Abu Dhabi and Dubai announce shows for London Design Biennale

The capital's House of Artisans explores the relationship between sadu and architecture, while Dubai Culture connects the traditional role of camel caravans with the Hope Probe

House of Artisans's pavilion at the 2023 London Design Biennale will showcase the traditional Emirati process of sadu. Photo: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced the participation of House of Artisans at the London Design Biennale 2023, which runs from June 1 to 25 at Somerset House.

Formation of Soof, the immersive installation by House of Artisans, will highlight the relationship between Emirati crafts and architecture. Among those featured are the Emirati Bedouin weaving technique sadu, inscribed in 2011 on Unesco's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The House of Artisans will also explore the materials and tools used in sadu — shedding light on the soof (wool), maghzal (spinner) and ghazal (spindle), to show how women in the UAE produce their wares. Highlighting the relationship between culture, heritage and creativity, the installation will also draw on the transmission of crafts from one generation to the next.

Building on this, the pavilion explores the flow of movement involved in transforming the soft raw material used in sadu, which was fundamental to the construction of traditional tent structures.

Meanwhile, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority has also commissioned Emirati artist and designer Abdalla Almulla to produce an installation called And Beyond for the three-week event.

And Beyond is a celebration of Dubai's history, which draws on the emirate's historical camel caravans, and their role in building bridges between various societies, separated by desert. This theme is explored through the lens of the Hope Probe, the UAE's mission to Mars, to further highlight the power of human connection and collaboration through immersive design and storytelling.

Almulla explains: “This desert environment I rediscovered prompted me to think about the nature of the challenges of our ancestors and their ability to face harsh conditions and adapt to them.

"I juxtaposed the journey of camel caravans with the remarkable success achieved by the Hope Probe, which is an example of human ambition and our infinite capabilities via scenes inspired by my observations and experiences in Dubai.”

Reflecting on Dubai's participation, Khulood Khoory, projects and events director at Dubai Culture, said design was an essential element in creative expression, consolodating innovation and sustainability.

“London Design Biennale provides a space for constructive dialogue, anticipating the future of design and encouraging the exchange of experiences," Khoory added.

Established in 2016 by Sir John Sorrell and Ben Evans, the London Design Biennial, it promotes international collaboration and the global role of design. This year's event features more than 40 exhibitors from across the world. The theme, The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations, invites participants to transcend borders to envision new forms of international co-operation and participation through design.

The 2023 artistic director is Nieuwe Instituut, the Dutch national museum and institute for architecture, design, and digital culture, led by general director Aric Chen.

Expanding on this year's theme, Chen said: "The era of globalisation as we’ve known it is transforming into a new condition that we can’t yet define. What we know for sure, however, is that in confronting our ever-growing planetary challenges, working together is more critical than ever — and we hope this biennale can act as a testing ground for examining new possibilities for doing so.”