Ramadaniyyat رمضانيّات

Friday, March 15 - Thursday, March 21, 2024, NYU Abu Dhabi

On the occasion of Ramadan, NYU Abu Dhabi presents the return of Ramadaniyyat, a diverse, week-long series of events ranging from live talks to performances and exhibition tours.

The program will be hosted jointly by NYUAD’s three public-facing institutions: The Arts Center, The Art Gallery, and The Institute.

 


March 15, 16 and 17

Ramadaniyyat: The Boom Diwaniya

March 15, 16, 17 at 9:30pm-12am in the The Black Box, The Arts Center (Building C3)

An evening of music between the Seafaring Arabian Gulf and Swahili Coastal communities.

The Boom Diwaniya is a musical salon and nexus point for reconnecting musical dialogues of the Western Indian Ocean and beyond. Informal evening gatherings will introduce the Kuwaiti diwaniya, where members from traditional groups including The Hamad Bin Hussein Ensemble and The Mayouf Mejally Ensemble will perform and share the traditional sea arts (bahri music). Each evening will feature guest artists including celebrated violinist Layth Sidiq and multi-instrumentalist Mbarak Ali Haji.

Presented In Partnership with NYUAD Music Program.


March 16 and 17

Performance by In Real Time artist Moza Almatrooshi

Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17 at 8-9 PM
The NYUAD Art Gallery Reading Room

As part of Ramadaniyyat, Moza Almatrooshi will create a series of performances that contribute to the exhibition now on view, In Real Time.

This work is part of her ongoing series that documents the movements of bakers and confectioners during their work (Glaze, 2020, The Alphabetics of the Baker, and The Confectioner, 2021). In these performances, “alphabets” are shaped into bread. Instead of letter forms, these alphabets result from the movements of bakers’ hands, movements that have evolved into a language of their own. A total of 35 alphabets have formed.

For the performance as part of the exhibition at the NYUAD Art Gallery, the artist will reverse her gesture, and offer brea that fills the forms of the baker’s alphabet.

Almatrooshi writes: “With every performance a new narrative will be ‘written’ using the breads, which will later be consumed by the exhibition visitors.”


March 17

In Real Time Family Art Workshop

Sunday, March 17 at 5-6:30 PM

Join us for a family workshop inspired by Haleh Redjaian’s work in the In Real Time exhibition. Families will be invited to observe Redjaian's spatial installation in the gallery, and afterwards will convene in the Atrium to create their own artwork using threads and geometric shapes.

Haleh Redjaian lives and works in Berlin. She works in a variety of mediums, predominantly works on paper, textiles, murals and spatial installations. Grounded in geometry, she uses its rules to reshape and retrace the apparent order of angles and lines.

The event will be followed by an Iftar.


March 20

Performance by In Real Time artist Nujoom Alghanem, invite only

Wednesday, March 20, 9:30pm in the Art Gallery Atrium

Join us for a performative poetry reading by Nujoom Alghanem, followed by the collaborative initiation of the artist’s new addition to In Real Time, titled Geography in Transformation (2022-ongoing). For this work, the Alghanem draws inspiration from the Greek mythology of the three sisters who spin the fate of humanity, and reimagines the concepts of thread and weaving, shifting the focus from individuals to landscapes, geographies, and countries. In her vision, these entities also face a destiny shaped by human actions, enduring colonization, wars, and even urbanization. Through her installation, complemented by performances, Alghanem invites the audience to actively engage in the creation of their own geographies. Using standard map colors and yarns, participants are encouraged to weave and define the breadth and borders of land, offering a unique exploration of the intricate relationship between humans and their environments.

* Nujoom Alghanem photo courtesy of the UAE National Pavilion


March 21

Ramadan Nights: The Spirit of Motherhood

March 21,  9:30pm in  John Sexton Square 

A celebration of Mother's Day and the holy month of Ramadan through the art of Mahawat (lullabies) and spiritual poetry. The event features a Ramadan dialogue with Dr. Nooria Al-Obaidli on the blessings of motherhood, performances by Sherine Tahami, readings by Dr. Fatima Al-Mazrouei, and Mahawat performances by NYUAD students. 

Jointly hosted by NYU Abu Dhabi’s three public-facing institutions: