Sikka Art & Design Festival 2025: 19 Houses, 250 Artists, Infinite Creativity

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is celebrating a vibrant spectrum of artistic experiences at the 13^th Sikka Art & Design Festival, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture. Taking place in Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood, the festival features over 250 Emirati and UAE & GCC-based creatives. Through this initiative, Dubai Culture aims to foster a sustainable ecosystem that supports talent and enriches the local art scene. This year’s edition, part of the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy, transforms 19 houses into colourful showcases, led by chief curator Sheikh Maktoum bin Marwan Al Maktoum.

The festival includes the ‘Design House’ curated by Alanood Bukhammas, which hosts six innovative projects exploring the region’s architectural and cultural roots. Highlighting the interplay between space and identity, the Omani collective ‘Altqadum’ presents ‘Alhoush³ - The Courtyard³,’ emphasising the courtyard as a core element of local architecture. Similarly, Palestinian-Lebanese artist Amer Madhoun – Collectus revives the annex as a key feature of Emirati heritage in his work ‘Annexe House.’ Capturing the essence of everyday rituals, Indian artist Aqib Anwar documents post-Friday prayer moments in Dubai. Focusing on the senses, Emirati artist Deenah Alhashemi’s ‘Childhood Archives’ examines whether scents serve as a universal language or a deeply personal memory trigger. Emirati researcher Jumaanah Alhashemi’s ‘Future Histories’ also uses scent, but as a medium to craft an immersive experience that reveals the profound impact of olfactory perception on enriching artistic expression. Syrian artist Zena Adhami’s exhibition, ‘Between Nature and Design: The Private Gardens of Dubai,’ displays works by students from Zayed University’s College of Arts and Creative Enterprises.

The ‘Urban House by The Workshop DXB’ (House 196) curated by Lebanese artist Ahmad Makary, brings together a diverse collection of thought-provoking artworks. Among them, Filipino artist Gerard Roxas Rechdan’s ‘The Audible Self’ offers an immersive sensory installation that translates the internal processes of our emotional world through sound. Indian-Canadian artist Fatspatrol’s ‘Between Hope and Devastation’ examines the tension between these two opposing states. Iranian artist Kav Ahangar, in ‘Don't Pull My Strings,’ invites the audience to delve into the delicate fabric of human emotions. New Zealand artist Noah Perelini’s ‘Fragments’ navigates the complexities of identity and authenticity. Meanwhile, Makary himself presents ‘Veiled Tension,’ a striking installation confronting passive-aggressive communication. The Workshop DXB also celebrates printmaking in ‘The Print Room.’

The House On Memory Lane (House 200) presents a collection of creations exploring concepts of nostalgia, a sense of self, and cultural legacy. Alya Alhosani’s ‘Beyond the Memory’ visualises the perception of memory and its artistic embodiment. ‘Remnants of the Past’ by Aysha Aldhaheri integrates handmade paper, natural dyes, and traditional crafts like Al Sadu, Al Talli, and Al Khoos, blending texture, sound, and heritage. Fatema (Fay) Alkaabi’s project ‘The City Surrounds Her’ reflects on her grandmother’s life and its connection to the UAE’s transformation. Reem Alhashmi’s ‘Among the Acacia’ captures personal memories of nature through hand-dyed silk. In ‘Take a (Car) Seat,’ Shama Almazrouie unpacks family dynamics and Shamsa Almansoori’s ‘Whispers Through Walls’ explores the curiosity sparked by house facades, questioning the contrast between external appearances and internal realities. Duo Maitha Al Omaira and Amna Al Zaabi’s ‘Paradox of Preservation’ gathers natural materials from Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood to create a topographical database of the area.

The themes of House 202—Archiving the Now, curated by Ola Allouz, centre on heritage preservation and storytelling through traditional and digital practices. A collaboration between Allouz and supervising professor Dahlia Mahmoud, and the University of Europe | Dubai design team—including Dalia Ayman, Khuloud Al Khateb, and Mariam Al Ali—the exhibition highlights interactive moments that examine the intersection of technology and the arts, using a series of images and specially crafted artworks.

Meanwhile, The House In The Back Of Your Mind (House 206) features a collection of works exploring identity, memory, and human connection across various mediums. abdelghani alnahawi, in ‘Underwater Tunnel’, examines the interplay of nature and industry, weaving parallel loops that merge elements of the ocean and the desert. Ahed Al Kathiri’s ‘I Heard Longing in Jada’s Throat’ is a sound piece featuring recordings of her grandmother singing a traditional Yemeni bridal chant in the Radaai dialect. In ‘Symmetry series’, Aseel Azizieh explores the delicate balance between similarities and differences among individuals, emphasising the ways we complement one another.

The project ‘Waters’ offers a captivating audiovisual experience, collaboratively created by multiple artists, exploring the boundless power of water through experimental film photography. Divyaaunshi Purohit’s ‘Without a Voice, Grief Takes Shape in Silence’ captures the emotional remnants left in abandoned houses. Ferwa Ibrahim’s ‘Megh Variations’ delves into the poetic and psychological dimensions of water and its influence on human imagination. Hamad Alshamsi’s ‘The Spirit of Nobility’ presents a portrait of the Arabian horse, a symbol of Arab cultural heritage.

Hana El-Sagini’s ‘The Greenest Room’ takes form as a ceramic installation reflecting themes of love, resilience, and growth, while Hesham Ali Abd El Aziz’s ‘Egyptians’ pays homage to Egyptian life through intricate three-dimensional compositions. Jaafar Alhaddad’s ‘Map of Imagination’ revives childhood memories with his grandmother, inviting viewers to explore the connection of nostalgia and reality. Ji-Hye Kim’s ‘The Story of Light, Water, and Stone’ draws inspiration from Petra’s landscapes, and Khoula Hamad’s ‘Traces of Home’ reflects on the human struggle between movement and daily routine. Khalid Alsaabri, in ‘The Ethereal Islands’, challenges perceptions of colour and light, while Laia Lopez’s ‘Last Tribes in Siberia’ documents the fading traditional lifestyles of Siberian tribes.

The house also has a sensory element. Mariam Al Khoori’s ‘Form and Flux’ looks at the relationship between tension and harmony, using palm wood and copper to symbolise the balance between fluidity and solidity. Maryam Alhashmi, in ‘Attempt to Connect’, delivers a sound-based work reflecting our struggle to communicate with ourselves in a world saturated with external interactions, while ‘Cacophony’ by Mezna Suwaidan translates dreamlike chaos into a tangible environment. Mohammad Ahmad Ahli, in ‘When Lava Becomes Land’, documents the transformation of molten lava into solid earth. Nada Barakeh presents ‘Windshield’, a photography series capturing the social fabric of Riyadh and Istanbul through car interiors. Rania Jishi’s ‘A Mother’s Kitchen’, explores motherhood, diaspora, and cultural preservation using fragmented kitchen elements, while Rawan Mohi’s ‘Silent Observer’ is a ceramic installation that examines the quiet tension between presence and absence. Sara Al Khayyal, in ‘Control Dies Here’, questions the illusion of control in shaping one’s sense of self, and Shaden Almutlaq, in ‘Fires That Cook I’, manipulates flax fibres into a matted landscape, symbolising the fluidity of change.

The house also includes an array of additional works, such as ‘The Double Egg Yolk’ by Shahd Sultan; ‘Homeland Echoes’ by Shahd Mohamed Alblooshi; ‘Clouds in My Sky’ by Thomas Stollar; ‘Where Roots Speak’ by Ruqaya Alhashmi; and the installation ‘Brink of the Abyss’ by Ulku Caglayan.

Realiity House (House 341), curated by Dr. Ahmad AlAttar, offers a fully immersive artistic experience that blends traditional art with modern technologies, engaging with themes of identity, time, and memory in innovative ways. Dr. Alattar’s works —‘The Oasis Within,’ ‘Moments,’ ‘At the Speed of Sadu,’ ‘Dates = IR,’ and ‘Melodies of a Mashtal’ —present different perspectives on the interaction between nature, time, and sound.

The Realiity platform also features ‘Roots and Towers,’ a holographic artwork documenting the UAE’s urban transformation. Omar Al Hammadi and Marwan Sharaf, in ‘Tempo of Emotions,’ create an interactive installation that responds to emotional states. Maitha Al Mehairi, Shamma Khoory, and Marwan Sharaf employ artificial intelligence to revive and reconstruct lost memories in ‘Epochs of Memories.’ Marwan Sharaf’s ‘Shifting Sands’ presents a generative digital artwork depicting the movement of sand dunes, while Latifa Saeed’s ‘Dust Devil 1’ captures the phenomenon of an electromagnetic sand tornado through an innovative sensory experience.

Expanding on the relationship between cultural roots and identity, the house features ‘The Frogs in the Pond’ by Tala Hammoud Atrouni; ‘O Justice’ by Shamma Ali Al Ameri; and ‘The Dance of Horizons’ by Khawla Abu Saleh. Dr. Nahed Chakouf’s ‘The Sacred Matrix’ reinterprets Islamic Muqarnas as a kinetic, ever-evolving structure, while Dr Afra Atiq’s ‘Qaseeda Bela Kalimat (A Poem Without Words)’ explores the rhythmic essence of Arabic poetry through an interactive sound-based installation. Materiality and transformation emerge in Salma Hani Ali’s ‘Metamorphic Forms – Study 21,’ a dynamic metal sculpture that shifts through movement, questioning the fluidity of spatial boundaries.

In an exploration of digital creativity, Amir Suleymani’s ‘What’s Not an NFT?’, challenges the boundaries of art and ownership in the blockchain era. The exhibition space also features ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’ by Realiity, an augmented reality (AR) experience where a virtual palm tree emerges, symbolising heritage and innovation in the UAE. Other notable works include ‘Al-Bariha – The Future of Al-Ayyala’ by Hassan Al-Ali; ‘Pearls of Imperfection,’ ‘Digital Portal to Al Shindagha's Past’ and ‘Tides of Being’ by Mohamad Al Hamadi and Dr Ahmad AlAttar; ‘Gargoor El Hayat’ by Dr Afra Atiq and Dr Ahmad AlAttar; ‘Echoes of the Creek’ by Mohammed Alawadhi; ‘Moss-Behaving’ by Realiity; and ‘Emotional Entanglement’ by Omar Alhammadi.

TODA House 349, curated by Evgeniya Romanidi, presents digital artworks exploring the relationship between individuality, technology, and nature. Among them is ‘A Window to the Sea’ by Chafic Mekawi, which invites viewers to think about Arab identity through the symbolism of a circle. Ginger Potter’s ‘Flat Reality’ looks at the impact of technology on perception, while his work ‘Petals’ raises awareness on how we interact with the world and how others perceive us. Rank SSS, in ‘Home of Nomads’, transports viewers into hidden realms, merging nature and the digital to create landscapes that transcend conventional perception.

The Khaleeji House 353, curated by Yara Ayoob, focuses on dreams, transformation, and the interplay between past and future through photography, installations, and sensory experiences. Alia Bent Sultan, in ‘Dreams of the Era Might Become a Reality We Live’, reflects on how today’s seniors are seen, blending traditions with modern aspirations. Similarly engaging with change, Ali Hamad Saeed Huraimil’s ‘Freej Fever Dream’ investigates the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic creativity. Hadeel Ahmed Alshalan’s ‘Tasteless’ explores the evolution of birthday celebrations in the Gulf, while Hamed Alharthy’s ‘Zombie 1 & 2’ critiques the monotony of middle-class life. In ‘The Dialectic of Transformation,’ Khadija Ahmed addresses the concept of change through the symbolism of fish. Lamya Issa, Shaikha Al Matrooshi, and Anoud Alamri’s collaborative work ‘Shu Mswti? ‘examines overthinking and the blurred boundaries between dreams and waking life. The exhibition also features  ‘Dreaming Over the Hills’ by Latifa Al Awadhi; ‘Notifiactionssss’ by Mahmood Sharif; ‘Dreams in the Wash’ by Sard - Mujahid Almalki; ‘Legends in Metal’ by Noor N. Alali; ‘A7lam Al3a9r on the Uke’ by Rataj Khajah; and a virtual animated mural by Mariam Alobeidli.

House 436 - The House On A Two-Way Street celebrates the diversity of art and creative experiences, bridging past and present. Aisha Al Hammadi’s ‘Emergence’ reinterprets Islamic geometric patterns within contemporary art, gradually disintegrating them to balance between presence and absence. Alia Adnan Sharafi’s ‘Friday Prayer’ examines the tension between religious commitment and modern distractions. Meanwhile, ‘Defrosting What Was’ by Alina El Assadi reflects on frozen histories and suspended moments in time.

Exploring nostalgia, Amna Ilyas’s ‘The Album’ recontextualises childhood memories by transforming everyday objects into fossilised forms. Similarly, Asma Yousef Al Ahmed’s ‘Folded Memory’ highlights nostalgia through fabric folding and stitching techniques. Andres Ugartechea’s ‘El Mercado Market’ shifts the focus to global working-class experiences in a mixed-media installation, while Bao’s ‘Figure’ critiques the dynamics of the contemporary art market.

Sustainability and materiality take centre stage in Fatma Kherbash’s ‘Hive Studies,’ which incorporates beeswax and reclaimed wood frames. Malak El Ghuel’s ‘Four out of Ninety-Nine’ reimagines the 99 Names of Allah using textile art. Mariam Bayat, in ‘Erth,’ honours Emirati heritage by incorporating handmade paper, palm tree fibres, and Al Ain sand. Meanwhile, Layla Doueidi and Tor Seidel’s ‘Odoroasis’ maps Dubai and Sharjah through scent-based storytelling, creating an immersive olfactory experience.

Urban development and personal narratives emerge in works like Reem Al Ani’s ‘Trespassers,’ which captures the experience of growing up in a city that constantly evolves, while Zayed University students Hessa Naser, Mariam Al Ali, Suad Al Younes, and Asma AlShamsi document the historical transformation of Al Rams in Ras Al Khaimah and Old Umm Al Quwain in ‘Untold Stories,’ preserving their narratives before urban development reshapes them.

Additional pieces featured in the house include: ‘Untitled Still Life’ by Lameece Bouarroudj; ‘Through the Glass, We Grew’ by Maitha Bushelaibi; ‘Kwaashi’ by Maryam Alzaabi; ‘Imagined Memories’ by Maryam Bin Bishr; ‘Residual Traces’ by Mohamed Maged Rowaizak; ‘Still Life With Teapot’ by Morvarid Mohammad; ‘Traversing Light’ by Sara Alahbabi; ‘Unforeseen Consequences, Pursuit of Influence, Diverse Perspectives’ by Shahid Altaf Awan; ‘What’s The Next Stop?’ by Somaya Alsayed; ‘Visual Noise’ by Tamer Karam; ‘Emerging Ephemerals’ by Dr Aref Maksoud and Eng Sarah Isam Alawneh; ‘An Interplay of Light And Water’ by Zahra Shafie; and ‘Through Their Windows’ by Zainab Alhashmi.

Studio Thirteen House 357 at the festival is presented under the theme ‘Community’, where artists Spencer Shea and Arthur Du Peuty showcase ‘Passing Through’, a photographic and sound experience that documents everyday cultural moments. Meanwhile, British artist Fink 22, in ‘Hidden Conversations’, explores graffiti as a visual communication tool. Mexican artist José Roberto’s ‘Surreal Land’ reinterprets the centenary of the Surrealist movement within Dubai’s historical setting. Filipino artists Martin Yambao and Yasha Estrada, in ‘Echoes’, merge the textures of Al Shindagha with real-time motion capture, highlighting the relationship between fabric and movement. Leo Tapang’s ‘Dialogues’ transforms the static history of Al Shindagha into dynamic interactions, while Rabab Tantawy’s ‘Shadows of Humanity’ presents a collection of abstract paintings reflecting cultural identity and collective memory.

House 348, presented by 7X and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), celebrates Emirati identity and cultural evolution through a thoughtfully curated collection. Among the highlights are ‘Time Stamps’ by Abdallah Alastad, ‘Embroidery on Prints’ by Aysha AlMadhani, and ‘Kazua’ by Hessa AlZarooni, a rocking chair inspired by local heritage and modern design. Other pieces on display are ‘Reimagining Carrom’ by Hind Rais, which is a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional game, and Mariam Alobeidli’s ‘Eternal Motion: The UAE’s Journey,’ a rotating sculpture symbolising the nation's transformation.

The festival, which runs until 9 February, is organised in partnership with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, and the Emirates Council for Rural Development.

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