Address
INLOCO Open storage
WH 5, 4 19 Street, Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz
Working hours
Monday – Friday 12 pm – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Schedule a private viewing
+971501886034
info@inlocogallery.com
INLOCO Open storage
WH 5, 4 19 Street, Al Khayat Avenue, Al Quoz
Working hours
Monday – Friday 12 pm – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday by appointment only
Schedule a private viewing
+971501886034
info@inlocogallery.com
11 AM — 6:30 PM
Wednesday, November 27
Wednesday, November 27
Al Safa Art & Design Library,
Dubai, UAE
Dubai, UAE
Inloco Talks
The theme of urban semiotics explores how cities and urban environments communicate meaning through signs and symbols present in their environment. It delves into both historical images and modernity, researching how the physical and virtual elements of a city — such as its architecture and history, urban planning and citizens' perceptions, visual imagery and aesthetic landmarks — serve as a complex system of signs that convey cultural and social messages. This perspective examines how urban landscapes are not just physical spaces but also symbolic representations that reflect and shape societal values, identities, and narratives. A parallel program will take place in Inloco Metaverse, focusing on the semiotics of virtual worlds that represent the landscapes and culture of Arab countries. This program will reflect the regional specificity of how creators use signs to construct and depict these landscapes within their virtual environments.
The conference is organized by Inloco Initiative, a brand encompassing projects dedicated to supporting, exploring, and developing urban art since 2014. This includes Inloco Gallery and Nuvo Buro Group, which focuses on public art and urban design.
The conference is organized by Inloco Initiative, a brand encompassing projects dedicated to supporting, exploring, and developing urban art since 2014. This includes Inloco Gallery and Nuvo Buro Group, which focuses on public art and urban design.
Installation:
Filippo Minelli,
Calligraphy: Karim Jabbari
Filippo Minelli,
Calligraphy: Karim Jabbari
The theme of urban semiotics explores how cities and urban environments communicate meaning through signs and symbols present in their environment. It delves into both historical images and modernity, researching how the physical and virtual elements of a city — such as its architecture and history, urban planning and citizens' perceptions, visual imagery and aesthetic landmarks — serve as a complex system of signs that convey cultural and social messages. This perspective examines how urban landscapes are not just physical spaces but also symbolic representations that reflect and shape societal values, identities, and narratives. A parallel program will take place in Inloco Metaverse, focusing on the semiotics of virtual worlds that represent the landscapes and culture of Arab countries. This program will reflect the regional specificity of how creators use signs to construct and depict these landscapes within their virtual environments.
The conference is organized by Inloco Initiative, a brand encompassing projects dedicated to supporting, exploring, and developing urban art since 2014. This includes Inloco Gallery and Nuvo Buro Group, which focuses on public art and urban design.
Program
The conference:
Urban Semiotics: Cityscape as a Sing System in Gulf Countries
Urban Semiotics: Cityscape as a Sing System in Gulf Countries
10 AM — 11 AM
Coffee Break & Speaker Registration
11 AM — 12:30 PM
Session 1 Visual Codes and Imagery in Arabic Arts & Culture
- Salwa Mikdadi (NYUAD)Professor of the practice of art history at NYU Abu Dhabi and the Founder and principal investigator of al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art at NYU Abu Dhabi. Mikdadi is a specialist in the history of modern and contemporary art in the Arab world. She has held key roles in the UAE, including as the Head of Professional Development at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and the Head of the Arts and Culture Program at the Emirates Foundation.
- Khalil AbdulwahidEmirati visual artist based in Dubai, specializing in painting and video. He began his artistic journey under the mentorship of the late Hassan Sharif and has since exhibited both regionally and internationally. His works have been showcased at prestigious exhibitions, including FotoFest International “View From Inside” (USA/Abu Dhabi, 2014–2015) and “Portrait of a Nation” at the Abu Dhabi Festival (2016).
- Nadine KhalilDubai-based independent art critic, consultant and curator. She is the former editor of Dubai-based contemporary art magazine, Canvas (2017-2020) and Beirut-based cultural magazines A mag and Bespoke (2010-2016). She advises art institutions and fairs on content development and publications. She was the communications strategist for Ishara Art Foundation (2020-2022), the first UAE-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the contemporary art of South Asia and currently advises the Parisian art fair Asia Now on SWANA galleries and regional discourses. She is an artist mentor at Tashkeel’s Critical Practice Program and leads workshops on art writing for artists.
1 PM — 2:30 PM
Session 2 Arabic Languages, Literature and Typography
The Poetics of the Arabic Script in Public Space
- Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares (Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books)Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books publishers in Amsterdam. As a designer, scholar and curator, she specializes in Arabic/multilingual typographic design and Arab design history.
Etched in Stone: Some Graffiti from Abbasid Baghdad
- Maurice Pomerantz (NYUAD)Professor at NYUAD and Executive Director of the NYUAD Institute, overseeing academic events and strategic initiatives. A specialist in Abbasid literature, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2010 and has taught and conducted research across the Middle East.
The Arabic Letter as a Street Art Medium
- Karim JabbariCalligraphy and light artist who blends ancient elements with modern design to bridge cultures through his art. He employs contemporary techniques while honoring classical forms. Jabbari's diverse talents lead him to perform live, create art installations, paint murals, host workshops, and speak at major universities like NYU and Yale. He was a runner-up for the first Islamic Creativity Award in Dubai and is recognized as one of the Top 30 Public Artists globally.
3:30 PM — 5 PM
Session 3 Regional Social & Historical Context
Urban Nostalgia as Belonging and Commodity
- Laure Salma Assaf (NYUAD)Assistant Professor at NYUAD. She is an anthropologist focused on youth, urbanity, and migration in contemporary Emirati society and the Gulf region. She trained at Paris Nanterre University and INALCO and is currently developing a book based on her PhD research on Arab youth in Abu Dhabi. She is also an Associate Researcher at CEFREPA in Kuwait.
Making the Invisible Visible: Searching for Oil in Gulf Cities
- Nelida Fuccaro (NYUAD)Historian and Professor of modern Middle Eastern History at NYUAD with a specialized focus on the history of the Gulf region, Fuccaro is currently working on the social and cultural history of the Middle Eastern oil industry.
Ontologies of the Self in Islamic Theological and Philosophical Thought
- Mariam Al-Attar (AUS)PhD, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies Department, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Mariam Al-Attar has taught courses in ethics, Islamic studies, world religions and philosophy at the University of Jordan and at King's Academy in Jordan. At the American University of Sharjah she has taught courses on Arab heritage, introduction to philosophy, and Islamic philosophy. Her main research interests include ethics in medieval Arabo-Islamic thought, modern and contemporary Arab moral thought and women and gender in the Islamic tradition.
5:30 PM — 6:30 PM
Public Talk “Why We Return: Unpacking the Power of Place”
- Hessa Alghandi (Hessa Archives)Designer and artist, Founder of Hessa Archives. A creative by culture, Hessa Alghandi’s passion lies between interior architecture and graphic representation of expression and her Emirati heritage. Graduating with a degree of Interior Design from Zayed University, her aspirations are to intertwine the weaves of her Emirati traditions and culture into the societies of the world. Her creative expressions are most known under her handle of Hessa Archives, where she has collaborated and worked with brands such as Adidas, Ounass, the 52nd Union Day, and Sikka 2024. She is currently working on her research that encapsulates the memories of her grandmother in Shindagha and has brought forth part of that research as an installation for Sikka Art Fair 2024, and continues to do so in various forms soon to be announced.
- A cultural initiative led by husband-and-wife visual creatives, dedicated to capturing the beauty and unique character of neighbourhoods across Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. By focusing on the overlooked details of streets and urban spaces, the project brings to life the essence and vibes of these communities, inviting a deeper connection to the vibrant identity of the Emirates beyond the digital realm.
- Sofiane Si Merabet (The Confused Arab)French-Algerian artist and author living and working in Dubai. A travel-obsessed polyglot, Sofiane has always been involved in projects reflecting on plural identities. On his digital platform, The Confused Arab, Sofiane explores the concept of what he calls the “future of nostalgia.” In parallel to his ongoing research around memories, identities, and diaspora, he also investigates these themes through interactive installations. In most of his work. Sofiane interrogates emblematic spaces and their role(s) in human interactions. He recently published his first book “l’Arabe confus” on the complexity of Arab identities
- Aida Balaš (100architects)Director of Business Development at 100architects, a global design firm recognized for transforming urban spaces into dynamic, interactive environments that challenge conventional urban design. Their design emphasizes bold, eye-catching designs that stimulate curiosity and connection, reshaping how people experience and interact with their surroundings.
- Tala GharagozlouArchitectural designer engaged in both professional practice and interdisciplinary research and academic work. She is currently the project manager for the design of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project. She started her career working for Frank Gehry in Los Angeles.
Moderator:
- Aleksei AfanasievCultural Advisor, a specialist in cultural development and communications in contemporary art. With his 15 years of extensive experience, Aleksei has contributed to the cultural transformations of the Red October Factory in Moscow and the growth of Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, including the Rem Kolhas-designed exhibition hall Concrete. Aleksei has managed the pop-up space of Galleria Continua at the legendary Burj Al Arab Hotel. Through various initiatives, he has collaborated with the Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Cosmoscow, Art Dubai, Abu Dhabi Art, India Art Fair, and Singapore Art Week. Born and raised in Moscow, he lives and works in Dubai since 2010.
Academic advisors of the conference
- Khaled AlawadiAssociate Professor of Sustainable Urbanism, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi
- George KatodrytisProfessor of Architecture,
at American University of Sharjah, Sharjah
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Curated by Anna Vetoshkina
