Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
Held under the founding honorary patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Founding Honorary Patron of Abu Dhabi Festival, and the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the 'Abu Dhabi Festival’s Art @Embassies Talk' was presented at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka on 15th July.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) in collaboration with the UAE Pavilion, the panel brought together Emirati artists and their Japanese counterparts for a cultural dialogue exploring identity, materiality, memory, and pace of life.
The discussion is part of a broader series under ADMAF’s Abroad Programme, promoting human connection through the arts.
Founder of ADMAF and the Abu Dhabi Festival, Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, said the initiative, now in its third year, is a continuation of ADMAF’s mission to foster global artistic exchange.
“In collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Japan and as part of the UAE National Pavilion programme at Expo Osaka, we present a dialogue featuring young Emirati artists Shaikha Al Ketbi and Sarah Al Mehairi, in conversation with Chiaki Soma of Tokyo University of the Arts,” she said.
She noted that the talk explored contemporary themes of place and memory, contrasting slowness and acceleration in life.
“This initiative has previously travelled to London, Paris, and Seoul, and aims to deepen friendship, cooperation and cultural dialogue between artists from the UAE and Japan, this year’s Guest Country of Honour,” she added.
UAE Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Shihab Alfaheem, said art serves as a powerful medium of empathy, dialogue and innovation.
He praised the Art @ Embassies initiative for highlighting the UAE’s creative spirit and strengthening international bonds.
Deputy Commissioner General and Creative Director of the Pavilion, Shaikha Al Ketbi, said the space was dedicated to amplifying Emirati voices and celebrating the potential of cultural diplomacy through initiatives like Art @ Embassies.
The panel reflected the UAE Pavilion’s Earth to Ether theme, which emphasises how heritage informs progress.
The Pavilion, situated in the Empowering Lives Zone, was designed by the Earth to Ether Collective—an international team led by the UAE Expo Office.
In addition to the panel, ADMAF and the UAE Pavilion are hosting several cultural initiatives at Expo 2025 Osaka. In April, Emirati calligrapher, Mohamed Mandi, and Japanese master, Juichi Yoshikawa, created a collaborative work blending Arabic and Japanese calligraphy.
A rolling residency titled ‘Guest Artists Takeover’ features Emirati artists Asma Al Remeithi, Aisha (Yoshi) Al Ali, Sarah Al Mehairi and Moza Almatrooshi, who are transforming the Pavilion’s creative space through workshops and live sessions.
In August, ADMAF and NYU Abu Dhabi’s The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2025 winners, Sara Farha and Khaled Shalkha, will lead innovation-focused workshops at the Pavilion, encouraging artistic experimentation and cultural dialogue.
Through these programmes, ADMAF and the UAE Pavilion are showcasing the UAE’s artistic voice and promoting Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision to a global audience.
