ADMAF at Abu Dhabi Art 2024

Commissioned Artwork 

Ayesha Hadhir
Woven by Hands, Walked by Generations, 2024
Sadu, Loom, brass, wood, carpet, AI, repurposed fabric

Commissioned by ADMAF. The artwork captures the delicate balance between tradition and innovation, reflecting the UAE’s rich cultural heritage.
The table, with legs sculpted to resemble the human forms, embodies our responsibility to uphold the weight of ancestral craftsmanship. Resting upon these legs is a Mandoos, a traditional chest symbolizing the preservation and transmission of crafts across generations. Beneath, AI-generated fishnet patterns interwoven into a carpet evoke the sea’s sustenance and the intricate craftsmanship of the past. The Sadu loom spins the threads of cultural identity forward, binding the legacy of the past to the future, it speaks to the next generation, urging them to remember and carry forward the stories, skills, and spirit of those who came before. Each component of the installation narrates the journey of our heritage— how we stand on the shoulders of those who crafted before us, and how, like the loom, we continue to weave tradition into tomorrow.

A daily performance at 6:00 PM, in partnership with House of Artisans and students from NYUAD arts and humanities division’s theatre program, will activate the installation, further deepening the experience of this cultural exploration.
Sadu Artisan: Afra Al Mansoori (HOA)
Performers: Cristina Isabelle Yu, Clement Shen, Diana Aleksanyan, Konpal Nauman, Mitzi Louise Tapang

Panel Discussions

Panel: We are all open circuits: 1984–2024 The fading fortunes of network utopianism
Date: November 21, 6:00 PM
Location: Auditorium

Forty years ago, Korean artist Nam June Paik welcomed the new year 1984 with Good Morning, Mr Orwell, a landmark live international TV broadcast. In defiance of Orwellian fears of technological control, Paik held a utopian vision of global connectivity, particularly through the open, democratic potential of television. Four decades later, our perpetually networked state imposes less optimistic realities. Bringing together Namhee Park, director of the Nam June Paik Art Center, Seoul, with artists Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Ayoung Kim, and Byungjun Kwon, this panel will explore the complexities between technological connection and control, the importance of artistic responses to these power dynamics, and new strategies for navigating our mediated present.

Panelists:
Dr. Namhee Park, Director, Nam June Paik Art Center
Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Artist
Ayoung Kim, Artist
Byungjun Kwon, Artist
Moderated by Maya El Khalil, Independent Curator

Panel: Craft as a Language
Date: November 23, 5:00 PM
Location: Auditorium

This panel explore the idea of craft as a form of language—how diverse craft practices, ranging from visual arts and textiles to woodworking, ceramics, and beyond, function as powerful tools for communication and self-expression. Focusing on their work presented at Abu Dhabi Art Week, panelists will discuss how their craft transcends technical skill to become a rich, nuanced form of storytelling. Through the lens of their various disciplines, we will explore how craft communicates to both the maker and the viewer, conveying personal narratives, cultural histories, and complex ideas. Each panelist will introduce their work and creative process, while also sharing insights into the role collaboration has played in shaping their practice and artistic vision.

Panelists:

Ayesha Hadhir, Artist
Sara Al Khayyal, Artist
Meherunnisa Asad, Artist
Moderated by Chinasa Ezugha, Assistant Arts Professor of Live Art, NYUAD

Winning Installation for The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2024

The featured artwork, Datecrete Bee Hotel, is a sculpture crafted from Datecrete, a new material made from date pits and entirely devoid of traditional concrete or resin. This unique structure is designed to attract solitary bees, fostering organic interactions with the species. It will remain in place for three months, during which the interaction between the bees and the piece will be documented on film. The final artwork will include both the structure and the documentary, showcasing a fascinating ecological relationship and its organic development. The winning artists of the twelfth edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award are Sara Farha and Khaled Shalkha.

Datecrete Bee Hotel will be on display during Abu Dhabi Art until November 24, followed by an exhibition at NYUAD from November 26 to December 11, and concluding at Umm Al Emarat Park from December 12 to December 27.