The exhibition features the works of 18 artists from 9 countries: Maya Mahmood Saleh, Liyan Joudeh, Naya Fayyad, Hawwa Hassan, Talia Darwazeh, Roua Sandid, Emna Sandid, Alma Alghorani, Alya Mohamad, Dana Mohamad, Hind Mohamad, Samar Almutawa Powers, Salama Hassan, Laila Abu Oun, Amira Talha, Fatma Rashid Alawadhi, Mahra Majid Alzarooni, and Mira Majid Alzarooni. The artists are nationals of Jordan, the UK, Canada, Palestine, Tunisia, Syria, Uganda, USA and the UAE. Eight of the artists are Emirati.
The exhibition, which features paintings, drawings, and works of collage, is curated by Nora Qudah, a Jordanian artist and curator based in Dubai. Qudah participated in Kutubna’s MOTHERS/WORK program and teaches art workshops at the center. “I found myself in art when I became a mother,” she says. She is excited to curate Kutubna Cultural Center’s first children’s art exhibit because, she says, “Children’s imagination is not yet tailored. It has no boundaries. They express truly what they feel. They will not make a painting just because someone told them to do that. I noticed this while teaching art workshops. If you suggest something to them, they will ask you, ‘Yes, but can I do this? I want to do this.’ They will take your advice but they will do it their way, so it’s interesting what they come up with.”
Kutubna Cultural Center’s past exhibitions include “One Hundred Years of Painting: Arab Art from 1916 to 2017,” which offered a retrospective journey through the evolution of Arab art over the past century. Featuring 27 paintings selected from two important collections of Arab art in Dubai, the exhibit included but was not limited to landscapes, still life, abstract works, and calligraphy by celebrated Arab artists such as Khaled ben Slimane, whose artwork can be found at the British Museum in London, Saliba Douaihy, whose work is displayed at the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and Najat Makki, who was bestowed the distinction of France’s “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” (Order of the Arts and the Letters) as Chevalier by the French Ministry of Culture. Previously, the center also hosted an ethnographic research exhibition, “Everyday Life in the Spectacular City, ” in collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi.
Naya Fayyad, 8 years old. “Night Flamingo”. Photo by Rawan Edilbi 
Laila Abou Oun, 9 years old. “Laila” 
Samar Almutawa Powers, 2.5 years old; Salama Hassan, 7 years old. “Purple II”
Shatha Almutawa, founder and director of Kutubna Cultural Center, said: “Kutubna celebrates creativity for people of all ages. In our art workshops for people as young as two years old, it’s always inspiring to see the freedom with which the youngest children paint. Their brush strokes are not restrained by the fear that holds us back as we get older. Toddlers do not worry about ‘ruining’ their canvas—they paint with abandon, in as many layers as their souls call for. The children’s art exhibition at the center aims to remind us of the joy and freedom of childhood, and the excitement of playing with colors and textures without judging ourselves or our creativity.”
About Kutubna Cultural Center
Kutubna Cultural Center was established in 2023 as an independent bookstore and literary hub for Dubai and the Gulf region. Kutubna offers an inclusive community space to enjoy books, art, specialty coffee, and cultural events. Kutubna’s vision is to become a premier destination for literary and cultural enrichment in Dubai and the Gulf region.
Kutubna celebrates the accomplishments of Khaleeji, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, and Muslim writers, poets, thinkers, artists, and researchers. We amplify these essential voices through lectures, readings, guided conversations, workshops, and other activities for people of all ages. Kutubna strives to make creative and scholarly pursuits accessible to people who are traditionally at the margins. We work especially hard to make cultural events easier for mothers with young children to attend.
About Nora Qudah
Nora Qudah is a Jordanian artist based in Dubai whose work blends vibrant acrylics with inspirations drawn from music, nature, literature, and motherhood. With formal training from the Jubilee School for Gifted Students and the Orfali Art Centre in Amman, her distinctive style developed through a mix of experimentation and self-driven practice. Since 2012, Nora has been a full-time artist, completing commissions and exhibiting globally. Her work has been included in notable exhibitions such as “Message of Love I” and “Message of Love II” at Sinyar Gallery in Dubai, and she has partnered with Galleries Lafayette Le Gourmet in Dubai for both art exhibits and children’s workshops. In addition to commissioned work, Nora has conducted workshops for both kids and adults in Dubai and Amman. Since September 2024, she has been sharing her passion through art workshops at Kutubna Cultural Center, where she revived her interest in Arab artists and culture.
For more information, please visit the website: www.kutubna.ae.
