Rubu Qarn celebrates youth creativity at 11th Visual Arts Forum

Organised by Rubu’ Qarn for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators, the exhibition is held in collaboration with Fan, the platform for media discovery and creativity, under the Rubu’ Qarn Arts pathway. The exhibition takes place at 06 Mall, where participants’ artworks are showcased, the outcome of an eight-day artistic journey that immersed young artists in an inspiring environment of creativity and self-expression.

Exploring the world of handmade artist books

The programme introduced participants to the craft of handmade artist books as a visual and tactile medium that combines drawing, collage, text, and found or recycled materials. Each book became a personal artistic journey, narrating the story of its creator, their identity, memories, and relationship with their surroundings.

Inspired by the vibrant Emirati environment, its desert colours, coastal shades, architectural motifs, and symbols of generosity and tolerance, participants reinterpreted their cultural heritage through a contemporary artistic perspective, combining authenticity with innovation.

Pioneering artistic projects and rich creative outcomes

The programme featured two pioneering art projects. The first, led by Emirati artist Mouza Al Falasi, focused on storytelling through artist books, encouraging participants to explore identity, memory, and belonging. The second, conducted by artist Khalid Al Bana, provided hands-on training in printing and collage techniques, inspiring participants to create multimedia works that reflect both personal and community narratives.

The forum concluded with an impressive collection of artistic outputs, including 21 artist books, 24 individual art experiments, and 104 collective artworks created by 47 young artists from diverse age groups.

Empowering a new generation of artists

Through these projects, participants turned memories and everyday elements into lively artistic expressions, where each page reflected identity and each material mirrored discovery.

By doing so, the Rubu’ Qarn Visual Arts Forum continues to foster creative talent, encourage the next generation of young artists, and reinforce the role of the arts as a universal language of expression, dialogue, and openness.