Warehouse421 summer programme: shoemaking, tablescaping and design-focused workshops

Abu Dhabi arts and design centre Warehouse421 will begin its summer programme in July, which features film screenings, talks and workshops for all age groups.

The programme includes collaborations with Makerspace Al Zeina, an open-access workshop space for creatives in Abu Dhabi; Film My Design, a Cairo film festival; and Dubai's Cinema Akil. Warehouse421 is also working with a number of artists and designers, including Rand Abdul Jabbar, Hala Al Ani, Fatima Al Zaabi, Dima Srouji, Zuhoor Al Sayegh and Talin Hazbar.

Summer Club: the Design Edition

Every year, Warehouse421's Summer Club provides themed programmes for children and adolescents that include animation, crafts and cooking sessions. Last year's version was held online due to the pandemic, and the format will remain for 2021.

This year, the virtual programme, held in collaboration with Makerspace Al Zeina, focuses on building design capabilities. The five-day workshop will teach participants to better translate their ideas into 2D and 3D material creations, as well as verbal communication. Those who sign up will receive a programme kit from Warehouse421 to use for the session.

Workshops

A series of online and in-person workshops cover various activities, including shoe-making, tablescaping and zine-making.

Product designer Ban Hawamdeh will take participants through the process of making shoes from scratch using materials such as foam and fabric. The two-part workshop, which runs on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 27 and 28, covers sewing techniques, as well as creating patterns and designs for the products. It is suitable for ages 15 and above.

In August, writer Ibrahim Nehme will present an online workshop on magazine making as an introduction to independent publishing. The three-day workshop, from Thursday to Saturday, August 19 to 21, will cover various points in the process – from developing the purpose and voice of the magazine, to creating editorial calendars and strategies, as well as understanding trends in independent publishing.

On Saturday, September 18, designer Anoud Al Zaben will host a tablescaping workshop that teaches participants how to artfully set and arrange elements on a dining table following a chosen theme and drawing inspiration from the surrounding settings. The two-hour workshop will be held at Warehouse421 and is suitable for ages 16 and above.

Talks

The talks programme begins with Jabbar's Acts of Recognition, a two-part series about the artist's work Every Act of Recognition Alters What Survives, which examines the diasporic experience through the lens of London's Iraqi and Arab communities.

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The series Dukkan421 will investigate critical approaches to design and its role in culture and knowledge production around the world. This year's talks will feature Al Ani, Srouji and Studio D04 members Fatima Al Zaabi, Noora Al Awar, Afnan Saeed Amin.

Film screenings

Film My Design from Cairo and Cinema Akil will present a series of Egyptian short films about design titled Makers in the Sun, which highlights local artisans and craftspeople. The screenings will be accompanied by recorded talks with the filmmakers and directors.

Architectural intervention

Warehouse421 will also unveil bah-rah, a new permanent architectural intervention by artist Talin Hazbar. The work is a fountain-like water feature that expands on Hazbar's previous solo exhibition at the art space in 2019 titled Structures of Impermanence, which looked at the bah-rah, a water fountain traditionally found in Syrian architecture. In the show, the artist considers the bah-rah beyond its design, but also its role in shaping social interactions and rituals.

Warehouse421’s summer programme will run until September.

More information on the programme can be found at warehouse421.ae