Dubai Culture celebrates registration of UAE’s traditional Talli craft on UNESCO list

Dubai: The 11th Sikka Art and Design Festival, the flagship event of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), and through the Talli House, is highlighting four innovative artworks made by five Emirati female artists inspired by the traditional threads of Al Talli Craft, in celebration of the UAE’s success in registering the Al Talli craft on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage last December.

In one of the rooms of the house, artist Sara Alkhayyal shed light on her project, ‘Textile Tales - Talli Currency,’ which documents the history of women in the UAE and how they were empowered. Through a combination of textile patterns and motifs, the artist aimed to contemporise the traditional jalabiyah and spark the interest of younger generations in lesser-known cultural stories. The resulting Textile Tales - Talli Currency project showcases these designs and encourages people to uncover more about their own heritage. In collaboration with Mirzam, Alkhayyal’s project also inspired a limited-edition chocolate wrapper featuring Talli-inspired designs.

Hajer Altenaiji’s ‘Thoub Khediya’ is a poignant tapestry design that commemorates her mother’s passing when she was young, depicting her mother’s traditional Emirati thoub in heaven. In ‘The O-Collection - Sikka Edition,’ artists Feryal Al Bastaki and Munira Almulla explore the fusion of contemporary furniture design with traditional crafts like Al Talli and Khoos; their furniture installation is a stunning showcase of this amalgamation.

Artist Noora Taher, commissioned by NAFS Culture, is presenting ‘Van Gogh Thoub’: two dresses influenced by Vincent Van Goh’s unique style and the Bu Tilla’s unmistakable dotted pattern, replacing the brush with Al Talli and the canvas with Silk.

At the Talli House, Dubai Culture is hosting a range of interactive workshops and live artistic performances featuring Al Talli craftswomen. The aim is to offer visitors a chance to learn about the intricate details of traditional Talli craft and production. This initiative aligns with Dubai Culture’s commitment to supporting the city’s cultural and creative industries as a key contributor to its thriving creative economy.

About the festival

The 11th edition of the festival, held under the theme ‘New Creativity. Same Path’, showcases a diverse range of artworks from 188 artists. As part of Dubai Art Season, the festival takes place in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and features an array of artistic and creative events and activities that celebrate the richness of the local cultural scene.