To mark the UAE’s 50th anniversary, the ‘Draped in Heritage’ exhibition celebrates all seven Emirates in patriotic style. It uses fashion and photography as a force of reflection for the revolutionary evolution of the UAE.
Located in Mall of the Emirates is ‘Zeman Awwal’, a newly opened cultural space dedicated to commemorating local heritage; whilst opening up a platform for Emirati artists to exhibit their work.
The area is made up of nine district zones championing Emirati fashion, food and more. From a traditional Emirati Souq to a cinema showing old Emirati movies and television shows, the heritage hub plans to embed an everlasting experience for whoever wishes to engage – whether that be locals, residents or tourists. The end goal is to treasure the formidable and dynamic impact that the UAE has not only had on their own country, but the world.
Draped in Heritage
The first installation, ‘Draped in Heritage’, curated by Dr Reem Tariq El Mutwalli – founder of the Zay Initiative – took us on a retrospective and progressive journey. It uses the power of photography and fashion to provoke discussion and appreciation for what was, what is, and what could be.
The Zay Initiative aspires to keep the Arab culture and heritage alive and represented, by empowering and creating a universal conversation about it that will inspire creatives globally. This is achieved through documentation, collection, archiving and using the findings in exhibitions, articles and webinars. It all provokes a conversation about the progression of the ideology on what the role of a woman is in the UAE today, which has limitless answers.
Dr Reem Tariq El Mutwalli ensures ‘Draped in Heritage’ embraces the excellence and empowerment of women by redefining what a woman should look like, ultimately due to the preservation of their cultural heritage and tradition.
Zay Collection
The garments displayed in the exhibition are part of a collection of dresses from the Zay Collection, which comprises the chosen women’s attire from the region’s cultivated families to the rural. The photographic section of the exhibition shows the garments worn by twenty avant-guard Emirati women, complimented by a suitable backdrop of their field work or accomplishments; an example being the first woman to become Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, Dr Maryam.
The installation showcases prominent individuals such as Sheikha Shamma, the great-granddaughter of the UAE founding father, the late Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is making developments in the sustainability and environmental sector as the CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability whilst alongside launching a tremendously successful non-profit environmental initiative, the Circle of Hope Foundation.
The chosen twenty pioneering women give us an outlook to the richness of diversity, work ethic, and vocation.
A must-see exhibition for anyone wanting to immerse themselves into the history and future of all of our enterprising Emirates. Educating and remembering is the tool to maintain and heighten the excellence and innovation of the country. As quoted by the late Sheikh Zayed, “it is from the past that we learn”, words which inspired this exhibition.
