Sharjah: The Aswar Art Centre in Sharjah unveiled the group exhibition ‘Rooted Patterns: Contemporary Emirati Narratives’, marking its official opening yesterday. The event was inaugurated by Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director General of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Leaders and Innovators, alongside notable artists such as Dr. Najat Makki and Mona Al Khaja, as well as several other artists, media figures, and researchers.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Aswar Art Centre continues to establish its role in the Emirati cultural and artistic scene, with a vision that encompasses art education, research, practice, artistic production, exhibitions, and cultural dialogue. The center aims to create an environment that supports talent development and enhances artistic practices.

The exhibition is the result of an eight-week program that brought together six Emirati female artists, focusing on research, exploration, and experimentation. This program enabled participants to develop their artistic concepts, formulate expressive strategies, discover their individual styles, and transform personal ideas and experiences into cohesive works of art.

Overseen by the center’s founders, the program combined theoretical and practical learning, offering an educational approach that assists female artists in developing their projects and collections while carving out clearer and more independent paths in their creative practices.

The exhibition serves as the culmination of this educational experience, providing a platform for participants to present their work to the public and the art community. It also opens a dialogue on the potential of contemporary artistic practice in interpreting identity, memory, and cultural heritage.

Participating artists in the exhibition include Amna Al Ketbi, Amna Al Banna, Al Yazia Al Jasmi, Mona Bin Salloum, Nouf Al Dars, and Sarah Al Bannai. This initiative underscores Aswar Center’s commitment to expanding learning, practice, and exhibition spaces, enhancing the visibility of Emirati artists in the art scene, and connecting the educational process with professional experience and public interaction.