Among the gardens and historic houses in Al Ain’s oases are seven light artworks, illuminating the area and bringing a contemporary edge to a beautiful and culturally significant space.
Manar Abu Dhabi has expanded beyond the capital this year with a new addition that merges light, heritage and community in one of the UAE’s most storied landscapes.
Under the theme The Light Compass, the festival’s curators – artistic director Khai Hori, along with Munira Al Sayegh, Alia Zaal Lootah and Mariam Alshehhi – have transformed Al Jimi and Al Qattara oases into glowing open-air galleries. The sites, both on the Unesco World Heritage list, now host installations by Emirati and international artists, including Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Khalid Shafar, Maitha Hamdan, Abdalla Almulla, Ammar Al Attar and Christian Brinkmann.
The expansion marks a significant evolution for Manar Abu Dhabi, which began in 2023 with installations across coastal and urban areas of the capital. Now, the festival moves inland, connecting audiences to the quieter rhythms of Al Ain while continuing its mission to celebrate Abu Dhabi as a hub for cultural innovation and contemporary public art.
For Hori, who is curating in the Gulf for the first time, bringing Manar Abu Dhabi to Al Ain is both a logistical and poetic journey. “It’s alive, but it’s empty at the same time,” he says. “People often associate darkness with solitude or sadness, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With art, darkness can also be a celebration of the light you can find within it.”
Navigating the darkness
Installing art within such a sensitive environment required a delicate approach. Al Jimi and Al Qattara are among the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the region, and every artwork was positioned with care. “To install the artworks, we collaborate with archaeologists,” Hori explains. “It’s not a straightforward process, but through it we learn more about the heritage of the oasis.”
This collaboration embodies Manar Abu Dhabi’s guiding idea: that light art is not only about illumination, but about revealing histories and connections. In Al Ain, that relationship is both literal and symbolic. The theme The Light Compass focuses on navigation through the stars, the moon and the knowledge that once guided desert travellers and seafarers alike.
This concept of navigation is explored on another level with Al Attar’s piece Cycle Of Circles. Presented in five sequential photographs, they show the artists in the process of making a circle while riding a bicycle.
Speaking on the meaning of his artwork, Al Attar says it’s about moving through life and through routines. How we often find ourselves back at the starting spot again and again yet must continue to move through life.
Al Sayegh, who co-curated the Al Ain sites, says the move inland was a natural extension of that idea. “Public art should extend itself to everyone, that’s the most romantic and ideal vision of it,” she says. “This year’s theme, navigation, is not only relevant to the people of the sea, but also to those who lived alongside the oases.”
By bringing Manar Abu Dhabi from the coastline to the desert, the team explored the dialogue between spaces that are bustling and those that are contemplative. “What happens when we move Manar away from the coast, from saltwater to freshwater?” Al Sayegh asks. “The same stars are guiding different waters, that contrast became really interesting for us.”
Past and present
Manar Abu Dhabi’s expansion into Al Ain is also a reflection of the city’s unique position within the UAE’s cultural landscape. “We often think of heritage and contemporary life as separate, but here they coexist,” says Al Sayegh. “This edition embraces that reality. It bridges the historical with the now.”
The artworks invite audiences to move through a sensory journey of light, sound, and space. The effect is both meditative and communal, with each piece guiding visitors along pathways that once connected ancient settlements and trade routes.
This introspective nature can be felt with two artworks, Maitha Hamdan’s Breath of the Same Place and Khalid Shafar’s Sadu Red Carpet. Hamdan’s piece drapes a lonely ghaf tree with luminescent wiring that give the plant a soft energy. Guests can sit under it watch as the colours of the lights change.
In Shafar’s piece, a pathway is illuminated with red lights that make it look like a carpet made of sadu prints. Shafar says he wanted the piece to convey the welcomeness and openness of Emirati culture. Walking on the path, visitors feel like celebrities walking down a festival’s red carpet, despite being in a quiet and calm Al Ain oasis.
For Hori, this quieter approach defines Manar Abu Dhabi’s evolving identity. “The artworks this year are rather quiet,” he says. “They want you to pause and peel off layers of what they could mean.”
Art made accessible
Bringing public art closer to the people is a mission Hori takes seriously. “A society without an appreciation for aesthetics becomes mechanical," he says. “Bringing art outdoors is a way of inviting people in.”
The installations at Al Ain do not simply occupy space; they punctuate it. “It’s about adding light to light – creating moments of pause, contemplation, agreement, or even disagreement as people move through the space,” Al Sayegh explains. “This time, we’re bringing art into populated areas, whereas the first edition was about populating emptier ones.”
Visitors can explore Al Jimi and Al Qattara through guided tours, photography workshops and food and beverage pop-ups designed to enhance the sense of community around the works. These elements transform the festival from a passive viewing experience into an active dialogue between art, place and people.
Light that connects
As day fades to night, the oases of Al Ain glow with quiet energy. Trees cast soft shadows against illuminated pathways; water channels reflect shifting patterns of light. Each installation becomes part of a constellation – a continuation of the same stars that have guided journeys across the region for centuries.
“People often think of the dark as something lonely,” Hori says, looking out across the oasis. “But when you have all this art, it becomes a celebration of the light you could see in the dark.”
For Al Sayegh, that light is also a metaphor for the next generation. “Public art should be for everyone,” she says. “It’s not only about beauty, but about understanding who we are and how we connect to the world around us.”
Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 runs to January 4 in Al Ain, and from November 15 to January 4 in Abu Dhabi
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The five pillars of Islam
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Brief scores:
Barcelona 3
Pique 38', Messi 51 (pen), Suarez 82'
Rayo Vallecano 1
De Tomas Gomez 24'
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
TEAMS
US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*
* denotes captain's picks
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Racecard:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m
8.15pm: Meydan Trophy | Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m
8.50pm: Balanchine | Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m.
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
