Latest news with #DeliberatePauses
CairoScene
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
UAE's Largest Site-Specific Art Installation Unveiled in Hatta
Five red reflective sculptures by Shaikha Al Mazrou now dot the Hajar Mountains, inviting hikers to reconnect with nature. Apr 24, 2025 A new public artwork has been unveiled in the Hatta mountains, marking the UAE's largest site-specific art installation to date. Titled 'Deliberate Pauses', the piece was created by prominent Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou and commissioned by the Alserkal Arts Foundation as part of ongoing efforts to integrate culture into the country's natural landscapes. The installation consists of five towering red metallic discs, positioned at intervals along the hiking trails near Leem Lake in Hatta. Visually arresting and highly reflective, the discs blend into their surroundings while simultaneously creating a sense of stillness and spatial awareness. As light and landscape shift throughout the day, the mirrored sculptures amplify the natural drama of the Hajar Mountains, inviting passersby to stop and reflect—both literally and metaphorically. Curated by Faysal Tabbarah of the American University of Sharjah, the work is part of a collaboration between Dubai Culture and the Supreme Committee for Hatta Development, and reflects a growing national interest in integrating contemporary art into outdoor, public spaces. 'Deliberate Pauses' adds to Shaikha Al Mazrou's growing body of sculptural work, known for its focus on spatial tension, geometric abstraction, and material exploration. The Hatta installation reinforces her status as one of the UAE's leading contemporary artists and reflects the country's efforts to cultivate homegrown talent in spaces beyond the gallery.
Hi Dubai
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hi Dubai
Dubai Unveils Largest Public Art Installation in Hatta
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in collaboration with the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta, has launched Deliberate Pauses—Dubai's largest site-specific public art installation—by renowned Emirati sculptor Shaikha Al Mazrou. Commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation, the installation is part of the ongoing 'Dubai Public Art' initiative, which aims to position the city as a global open-air art gallery. Set against the backdrop of Hatta's serene Leem Lake, the installation features five reflective red metallic discs strategically placed along hiking trails in the Hajar Mountains. Blending seamlessly with the rugged terrain, the discs serve as contemplative markers, inviting visitors to slow down, reflect, and engage with the cultural and environmental richness of the region. Curated by Faysal Tabbarah, Associate Professor at the American University of Sharjah, the work reflects a deep respect for Hatta's heritage and landscape. It also contributes to the broader vision of transforming Hatta into a cultural and tourism destination. Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, described the installation as a powerful symbol of the Authority's commitment to supporting local talent and enriching Dubai's visual identity through public art. Al Mazrou, known for her material-driven, conceptual sculptures, emphasized the value of stillness: 'In the mountains of Hatta, I pause deliberately—not to find answers, but to question the need for them.' Deliberate Pauses not only deepens public interaction with art but also amplifies Hatta's often-overlooked narratives—through silence, landscape, and form. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Emirates 24/7
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Emirates 24/7
Dubai Culture unveils ‘Deliberate Pauses' in Hatta
- Dubai Culture unveils 'Deliberate Pauses' in Hatta, the largest site-specific public art installation in the emirate - The installation, commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation, is launched in collaboration with the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta - Created by Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou, the installation forms part of the 'Dubai Public Art' initiative - Artwork highlights the cultural, historical, and environmental richness of Hatta's natural landscape Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in collaboration with the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta, has announced the launch of 'Deliberate Pauses', the largest site-specific public art installation in Dubai. Created by Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou, the artwork is commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation. Set against the striking backdrop of Hatta's Leem Lake, the installation forms part of the 'Dubai Public Art' initiative launched by Dubai Culture to transform the city into a global open-air art gallery. The initiative offers immersive artistic experiences that strengthen Dubai's global cultural presence, enrich its visual identity, and celebrate its heritage. Curated by Faysal Tabbarah, Associate Professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah, the installation highlights the cultural, historical, and environmental richness of Hatta's natural landscape. The art piece features five reflective red metallic discs placed along Hatta's scenic hiking trails. Positioned both upright and flat, the discs are seamlessly embedded within the rugged Hajar Mountains, serving as visual beacons and contemplative portals that invite visitors to pause, reflect, and connect with the surrounding beauty. The installation blends bold visual impact with a deep respect for the natural environment. 'Deliberate Pauses' fosters a dialogue between past and present, encouraging hikers to engage with the often-overlooked narratives of Hatta, reflected in its rugged landscapes, cultural artefacts and oral histories. Highlighting the role of public art in fostering a sustainable creative environment, Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, said: ''Deliberate Pauses' is a valuable addition to Dubai's Public Art Strategy, showcasing Hatta's natural, cultural, and historical diversity alongside its distinctive tourism experiences. It aligns with the comprehensive development plan for Hatta and reflects the Authority's commitment to empowering local talent, encouraging innovation, and inspiring artists to contribute to Dubai's cultural identity through their unique perspectives.' Shaikha Almazrou highlighted the importance of reflection, saying: 'In the mountains of Hatta, I pause deliberately—not to find answers, but to question the need for them. Like the spiral, it's not about moving forward or backwards but about recognising the quiet moments in between. Here, in stillness, you're invited to reflect, or simply to observe, as the landscape itself offers its own kind of pause.' Faysal Tabbarah commented on the role of public art in connecting people with their surroundings, saying: 'Public art amplifies a sense of place and can enable people to understand their environments in ways that are often too subtle to notice without reflection. In trying to amplify the stories of Hatta and Leem Lake, Shaikha Almazrou, Alserkal Arts Foundation, and I worked collaboratively to ensure the artwork amplifies reflections about place, connection, and wonder.' An accomplished sculptor, Shaikha Al Mazrou holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London (2014). She is known for her innovative sculptural practices that explore diverse ideas and demonstrate a deep understanding of materials and their physical properties. Her works have been showcased in prestigious venues such as the Jameel Arts Centre in Dubai and as part of London's Frieze Sculpture exhibition, cementing her role as a leading figure in the contemporary local art scene. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
The National
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Shaikha Al Mazrou unveils Dubai's 'largest site-specific art intervention' in Hatta mountains
When Shaikha Al Mazrou was invited to create a site-specific installation in the mountains surrounding Hatta's Leem Lake, she was conscious of not imposing her artworks on the rocky terrain, and instead finding a way to gracefully embed them in the landscape. She also wanted to use her signature approach of coaxing contrasts from unlikely spaces and materials. These two motives seemed paradoxical. How could a public artwork blend with the landscape while simultaneously juxtaposing it? Deliberate Pauses manages to achieve just that. Five round metallic sculptures are thoughtfully placed along the hiking trail around Leem Lake. With each circle measuring five metres in diameter, the work has been described as 'the largest site-specific art intervention in Dubai". It was commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The sculptures are in the same shade of red as Al Mazrou's 2022 work Red Stack. That work was displayed in Regent's Park as part of London's contemporary art fair Frieze. Eight large cushions, cast in metal, were piled several metres into the sky. Between the forms of the cushions and the rigidity of the cast metal, the structure appeared hard yet soft at the same time. Deliberate Pauses presents a somewhat similar contrast. The circles lie against the jagged mountain surface with an appealing flatness – the coarseness of the rocks juxtaposing with the smoothness of the reflective steel. The circular frames of untreated metal, meanwhile, seamlessly merge with the iron-oxidized colour of the rocks. In that sense, the redness of the circles are an emboldened version of the surrounding natural hues. 'I had a lot of questions about why it is in red,' Al Mazrou says. 'Aside from it being a signature in my work, but also I was drawing from the language of the mountain and using the colours around me. I could have polished the steel to give it of a different look but I wanted it to camouflage with the landscape and allow the red to push through.' The project has been two years in the making. Al Mazrou took regular hikes in the mountains, sometimes accompanied by architect and academic Faysal Tabbarah, who curated the works. The artist would wake at 5am, reaching Hatta just as the sun would begin to rise. She would walk meditatively through the rocky terrain. Whenever a specific site stood out to her, she would hammer a nail into the rocks and further mark the spot by sprinkling a powder around it. She would then survey the landscape from above, using a drone. 'The work required significant studies, such as understanding the terrain as well as excavations and thinking about the foundations,' Al Mazrou says. The Emirati artist reflected on the work's title, Deliberate Pauses, both in the context of her artistic practice and as a literal representation of the pauses she had take during her hike. The artworks dotted along the hiking trail are very much the traces of her journey through the mountains, as well as an invitation for viewers to follow in her footsteps. 'It has multiple layers of definitions,' Al Mazrou says. Each of the circular artworks is also fitted with light under the frame. The light is powered through solar panels that have been carefully hidden in the mountains. 'We have to think about public engagement through the night, and the light is activated after sunset,' she says. Al Mazrou adds that it was gratifying to have had the opportunity to converse with a landscape that has a personal significance to her, and to bring that relationship to the public sphere. 'I like the challenges that the landscape presented. It wasn't easy. We had to think about excavation and getting archaeological teams,' she says. 'Ultimately, it was about creating a site intervention. The desire was to interact with the landscape, not to simply parachute an artwork on top of it.' Deliberate Pauses is part of a series of large-scale public art commissions aimed at introducing public artworks across famous sites, including the Shindagha Historic District, Al Quoz Creative Zone and Hatta. 'Public art amplifies a sense of place and enables people to understand their environments in ways that are often too subtle to notice without reflection,' Tabbarah said in a statement. 'In trying to highlight the stories of Hatta and Leem Lake, Shaikha Al Mazrou, Alserkal Arts Foundation and I worked collaboratively to ensure the artwork invites reflections about place, connection and wonder.'
