Emirati and Polish artists reinterpret folktales as Sharjah sparks cross-continent creativity

Warsaw: Old folktales from across two continents came back to life with a twist thanks to a partnership between Emirati and Polish artists.

The Polish version of Folktales Reimagined sees old stories from the UAE and Poland interpreted by artists from their opposite country, adding a new dimension to historic stories.

The exhibition has been organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) in collaboration with the Polish Section of IBBY at the National Library of Poland.

It is part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair, held under the theme “Two Civilisations: One Language of Letters”.

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and Founder and Honorary President of the UAEBBY inaugurated the event during the fair, which runs from May 28 to May 31.

Sheikha Bodour said: “The Polish edition of the exhibition holds special significance as it forms part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour participation at the 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair, reflecting our belief that culture has the power to build genuine bridges of communication and mutual understanding between peoples.

"What Emirati and Polish artists present in this exhibition is far more than a reinterpretation of traditional tales; it is a new visual reading that revives folk narratives through the spirit of the present, reaffirming that creativity remains one of the most powerful means of bringing cultures closer together and safeguarding our shared human memory for future generations”.

The exhibition's opening ceremony was attended by Dr Tomasz Makowski, Director-General of the National Library of Poland; His Excellency Mohamed Ahmed Al Harbi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Poland; Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People; Joanna Piekarska, President of the Polish Section of IBBY;

"Each participant explores the symbols and cultural meanings embedded in the folk tales of the other country, then reimagines them visually through a deeply personal interpretation," said Marwa Al Aqroubi.

"In this edition, we aimed for the exhibition to become a living space where collective memory intersects with contemporary art, opening the door for audiences to engage with these tales not merely as stories from the past, but as part of a shared cultural and human identity.”

The participating Emirati artists presented contemporary visual interpretations of some of Poland’s most celebrated folk tales. Artist AlReem AlMannaee reimagined the tale of Dratewka The Shoemaker, Fatima AlZarouni offered an artistic interpretation of King Popiel and the Mice, Khalid Mezaina drew inspiration from the legend of the The Basilisk of Warsaw, Safa Al Mazrouie reinterpreted The Fern Flower, and Naama Al Awadi reimagined The Devil’s Paw.

In turn, the participating Polish artists offered new visual readings of Emirati folk tales, exploring the local environment and popular symbols that form part of the UAE’s cultural memory. The tales reimagined were Salama and Her Daughters, Dinuh and Arbab, Netifan, Hamda and Badiha, and Al Barmah.

The Polish edition of the exhibition, launched by the UAEBBY in 2019 as part of the celebrations marking Sharjah World Book Capital, marks a new addition to the project’s previous international editions. Previous editions of the exhibition have been hosted in Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Greece, Russia, and Morocco.