ABU DHABI: American expat Jill Magi, a faculty member of New York University of Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), will be showcasing the traditional art of Bedouin weaving in her home country on Friday.
An assistant arts professor, literature/creative writing and visual arts at NYUAD, Magi is all set to present a two-part workshop on ‘Bedouin-rooted Weaving’ and the ‘Poetics of Place Making’ at Washington Square in New York City.
The influence
Magi is an artist, critic and educator whose research and teaching interests include poetry and poetics, experimental literature, handmade books, alternatives to mainstream publishing, and textile arts. When she moved to Abu Dhabi four years ago she was touched by the commitment of people towards education.
“A spirit of adventure in learning seems to permeate the UAE, and that has encouraged me to learn new things. I noticed that Al Sadu – Bedouin weaving – was a feature of life here. From beautiful handbags made of traditional designs to patterns on logos and interconnected pavements on sidewalks, I saw it featured everywhere.
“As a beginner weaver myself, I became curious about how Al Sadu is made; so with assistance from the office of community-based Learning at NYUAD, I visited the General Women’s Union to observe and meet the weavers,” says Magi.
“The women who weave were among the very first people to make “dwellings” in this land. Their weavings made the walls and floors of tents. So as I walk and think about weaving and the architecture around me, I am bringing those women weavers into the present tense. I see their historical contribution to the word “dwelling” all around me. I was amazed to learn that the root of the word “sadu” means to stretch out, to reach forward, and it can also refer to a camel’s stride. So walking and forward motion – the long stripes that women would weave on floor looms that stretched out ahead of them – are right inside the word ‘sadu’ itself,” says Magi.
New York-bound
Holding these deep influences in mind, Magi decided to take Bedouin weaving to one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world – New York.
“Poetics is a word that artists and writers use to describe the process of making something. In the workshop I will be discussing the connection I find between weaving and Abu Dhabi’s architecture. Then I will invite participants to make small, page-sized weavings with a small cardboard loom. We will experiment with patterns and designs that are geometric, in homage to the Bedouin weavers. I will then invite them to handle language like a thread, like the material of weaving, and to compose something that captures their idea of ‘belonging’,” she says.
Magi wants participants of the workshop to realise that Abu Dhabi, like any place, is wonderfully complex. On returning to Abu Dhabi in April, she will include all the feedback in her research.
The writer is an Abu Dhabi-based freelancer
