydaymiddleeast) – an Instagram feed featuring mobile phone images by 25 professional photographers in MENA.

Tasneem Photography UAE

PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERIES

The GPP annual event is the region's biggest and only photography festival bringing the world's best photographers and instructors to Dubai to share their knowledge & experience with the world's professional & amateur photography community. There will be many workshops, special events & activities, mostly free of charge. Students of photography fly in from around the world for this event.

East Wing– Doha

#DUBSMASH - ACTING IT OUT Music meets comedy meets parody is a new genre created by youth to vent it out and get famous.

A new pop movement driven be Egyptian youth – people lip-sync famous songs or comedy, to music or without it.

A parody on a dialogue from a popular Egyptian movie

“Best of” compilations and competitions are created.

A CAPELLA* *A Capella - group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment.

As a new style prompted by Beat Box, it uses Voice, Mouth & Body and nothing else. YouTube stars and amateur talents perform full-length old and new Arabic songs singing and imitating Arabic musical instruments with their voice.

Alaa Wardi (Amr Diab - Wa7ashteny),  2,719,062 views. “Joining me in this song is Mohab, a young and talented Beat Boxer whom you'll be hearing a lot from in the near future.”

Arabs Got Talent - الألردن - طرب علحطب Arabs Got Talent - Siraj Band - املغرب

HIP-HOP & RAP Once underground movement, hip-hop is now the preferred style of youth.

Arabs Got Talent - Very Bad Team Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria

Qusai, KSA

Klash, KSA

Volcano MC, Syria DAM, Palestine Ahmed Mekky, Egypt

The Mistro & Flipp, Bahrain

TOP ARAB HIP-HOP & RAP ARTISTS

Abu Dhabi resident rappers Nickel Noodles, Sleep, Lord Reaper, and D-Rob came together in 2014 to launch their debut album Round Table with their All-American hip-hop group Nero La Cosa Nostra (NCN). “In three days our song jumped from #15 to #1 on the Reverb Nation UAE charts across all genres. That’s all thanks to the fans. They’ve really liked our music and are supporting us on social media.”

The Queen of Arab Hip-Hop: MALIKAH (Lynn Fatouh, (Lebanese), Red Bull ambassador

SoleDXB - urban lifestyle fair that

incorporates Hip Hop as one of the main

platforms Arabs Got Talent - Back Stage Group, Kuwait

TOP CHARTS

Top charts vary across Middle East countries. The lists below represent only a few popular artists / songs / albums.

Kallisti by Empty Yard Experiment, UAE

El Sekka Shemal by Cairokee, Egypt

Twisted Times By Pindoll, Lebanon

12 Richer by Bil3ax, Palestine

Ha! by Hello Psychaleppo, Syria

Alters EP by Malak, Egypt

A Few Images by Tania Saleh, Lebanon

Shock’n’Awe by Run Junxion, KSA

Ya Habibi by Hiba Tawaji, Lebanon

Nour by Macadi Nahhas, Jordan

Naseej by Mike Massy ft.Sary & Eyad Khalife, Lebanon

Fish Samak EP by Fish Samak, Palestine

Al Mawjeh El Tarsha by FareeQ el Atrash, Lebanon

Kaman Dafsheh by El Far3i & Damar, Jordan

23 Kilograms EP by Safar, Lebanon

BEST ALBUMS OF 2014 by TRIPLEW.ME – the ME’s largest creative community

TOP ARABIC SONGS / ALBUMS

ALWAYS IN FASHION AND ALWAYS BLOGGING Middle Eastern fashionistas are always aware and wear the latest trends from international brands and designers.

“Arab designers are closer to Oscar’s than actors.” People of Arab countries follow and take pride in the success of their compatriot

designers abroad:

Jad Ghandour Alaia

Zuhair Murad Elie Saab

Charbel Zoe Mireille Dagher

POPULAR FASHION

MAGAZINES

BLOGGERS AND

INFLUENCERS

Huda Kattan Founder of Huda Beauty brand for eyelashes and nail products featured by Sephora  

Lana Al Sahaly, 90.8K followers L’amaredelana blog, friends with best designers, talk-of-town wedding in 2014  

Dana Wolley (Doooonie), 85.7K followers, Sun Silk girl, ambassador for Ford, Rolls Royce  

Jessica Kahawarty, 114K followers, ambassador for Etihad and Roberto Coin

Alanoud Badr (Fozaza), 335K followers, ambassador for Lazurde jewelry

What’s hot every- where else is hot in the Middle East. All the haute couture topics are discussed and shared without delay, whether it is Oscar’s after party, or fringe detailing at Burberry Fall Collection, or the latest Diorama Bag from Dior…  

CULTURE-INSPIRED CREATIONS Young fashion designers are very keen on finding a new purpose for heritage elements in their creations.

Jordanian fashion designer Haya Awad finds new applications for Shemagh pattern to create her own version of Ethnic Chic.

Ghada Zada Designs, Jordan Her touch is in mixing cultures with a

distinctive yet modern fashionable look.

Hana Sadiq, Iraqi fashion designer mixes and incorporates traditional patterns from various Arab countries to inspire Arab unity: “We have been torn into many pieces, and now it is time to rethink our goals of unity.”

TRADITIONAL WEAR – ISLAMIC CHIC Traditional wear does not lag behind – it takes a proud place on catwalks across Middle east

“Kaftan fiesta” – a Ramadan evening with girlfriends, posted by Hessa&Co

Hatem Al Akeel – UAE “The man behind the fancy kandouras” Lomar “Thobe redefined” - KSA DAS abaya collection 2015

Emerging designers at Abbati (“My Abaya”), a one-day fashion event in Dubai 2014:

Hess Al Obaidli (Sharjah), Hesseh brand Badreya Faisa (Dubai), Bleach brand Sara Al Madani (UAE), Rouge Couture Reem and Hind Baljafla (UAE), DAS

IT’S ALL ABOUT FUSION & EXPLORATION

TO SUM IT UP

OLD & NEW CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL WESTERN & EASTERN MIDDLE EASTERN & DIFFERENT MIDDLE EASTERN

FUSION OF HOMEGROWN & FOREIGN TALENT FUSION OF MEDIA FUSION OF PATTERNS FUSION OF STYLES

EXPLORATION OF MEDIA EXPLORATION OF CAPABILITIES

EXPLORATION OF CREATIVE POWER TO SOLVE HUMANKIND PROBLEMS EXPLORATION OF HERITAGE