gulftoday.ae | Artistes draw full house with comedy

DAY 4

SHARJA H: The ongoing urban and cultural art festival “Twinge SHJ” at the Maraya Art Centre of Sharjah’s cultural hub Al Qasba drew a full house on Tuesday as it hosted a night dedicated to stand-up comedy.

The event featured half-a-dozen amateur artistes of Dubai-based group Dubomedy, who enthralled the audience with their unique style of cracking jokes inspired by day-to-day affairs.

Thrilled by an unparalleled response to the festival, Sharif Abaza of Sphere Events, organisers of the festival, said the Twinge SHJ, which is happening for the first time in the emirate, has been much more successful than its inaugural edition.

“Today we have reached the middle of the festival, but are much more satisfied than our maiden event. The number of artistes who have joined us so far was quite big. But more encouraging is the response from the audience,” he said.

The event presented artistes of various nationalities who picked incidents from their surroundings to make the audience laugh. Jamal Iqbal from India, Ismail Salehi from Iran, Omar Shamsi from Egypt, Andre Renald from the United States, Mai Assaf from Lavante and Emirati artist Omar Ismail were also thrilled by the response.

“This festival is a unique initiative. What is more encouraging is the overwhelming support from the multi-ethnic society of the UAE. People are showing strong response to the events. Credit goes to the organisers of Twinge festival for creating such a community here,” said Omar.

Commending the initiative, Mai Assaf said, “It is a good way to create awareness in the community about art and culture. Performing at Twinge SHJ is specially significant for us as Sharjah has been regarded as the centre of art and culture in the country.”

Host of the evening Andre said that the group has performed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain. But his wish to perform live in the northern Emirate was fulfilled at the event. “For an artiste, it is an honour to perform in Sharjah,” he said.

Ismail Salehi praised the organisers for organising an event which not only raised awareness about the local art and culture but also brought people of different groups under one roof.

On Wednesday, the festival will host a group of publishers.

‘The animals are the art’

By Mariecar Jara-Puyod

SHARJAH: At two corners of the Maraya Art Centre at the UAE’s cultural capital’s Al Qasba are a series of frames bearing subtly-coloured animals.

Unquestionably, these frames light up a side of the gallery to which a visitor gets drawn. More so, since on closer look, the animals – a dozen in all – are not only identified by their common names but by their scientific names, as well.

For instance, the Skittering Frog has also been labelled as Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis; the Arabian Tahr, Arabitragus jayakari; and the Brown Spotted Reef Cod, Epinephelus chlorostigma.

Calender of events

Feb.29 - Kuttab Launch Night: Exclusive publishers’ night with Jamal Shihhi and Kuttab

Mar.1 - Rhythm Sessions: Night of music featuring The Abbo, Desert Heat, Tiny Hassan, Feras, Heba Rashid, Generation Band, and 4 Brownies.

Mar.2 - Magic of Poetry: Farrah Chamma, Muneer Jaehoon, Haneen Assaf, Abdulla Kassim, Shamma Kabital, Mohammad Azimudder, Asmaa and Afra Atiq will be taking the stage.

All events are being held at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.

One wonders. In an interview, Deema Hatahet, the illustrator and graphic designer, explained, “The animals are the art. “I want to raise awareness about them because they are endangered and not much is known about the topic,” added the first-time participant at the Sharjah 2012 edition of the urban and cultural art festival “Twinge,” known as “Twinge SHJ.”

The 22-year old, Hatahet, who was born in her native Damascus, Syria, has been a UAE resident all her life. Hatahet wants to make use of her talent for a crusade.

Like her fellow Syrian festival participants, art jewellery makers Leila Akeel and Salam Suwaidi, she started to realise her artistic side at a young age.

Doodling and scribbling with a pencil is what Hatahet has been doing since she was a toddler.

With strong family support, she earned a degree in Fine Arts and Design from the University of Sharjah and through her exposure in campus and out-of-campus exhibitions and competitions, the winner of several awards is now campaigning for everyone’s contribution to the conservation of the three animals, apart from the green sea turtle, white-tailed mongoose, hare, sand gazelle, Arabian leopard, peregrine falcon, sand cat, fennec fox and houbara bustard.

Research has shown that green sea turtles that normally live in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world have an estimated 88,520 nesting females left.

“A 2006 Arabian Forum Conservation Workshop indicated there were fewer than 200 leopards remaining in the Arabian Peninsula” with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website categorising the animals as “critically endangered.”

The reason why she chose to combine digital art and painting for her cause is that she wants her message to be “crisp and clear.”

For her, joining “Twinge SHJ” is the appropriate way to reach out to others and to spread the cause for the 12 animals, which she has also featured in desktop calendars and double-sided postcards.

A run through Hatahet’s profile, posted alongside the frames states: “The calendar contains illustrations and information (on) the 12 animals, each representing a month in which the viewers can link through their birth month.”

Another statement goes: “The postcards are a reminder to the people of how these animals do not want to be limited, thus, spreading the illustrative postcards around the world.”

“I hope I get enough help,” Hatahet said.

For her, community involvement is for the young and old alike.

“We are all here to help each other. We are one big family in the UAE so each one of us must try our best to give our best for all of us,” said Hatahet.

gulftoday.ae | Young filmmakers get a boost

DAY 3

Sharjah: The film industry is another area where the UAE will be known globally.

Photographer and executive film producer Beno Saradzic and three young aspiring movie directors gave this view to The Gulf Today when the third night of the “Twinge SHJ” rolled out seven short films for the “Reels of Sharjah” on Monday at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba.
Saradzic, who hails from Slovenia and is an Abu Dhabi resident since 1991, said the movie industry in his adopted country was gaining ground.

With initiatives from both the government and private sectors, the scenario that the Emirati film industry would be at par or even much better than those from other countries was a possibility.

“Everybody wants to watch films and if one has the talent and the support he needs, then there is no reason for him not to be in the industry,” said Saradzic, whose 4.5-minute time lapse version of “Abu Dhabi 2011” shared centre stage with the short films of the University of Sharjah Electronic Media students Omar Tanira and Haneen Kanaan as well as Skyline University marketing degree holder Faisal Hashim.

Saradzic said his short movie is a collection of 21,000 photographs of the history of the capital collected in eight weeks.

Other short films shown ranging between an average of five and 10 minutes each were by Shahid Azam, Ashraf Ghori and Neel Kumar.

Hashmi said: “The UAE film industry is in its infancy but if you have a good one, it will be seen.” His film “Bubble” runs for eight minutes and is about two men caught in their respective dilemmas and how they cope with and overcome them.

Tanira and Kanaan are classmates. Tanira’s “Another Story”, which runs for six minutes and Kanaan’s “Al Shahid” that is also six minutes long, were made as part of their film class under Dr Fouad Abdul Aziz.

Asked how it feels at being invited to showcase their films to the urban and cultural art festival, Tanira said, excitedly: “It is a very good thing. It means we come from a good college.”

Both agreed their professor was a “really, really a very good professor with very, very good experience.”

Tanira said there were many budding filmmakers in the UAE.

For him, Emirati Hemaid Al Awadi was a “great, great director.”

“I hope people will love my movie,” said Kanaan.

She appreciated that young and unknown as they are now, they were invited to “Twinge SHJ.”

Maraya Art Centre curator Giussepe Moscatello said he was glad to be part of the festival since one of the missions of the gallery is to support emerging artists across the country.

For her, music is the food of creativity

By Mariecar Jara-Puyod

Sharjah: Make a statement. Be the statement. Salam Suwaidi does it through pieces of art jewellery. The dentist by profession was very precise, when asked for a description of her 19 pieces, currently on exhibit at the ongoing urban art and cultural festival, “Twinge SHJ,” at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba.

“They are unusual. They are statement jewellery,” she said.

The 19 pieces are products of the imagination of the Sharjah

Calendar of events

Feb.28 - Laughter Therapy: A dose of comedy in Arabic, English and Urdu presented by Dubomedy.

Feb.29 - Kuttab Launch Night: Exclusive publishers’ night with Jamal Shihhi and Kuttab

Mar.1 - Rhythm Sessions: Night of music featuring The Abbo, Desert Heat, Tiny Hassan, Feras, Heba Rashid, Generation Band, and 4 Brownies.

Mar.2 - Magic of Poetry: Farrah Chamma, Muneer Jaehoon, Haneen Assaf, Abdulla Kassim, Shamma Kabital, Mohammad Azimudder, Asmaa and Afra Atiq will be taking the stage.

All events are being held at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.

resident from Syria that is most active when she relaxes after her duty hours at the hospital, by listening to whatever music her gut feel dictates.

Through the flow of the rhythm and lyrics, Suwaidi merges and interweaves accoutrements collected from her forays in art and crafts stores.

These may be beads, buttons, shells, ribbons and ropes.

“Nothing is wasted. She is able to artistically (fashion) anything from whatever she can lay her on,” volunteered close pal Nadia El-Samsam.

“She does not even repeat anything. So each piece is definitely unique,” added El-Samsam.

To emphasise that Suwaidi’s musical-inspired creations are indeed statement pieces, El-Samsam shared her experience of getting the attention, as well as positive feedback, of colleagues and clients she had a business meeting with, when she wore a brooch, crafted by her friend, to securely clasp her scarf on her lapel.

For “Twinge SHJ,” Suwaidi’s interpretation of the song “Just Tonight,” is a set of brooches and pendants in black, silver and pearl.

Suwaidi explained “Just Tonight” is a song about sadness and despair.

As for the “Radioactive” set based on the song of the same title, the focus of attention is the shimmering triangle of a necklace, which for Suwaidi symbolises strength.

For her, “Radioactive” is a song about “desperate love.”

Suwaidi’s participation in the “Twinge SHJ” is her second exposure to activities that allow participants to display their talents.

Her first try was for her customised or personalised boxes at Dubai Festival City.

Suwaidi believes in the value of participating in exhibitions and the like, saying that if there is anything to show, then “why not?”

“If there is something that makes a person stand out, then, why not,” she continued.

When asked about her being a dentist and an art or statement piece jeweller on the side, Suwaidi who had enrolled in a “single silver moulding course” recently, replied, “Dentistry is also an art. They (profession and hobby) all match in the end.”

A recent study estimated that in general, the largest jewellery (whether these are genuine or fake gemstones or the ones belonging to the art noveau or art deco like statement pieces) market is the United States with a market share of 30.8 per cent.

The Middle East, Japan, India and China have a share each of eight to nine per cent

gulftoday.ae | Showcasing a passion for fashion

DAY 2

Three Arab expatriates, alumnae of the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah, proved that apart from being adept at multitasking, women could also re-invent

SHARJAH: Baubles and bangles. Long gowns and scarves. And then some.

The Maraya Art Centre, the community arena for established as well as budding artists in the UAE, at the Al Qasba in Sharjah has also become the venue for emerging entrepreneurs, thanks to the urban and cultural festival, “Twinge SHJ”. The festival entered its second night on Sunday, where the passion for fashion was the underlying theme.

Three Arab expatriates, alumnae of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and the University of Sharjah (US) , proved that apart from being adept at multitasking, women could also reinvent themselves.

That is, when they set their hearts on something they really want to do and when given the chance.

“When opportunity knocks, grab it,” said Eman A. Khattab.

“You have to know the market,” interjected Nemat B. El Shuloh.

Close friends since their university days at the AUS, both are now business partners through the one-month old Eclat.

Eclat, the French word for “ceremonial elegance, splendour, light and shimmer,” is their interpretation of trendy conservative fashion.

Wives and mothers, both expressed gratitude to the Sharjah Business Women’s Council as well, saying they got the support from the leadership and their co-members for leading them to the right people who could help them in their new endeavour.

Environmental scientist Khattab, who grew up dressing up her Barbie dolls and learning how to use the sewing machine with her mother, said all one has to do is “do not listen to people who say ‘no’.”

“We also have to love our work and be smart by knowing what is not available in the market,” she added.

Architect El Shuloh highlighted the virtues of courage, commitment and character, adding one should always look at the bright side of life.

Both said it took them one-and-a half years to start what they have been wanting to engage in, since their AUS days.

“All one has to do is go for it,” they both said.

For 20-year-old Leila Akeel, being a businesswoman is one of her goals.

The pharmacy student believes being in business is where she could be active.

Hence, from a hobby that she has been fond of - tinkering with damaged trinkets - ever since she could remember, Akeel has become an artist of handcrafted jewellery of gemstones her mother buys for her.

“I want to develop this into a very good business some day,” she said.

Sharjah urban art festival is a learning curve, says painter

By Mariecar Jara-Puyod

SHARJAH: Noha Mourad was born and raised in Abu Dhabi 28 years ago. She and her family used to enjoy the pristine waters of what would be internationally known as the Yas Island.

Today, those memories of tranquillity and simple pleasures, particularly when the fisherfolk taught them the simple rudiments of line fishing, would forever be in a canvas.

She told The Gulf Today the yearning to do something had always been there. But then, she did not know what it was. Her quest ended in 2007.

Calendar of events

Feb.27 - Reels of Sharjah: Screening of short films by Emirati and other UAE-based directors, namely Beno Saradzic, Shahid Azam, Faisal Hashmi, Ashraf Ghori, Haneen Kanaan, Omar Tanira and Neel Kumar.

Feb.28 - Laughter Therapy: A dose of comedy in Arabic, English and Urdu presented by Dubomedy.

Feb.29 - Kuttab Launch Night: Exclusive publishers’ night with Jamal Shihhi and Kuttab

Mar.1 - Rhythm Sessions: Night of music featuring The Abbo, Desert Heat, Tiny Hassan, Feras, Heba Rashid, Generation Band, and 4 Brownies.

Mar.2 - Magic of Poetry: Farrah Chamma, Muneer Jaehoon, Haneen Assaf, Abdulla Kassim, Shamma Kabital, Mohammad Azimudder, Asmaa and Afra Atiq will be taking the stage.

All events are being held at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.

That was when, as a young mother in Cairo, Egypt, the art studio beside her home became the start of what she would be now - an artist indulging in oil painting.

The marketing graduate from the Arab Academy of Science and Technology in Alexandria, Egypt said those in the art studio who became her mentors and peers taught her everything she needed to know about painting.

From then on, Mourad found the discipline not only in the visual arts that need extra amounts of patience as it takes six months for an oil paint to dry up, but also discovered the need to create time as well as space for one’s self in order that anything of interest would lead to becoming a better person.

With over 20 paintings carrying her signature in a span of five years, the mother of two pre-school daughters is happily participating for the second time around at an urban arts festival that started in Dubai three months back and is now under way in Sharjah as “Twinge SHJ.”

A few hours before the curtains went up on Saturday evening at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba, Mourad said Twinge has become a “learning experience” for her.

She welcomed the feedback about her works which may range from her interpretation of the Dubai Marina to how men and women relax.

“I get a whole lot of different points of view. It is a learning curve for me. What I do right, what I need to change,” she said, adding that while it is her mother Zeinab who has been the family’s artist all the way, it is her two daughters who sit down beside her whenever the muses call her to paint, who have become her critics.

“I know now when they do not like what I (sketch or play with the colours) on canvas,” Mourad said.

Eight of her paintings are on exhibit at the “Twinge SHJ” including her very first landscape, “Grand Tetons,” accomplished in half a year.

“I love details. That is why I do landscapes. I also love bright colours,” she said.

Mourad, who also does portraitures, admitted to have gained confidence from joining the urban art festival.

So far, six of her paintings had been sold, including two through “Twinge DXB.”

At the end of the interview, Mourad said of women who may be dilly-dallying on what they want to pursue in life: “Go ahead. It is very rewarding.”

gulftoday.ae | Showcasing a passion for fashion

DAY 2

Three Arab expatriates, alumnae of the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah, proved that apart from all the multi-tasking they could lay their hands on, women could also re-invent themselves

Sharjah: Baubles and bangles. Long gowns and scarves. And then some.

The Maraya Art Centre, the community arena for established as well as budding artists in the UAE, at the Al Qasba in Sharjah has also become the venue for emerging entrepreneurs, thanks to the urban and cultural festival, “Twinge SHJ”. The festival entered its second night on Sunday, where the passion for fashion was the underlying theme.

Three Arab expatriates, alumnae of the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and the University of Sharjah (US) , proved that apart from all the multitasking they had become adept at, women could also reinvent themselves.

That is, when they set their hearts on something they really want to do and when given the chance.

“When opportunity knocks, grab it,” said Eman A. Khattab.

“You have to know the market,” interjected Nemat B. El Shuloh.

Close friends since their university days at the AUS, both are now business partners through the one-month old Eclat.

Eclat, the French word for “ceremonial elegance, splendour, light and shimmer,” is their interpretation of trendy conservative fashion.

Wives and mothers, both expressed gratitude to the Sharjah Business Women’s Council as well, saying they got the support from the leadership and their co-members for leading them to the right people who could help them in their new endeavour.

Environmental scientist Khattab, who grew up dressing up her Barbie dolls and learning how to use the sewing machine with her mother, said all one has to do is “do not listen to people who say ‘no’.”

“We also have to love our work and be smart by knowing what is not available in the market,” she added.

Architect El Shuloh highlighted the virtues of courage, commitment and character, adding one should always look at the bright side of life.

Both said it took them one-and-a half years to start what they have been wanting to engage in, since their AUS days.

“All one has to do is go for it,” they both said.

For 20-year-old Leila Akeel, being a businesswoman is one of her goals.

The pharmacy student believes being in business is where she could be active.

Hence, from a hobby that she has been fond of - tinkering with damaged trinkets - ever since she could remember, Akeel has become an artist of handcrafted jewellery of gemstones her mother buys for her.

“I want to develop this into a very good business some day,” she said.

Sharjah urban art festival is a learning curve, says painter

By Mariecar Jara-Puyod

SHARJAH: Noha Mourad was born and raised in Abu Dhabi 28 years ago. She and her family used to lap up the pristine waters of what would be internationally known as the Yas Island.

Today, those memories of tranquillity and simple pleasures, particularly when the fisherfolk taught them the simple rudiments of line fishing, would forever be in a canvas.

She told The Gulf Today the yearning to do something had always been there. But then, she did not know what it was. Her quest ended in 2007.

Calendar of events

Feb.27 - Reels of Sharjah: Screening of short films by Emirati and other UAE-based directors, namely Beno Saradzic, Shahid Azam, Faisal Hashmi, Ashraf Ghori, Haneen Kanaan, Omar Tanira and Neel Kumar.

Feb.28 - Laughter Therapy: A dose of comedy in Arabic, English and Urdu presented by Dubomedy.

Feb.29 - Kuttab Launch Night: Exclusive publishers’ night with Jamal Shihhi and Kuttab

Mar.1 - Rhythm Sessions: Night of music featuring The Abbo, Desert Heat, Tiny Hassan, Feras, Heba Rashid, Generation Band, and 4 Brownies.

Mar.2 - Magic of Poetry: Farrah Chamma, Muneer Jaehoon, Haneen Assaf, Abdulla Kassim, Shamma Kabital, Mohammad Azimudder, Asmaa and Afra Atiq will be taking the stage.

All events are being held at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.

That was when, as a young mother in Cairo, Egypt, the art studio beside her home became the start of what she would be now - an artist indulging in oil painting.

The marketing graduate from the Arab Academy of Science and Technology in Alexandria, Egypt said those in the art studio who became her mentors and peers taught her everything she needed to know about painting.

From then on, Mourad found the discipline not only in the visual arts that need extra amounts of patience as it takes six months for an oil paint to dry up, but also discovered the need to create time as well as space for one’s self in order that anything of interest would lead to becoming a better person.

With over 20 paintings carrying her signature in a span of five years, the mother of two pre-school daughters is happily participating for the second time around at an urban arts festival that started in Dubai three months back and is now under way in Sharjah as “Twinge SHJ.”

A few hours before the curtains went up on Saturday evening at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba, Mourad said Twinge has become a “learning experience” for her.

She welcomed the feedback about her works which may range from her interpretation of the Dubai Marina to how men and women relax.

“I get a whole lot of different points of view. It is a learning curve for me. What I do right, what I need to change,” she said, adding that while it is her mother Zeinab who has been the family’s artist all the way, it is her two daughters who sit down beside her whenever the muses call her to paint, who have become her critics.

“I know now when they do not like what I (sketch or play with the colours) on canvas,” Mourad said.

Eight of her paintings are on exhibit at the “Twinge SHJ” including her very first landscape, “Grand Tetons,” accomplished in half a year.

“I love details. That is why I do landscapes. I also love bright colours,” she said.

Mourad who also does portraitures, admitted to have gained confidence from joining the urban art festival.

So far, six of her paintings had been sold, including two through “Twinge DXB.”

At the end of the interview, Mourad said of women who may be dilly-dallying on what they want to pursue in life: “Go ahead. It is very rewarding.”

gulftoday.ae | Literary start to cultural carnival

DAY 1

The current edition of Twinge is powered by the community, which is expected to be in full force for the 7-night extravaganza in Sharjah. The event will now be held twice a year

It has just begun but it has been decided that an urban arts festival in the UAE’s Cultural Capital of Sharjah would be definitely be held again – not once – but twice a year.

This is the “Twinge SHJ” which opened on Saturday evening with an overflow of visitors and guests at the Maraya Art Centre of the Al Qasba.

“It is going to be a twice-a-year event from now on in Sharjah,” announced organiser Sherif Abaza before the audience of the “Literature Night.”

“There is space. There is enough talent,” he later told The Gulf Today.

Kalimat Publishing House founder and chief executive officer Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi who was among the first to show up at the venue an hour before the main episode for the opening night, said: “This is brilliant. It is a great, great time to have first-time authors read about their works and books.”

Peter and Preethi Shekar from Ajman said they learnt about Twinge SHJ from the newspaper and they decided to drop by because they “were curious about what it is all about.”

“It is refreshing to know that there is something new around,” added Preethi.

Right in front of this reporter, husband and wife ticked their calendars on their respective mobile phones when informed that there would be a Comedy Night on Feb. 28 in Arabic, English and Urdu.

Preethi said they both love to watch comedy.

The couple also said they would be tagging along their 12-year-old daughter when they learnt that a fashion show is scheduled on Sunday evening, taking note of the interest of the girl in clothes.

For the opening night, one can say there is an artist in each one.

The three featured at the Literature Night were Abdullah Qassem, a teaching assistant at the University of Sharjah-College of Communications; Noura Al Noman, the director general of the Executive Office of Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, wife of Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi; and public relations director Alexander McNabb.

All of them are Sharjah residents.

Qassem participated because the festival was a good opportunity for him to share his translation into Arabic poetry a poem about Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) originally written in Turkish.

7-night eclectic fare

Twinge-SHJ, a sprightly 7-night affair has a programme incorporating myriad art forms:

Feb.26 - Passion for Fashion: A fashion show with Eclat and Laila Akeel.

Feb.27 - Reels of Sharjah: Screening of short films by Emirati and other UAE-based directors, namely Beno Saradzic, Shahid Azam, Faisal Hashmi, Ashraf Ghori, Haneen Kanaan, Omar Tanira and Neel Kumar.

Feb.28 - Laughter Therapy: A dose of comedy in Arabic, English and Urdu presented by Dubomedy.

Feb.29 - Kuttab Launch Night: Exclusive publishers’ night with Jamal Shihhi and Kuttab

Mar.1 - Rhythm Sessions: Night of music featuring The Abbo, Desert Heat, Tiny Hassan, Feras, Heba Rashid, Generation Band, and 4 Brownies.

Mar.2 - Magic of Poetry: Farrah Chamma, Muneer Jaehoon, Haneen Assaf, Abdulla Kassim, Shamma Kabital, Mohammad Azimudder, Asmaa and Afra Atiq will be taking the stage.

All events are being held at the Maraya Art Centre of Al Qasba. Doors open at 7pm and shows start at 8pm.

“This poem was already translated in the common Arabic language but I want the public to feel and know the beauty of it in the way Arabic poetry is written,” he said, after the question-and-answer session he had with a very interactive audience. For him, participating in an urban arts festival gives an artist the opportunity to work with and get to know others in the world of art.

Al Noman is a mother of four adolescent girls and a young man.

She had written Arabic books for toddlers under Kalimat and found Arabic novels for the young men and women “limited.”

Hence, her “Ajwan” for which “Twinge SHJ” became an avenue for her to introduce to the public for the first time, her science fiction novel about the struggles of a 19-year-old widow and mother.

“I believe there is no Arabic science fiction novel yet for the young adults,” she said.

Al Noman welcomed the arrival of the festival in her city, saying it is “important as it provides access” for the young to know and nurture literature and other art forms that are developing in a young nation.

McNabb has been a resident of Sharjah for the past 18 years.

In December 2011, he participated in the “Twinge DXB,” where he launched his novel “Olives.”

He said: “Twinge DXB was amazing. It is very good that it (“Twinge SHJ) is happening here.”

“Imagine, seeing and being with 50 artists means that culture is alive and growing,” McNabb added.

The public relations practitioner who has written speeches for men of authority shared portions from his “Olives.”

He said the novel is about an Englishman who falls in love with a Jordanian-Palestinian lady and gets into the intricacies of the “war for water” in Jordan, Syria and Palestine.

Just like Qassem and Al Noman, McNabb regaled the audience with his insights into literature as well as the experiences of delving into an arena which could be a self-discovery in itself.

The Gulf Today is one of the sponsors of the event.

@TwingeSHJ, at Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah, evenings of 25 February to 2 March, 2012

مسابقة معرض الشارقة لرسوم الأطفال

معرض رسوم الأطفال.doc - Google Docs

دعوة لمصممي ورسامين كتب الأطفال حول العالم

انضموا لمعرض الشارقة لرسوم كتب الأطفال في دورته الأولى واحصلوا على فرصة للفوز بجائزة تصل قيمتها إلى 8 الاف دولار أمريكي

تطلق إدارة معرض كتب الأطفال هذا العام ولأول مرة معرضاً فنياً يختص بمصممي ورسامين كتب الأطفال وذلك خلال فترة المعرض والمقرر انعقاده في الشارقة خلال الفترة من 23 إبريل إلى 2 مايو 2012م.

ويهدف المعرض الفني إلى توفير الدعم لمصممي ورسامين كتب الأطفال، خلق مناخ تفاعلي بين الفنانين المختصين من الغرب والشرق، وتشجيع الفنانين المشاركين في المعرض من أصحاب الإنتاج المتميز، وذلك بتخصيص ثلاثة جوائز تمنحها لجنة تحكيم دولية لأفضل ثلاثة أعمال.

والدعوة مفتوحة لكل رسامين كتب الأطفال المحترفين من جميع أنحاء العالم للإشتراك في المعرض وعرض أعمالهم الفنية ودخول المسابقة حيث يتم منح أفضل 3 أعمال مجموعة جوائز تُقسم على النحو التالي:

المركز الأول: 8 الاف دولار أمريكي

المركز الثاني: 6 الاف دولار أمريكي

المركز الثالث: 4 الاف دولار أمريكي

وينقسم المعرض إلى قسمين رئيسيين، هما (المعرض العام) و(المعارض الشرفية)، المعرض العام سيضم مجموعة المشاركات الفنية المختارة من قبل لجنة فرز دولية مختصة.، أما المعارض الشرفية فستتشكل من مجموعة الأعمال الفنية لضيوف الشرف المختارين مسبقاً عبر دعوات رسمية.

آخر موعد لاستلام استمارات المشاركة والأوراق الثبوتية هو 15 فبراير 2012م، وآخر موعد لاستلام الأعمال الفنية المشاركة هو 10 مارس 2012م.

للمزيد من المعلومات حول الشروط وجميع المستندات المطلوبة للاشتراك في المعرض يمكنكم زيارة الرابط التالي

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16P45ojV6VfRliBFYXND17vZpmq682jTs8LFJyPtIBJw/edit?hl=en_GB

أو الاتصال بــ

هند عبدالله لينيد

(المنسق العام لمعرض الشارقة لكتاب الطفل)

الإمارات العربية المتحدة- حكومة الشارقة

دائرة الثقافة والإعلام

إدارة معرض الشارقة الدولي للكتاب

ص. ب : 5119

هاتف: 97165123229+/ 97165123372+

فاكس: 97165123337+

بريد الكتروني: illustrator@sharjahbookfair.com أو Hind@sdci.gov.ae

للحصول على تحديثات عن المعرض والمسابقة يمكنكم متابعتنا على تويتر @ShjIntlBookFair، فيسبوك Sharjah International Book Fair، أو على مدونتنا #shjibf blog

Naguib Mahfouz – 100 years | Mind The Gap

جدت هذه المجموعة القصصية للكاتب الراحل نجيب محفوظ بمناسبة مئويته في مكتبة كينوكونيا في دبي مول 20 كتاب ب 2280 درهم إماراتي .. بصراحة أعشق روايات هالكاتب المبدع.. بس بالمرة ما افكر اقرا قصصه بالانجليزي ..

I found this colleection of former Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz celebrating hundred years of Egypt Laureate. 20 books for AED 2280

نجيب محفوظ روائي مصري حائز على جائزة نوبل في الأدب. وُلد في 11 ديسمبر 1911، وتوفي في 30 أغسطس 2006. كتب نجيب محفوظ منذ بداية الأربعينيات واستمر حتى 2004. تدور أحداث جميع رواياته في مصر، وتظهر فيها ثيمة متكررة هي الحارة التي تعادل العالم. من أشهر أعماله الثلاثية وأولاد حارتنا التي مُنعت من النشر في مصر منذ صدورها وحتى وقتٍ قريب. بينما يُصنف أدب محفوظ باعتباره أدباً واقعياً، فإن مواضيع وجودية تظهر فيه.^[1] محفوظ أكثر أديبٍ عربي حولت أعماله إلى السينما والتلفزيون.

سُمي نجيب محفوظ باسمٍ مركب تقديراً من والده عبد العزيز إبراهيم للطبيب أبوعوف نجيب باشا محفوظ الذي أشرف على ولادته التي كانت متعسرة

Naguib Mahfouz (Arabic: نجيب محفوظ‎ Nagīb Maḥfūẓ, IPA: [næˈɡiːb mɑħˈfuːzˤ]; 11 December 1911 – 30 August 2006) was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988Nobel Prize for Literature. He is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers of Arabic literature, along with Tawfiq el-Hakim, to explore themes ofexistentialism.^[1] He published over 50 novels, over 350 short stories, dozens of movie scripts, and five plays over a 70-year career. Many of his works have been made into Egyptian and foreign films.