Rana Begum’s textiles take form in Dubai

Welcome back to AL-MONITOR Dubai.

As Dubai’s fall season gets underway, we spotlight several exhibitions opening in September. These include Rana Begum’s new textile-based works at The Third Line, Egyptian artist Mohamed Monaisser’s exploration of how violence repeats across generations at Tabari Artspace, and French-Algerian artist Katia Kameli’s multimedia works at Taymour Grahne Projects. Elsewhere, the 24th Arab Media Summit takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre later this month, while the newly opened Sakhalin Dubai in J1 offers a culinary experience blending Mediterranean and Eastern influences.

If you want to receive this newsletter or our other new weekly City Pulse newsletters — for Doha, Istanbul and Riyadh — sign up here.

Happy reading,

Rebecca

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Dubai's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: ‘Rana Begum: Taking Form’

Rana Begum. “No. 1676.” 2026. Wool Jacquard Woven Rib Fabric. 456.6 x 140 x 2 cm (front). (Photo courtesy of Rana Begum Studio and The Third Line)

The medium of textile is increasingly taking the art world by storm, shifting rapidly from the margins of domestic craft to the center of major global institutions. Bangladeshi-born, London-based artist Rana Begum is presenting textile works in a gallery setting for the first time with “Taking Form,” her upcoming solo show at The Third Line in Dubai. The exhibition will feature a new body of work, including large-scale wool tapestries alongside works in line, paper and wood. The exhibition marks the artist’s fifth solo exhibition at the gallery.

The works continue Begum’s longstanding engagement with abstraction and minimalism and her interest in light, color and material, while further exploring textiles as a medium. The works are large in scale and feature Begum’s signature use of mesmerizing colors across geometric planes, exploring how light, color and form continually interact. Drawing on configurations found in Islamic geometry, Begum strategically places colors so that they interact, blend or appear and disappear as the viewer moves. Her works show how what we see is shaped by the viewer’s perception and, ultimately, how geometry is never truly contained.

Dates: Sept. 23 - Nov. 10

Location: The Third Line, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Find more information here.

2. Word on the street: Sakhalin Dubai

A view of the exterior terrace of Sakhalin Dubai. (Photo courtesy of Vitalii Grishkov)

Toward the end of summer, before Dubai’s busy autumn season begins, I ventured to J1 to try Sakhalin Dubai, an elegant seafood restaurant overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The brainchild of restaurateur Boris Zarkov and Michelin-starred chef Vladimir Mukhin, it is one of four Sakhalin restaurants worldwide, alongside locations in Moscow, Bodrum and Istanbul.

The atmosphere is understated yet upscale. The outdoor lounge offers uninterrupted views of the horizon and is an ideal spot to watch the sunset, while the dimly lit interior provides a cozy setting for intimate conversations.

The freshly shucked oysters and raw bar are highlights. Don’t miss the locally sourced Dibba Bay oysters with tangy ponzu sauce, followed by scallops from the aquarium with olive oil and ponzu. The tuna belly tartare with sturgeon caviar is another standout, pairing a rich, buttery texture with a sharp burst of salinity.

For the main course, opt for the signature linguine with lobster and tomato sauce. I ended the meal with Mukhin’s Bon Bon Sea Buckthorn, a bite-sized dessert with a liquid center and intensely refreshing, citrus-like flavor. It was a fitting conclusion to a menu that blends Mediterranean and Eastern influences — the style Mukhin has dubbed “MeditAsian.”

Location: J1 Beach

Find more information here.

3. Dubai diary

Mohamed Monaisser. Untitled. 2026. Acrylic, ink and Khayameya. (Photo courtesy of Tabari Artspace and Mohamed Monaisser)

• ‘85 Seconds to Midnight’ by Mohamed Monaisser

The transcendental artworks of Egyptian artist Mohamed Monaisser open the fall season at Tabari Artspace. Bridging the gap between the material and the immaterial, Monaisser uses intricate handiwork to explore deeply spiritual, political and historical concepts. The artist’s upcoming solo show takes its title from the Doomsday Clock, reflecting on humankind’s proximity to catastrophe.

“The show signals a significant evolution in his practice,” says Maliha Tabari, founder and director of Tabari Artspace. “The recurring motifs from fable and history that have long animated Mohamed’s work remain, but his language has expanded. Across some 40 works, rusted iron, repurposed kitchen cloths, khayamiya, painting and drawing now sit alongside pixels, screens and digitally mediated imagery. These new technologies extend ideas developed in his earlier work reflecting a moment in which ancient histories and contemporary crises increasingly collide through the same fractured field.”

Date: Sept. 13 - Oct. 1

Location: Tabari Artspace, DIFC, Dubai

Find more information here.

• ‘The Canticle of the Birds’ by Katia Kameli

Named after the classic Sufi poem “The Canticle of the Birds,” also known as “The Conference of the Birds,” a solo show by French-Algerian artist and filmmaker Katia Kameli showcases her research-driven practice through video, photography and installation. The works on view challenge dominant historical narratives, exploring the politics of translation and investigating how national identity and memory are constructed over time, passed down through generations and continually altered.

Date: Sept. 23 - Nov. 11

Location: Taymour Grahne Projects, Warehouse 31a, Lane 4, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai

Find more information here.

• The Arab Media Summit

Organized by the Dubai Press Club, this landmark 24th edition takes place under the theme “Arab Media Moves Towards the Peak,” bringing together more than 10,000 industry professionals and 200 prominent international media figures. This major regional gathering aims to provide valuable insights into the evolving Middle Eastern media landscape, offering a wealth of material for analysis and commentary.

Date: Sept. 15-17

Location: Dubai World Trade Centre, Downtown Dubai

Find more information here.

4. Book of the Week: ‘How Does It Feel To Be a Problem’

5. View from Dubai

People walk through the old souk of Dubai on September 2, 2026. (FADEL SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)

6. By the numbers

• In January, state-backed developer Meraas unveiled plans to transform Dubai Design District (d3) into an 18-million-square-foot, creative-led waterfront neighborhood along the Dubai Canal as part of a masterplan scheduled for completion by 2030.
• The expansion will include five distinct zones featuring canal-front homes, cultural quarters, artist studios, galleries, performance venues, wellness spaces and sports facilities.