Artist Ibi Ibrahim is proud of his ancestral Arab roots. Born in America, the writer, filmmaker, musician and visual artist draws much of his inspiration from his surroundings, mixing it with his Yemeni heritage and creating evocative works that are filled with a sense of beautiful yearning.
Now, his work has been propelled onto the wider stage, having been handpicked by Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing to shoot the imagery for the fashion brand's resort 2022 collection.
A major coup for any young artist, Ibrahim explains how the project came into being.
From Yemen to Paris and the US
“My work was on display at Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris as part of the exhibition Divas in 2021 and I believe that Olivier Rousteing visited the exhibition,” Ibrahim says, speaking exclusively to The National. “The museum curators shared my portfolio, [and] it was then when I learnt that Balmain’s team and Olivier himself really liked my work. In particular photographs from my earlier series Social Codes which tackles issues of gender in conservative societies. I was approached about the commission [for the resort collection], and was immediately interested. I mean, hello Balmain!”
By chance, a short time later, Ibrahim watched the Netflix documentary Wonder Boy, about Rousteing’s search for his own roots. Having been adopted at birth, the designer wanted to discover his identity, and the resulting film struck a deep chord with Ibrahim.
There is another home that lives within us. It is where our stories were born, and where our dreams often travel
Ibi Ibrahim
“I was very moved by Olivier’s struggles. The 2022 resort collection was inspired by Olivier’s identity and heritage — something I relate to quite a lot in my work. Cultural identity and heritage has a vast influence on my work and is often a driving theme behind my projects.”
The search revealed that Rousteing, while raised in France by white parents, has a Somalian mother and Ethiopian father. While born in America, Ibrahim's own identity has been shaped by his Yemeni roots.
“I was born in the US and raised between Yemen, the Emirates, Iraq and Libya. I returned to the US as a teen upon finishing my high school studies in North Africa. I also spent roughly four years living and working in Berlin, followed by living in Yemen for two years between 2018 to 2020, where I founded Romooz Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of arts and literature in Yemen.“
With both men trying to reconcile a mixed heritage, Ibrahim felt this common connection should underpin the images for the resort collection. To best capture this, he invited his friends, rather than professional models, to star in the campaign.
'My Friends in Balmain'
“Olivier Rousteing’s background was very present in the conversations between myself and my friends. His Somali and Ethiopian roots; countries rich in heritage, but often associated with unrest [and] violence.
"The friends I photographed for this series also come from conflict-associated nations. There is Maryam from Iraq, Lylla who is Syrian and Lebanese, Jenna from Palestine, and Hadi, Anisa and Mohammed who are Yemeni. Brooklyn is our home today, as it will most likely remain, but there is another home that lives within us. It is where our stories were born, and where our dreams often travel."
The result is a series called My Friends in Balmain, artful black and white images of Ibrahim's friends, shot against a simple cloth backdrop in his apartment. The clothes are beautiful, with kaftans in rich fabrics, jackets edged with gleaming sequins and loose, oversized tunic and trousers cut from slubby, almost home-spun cloth. Bouncing from raw and unfinished to impeccable tailoring, as a whole the collection feels free and bohemian as it explores the edges of Rousteing's mixed parentage.
And while resort collections are, by definition, aimed at those with a winterless, carefree lifestyle, for Ibrahim it was important to infuse the images with something more fundamental — a sense of kinship.
“Those [models] are my friends. I think of them as a group of people who often remind me of home. As immigrants in the West, we’re very fixated on our identities as Arabs or Arab Americans. I felt excited about a fresh twist, wearing something so beautiful and having fun between my friends. The series is first and foremost an ode to friendship.“
'I see it as a privilege to be Yemeni'
Throughout his work, Ibrahim deals with notions of displacement and being transplanted to new lands, of home, and what it means to be dispossessed. Of the impact of his Arab heritage on his work, Ibrahim sees himself as having a responsibility to those left behind in war-torn Yemen.
"At times, I see it as a privilege to be Yemeni, artist or not. This is a place as old as history can be. With all its complications, conflicts and endless wars, I am still very fortunate that I am one who comes from that world. On the other hand, there is a social responsibility towards bringing Yemeni stories to the surface and creating an awareness on Yemeni matters rather than presenting other bodies of work. It's a sacrifice at times."
Very much a modern nomad, Ibrahim has lived all over the world, and as such has a perspective that brings a unique voice to his art.
Now thrust onto the world stage, Ibrahim is rightly enjoying the moment. "I wanted to create something very personal and intimate that reflects my own crafts while celebrating the Balmain resort 2022 collection.”
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The%20Roundup
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The%20Mandalorian%20season%203%20episode%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERick%20Famuyiwa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPedro%20Pascal%20and%20Katee%20Sackhoff%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
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RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
