Alserkal's Quoz Arts Fest returns: here are seven things to do and see

After a two-year hiatus, the Quoz Arts Fest by Alserkal will return this weekend.

The free-to-attend event, taking place at Alserkal Avenue on Saturday and Sunday, will feature live music, outdoor installations, contemporary art exhibitions, midnight film screenings and art workshops for children and adults.

The festival last took place in January 2020 and welcomed 40,000 visitors to more than 100 attractions. For its ninth event, the festival is exploring the theme of Waking Dreams, where visitors will be invited to “sleepwalk through daytime dreamscapes.”

Here are seven things to see and do at this year's Quoz Arts Fest:

Gaia

UK artist Luke Jerram’s installation lets you get up close and personal with the planet. Floating in three dimensions, Gaia measures seven metres in diameter and features highly detailed imagery of the Earth’s surface compiled from Nasa’s Visible Earth catalogue.

The installation aims to instil in viewers the overview effect experienced by astronauts when witnessing the planet from outer space. Common experiences include a feeling of awe for the planet, and a renewed sense of responsibility towards it.

Gaia, which gets its name from the personification of the earth in Greek mythology, will be set up at the multidisciplinary space Concrete for the duration of the festival.

The Colour of Pomegranates

Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov’s 1968 masterpiece The Colour of Pomegranates tells the story of 18th-century troubadour Sayat Nova. This is no-run-of-the-mill biopic. Instead of adopting a conventional narrative, the film traces Sayat Nova’s intellectual, artistic, and spiritual growth through scenes laden with symbolism and iconography.

The film’s tableaux-esque scenes blend folklore and metaphor, deviating from the realism that prevailed in Soviet cinema. As such, authorities stifled the film’s distribution, with only scattered underground screenings presenting the film in a restructured form.

The edition screening at Quoz Arts Festival features the cut closest to Parajanov’s vision. The film will be showing at The Yard at 2.30am on Sunday.

Yoga in The Yard

There are two yoga classes scheduled for the Quoz Arts Fest.

One catering to intermediate and advanced level yoga practitioners will take place at 9.30am on Saturday. The class will exercise vinyasa-style yoga, in which students are challenged more deeply on both a physical and psychological level.

A beginner’s class is scheduled for 9.30am on Sunday and is suitable for those who want to efficiently learn the basics. Both classes will be held at The Yard.

Lippan Art Workshop

Lippan art originates from Kutch, in India's Gujarat state. Also known as clay mirror work, the art form is Kutch’s traditional mural craft.

The workshop at Quoz Arts Fest will teach you modern techniques to create Lippan art. It will cover a brief history of the art form, and how to compose and create your first Lippan wall mural. The workshop is taking place at 3pm on Saturday at the Ame Artistic Studio.

Jindi

Jindi is one of the local music scene’s most versatile acts, blending the sounds of 1970s soul, funk, Motown and reggae.

The Sudanese singer and songwriter will be performing with his band at The Yard at 9pm on Saturday. The show will be replete with the world sounds Jindi has become reputed for, and will feature songs from his debut EP 1995 as well as hit singles including Midnight Love and the recently released Afro dancehall track Hassa in collaboration with Nigerian producer Masterkraft.

Lucid Dreaming

Your gateway to becoming a conscious dreamer. In this workshop, Syrian artist Sara Naim will teach you the tools and techniques to lucid dreaming, putting you in the cockpit as you navigate through your dreams.

“The ability to control, play or interact with one’s dreams offers endless possibilities and benefits for the dream and wake state, including psychological insights and harnessing mindfulness,” the workshop information on Alserkal's website reads. The workshop will be held at 3pm on Sunday at Warehouse 50.

Analogue Al Quoz photo walk

An opportunity to enhance your analogue photography skills and discover Al Quoz anew, this photo walk by Gulf Photo Plus is aimed at beginners and experienced photographers alike.

While most events on this list are free and only require pre-registration, the photo walk is offered at a price of Dh260. Participants will be given a Kodak FunSaver disposable camera to shoot with.

You’ll have the seasoned photographers at Gulf Photo Plus to guide you along the way, giving you tips on how to approach the analogue medium and familiarising you with Al Quoz beyond the walls of Alserkal Avenue.

More information is available on Alserkal Avenue's website.