Dina Mattar’s colors of resilience
Also this week: Iftar at Alaya, Dubai Collection Nights and and cultural evenings at Jameel Arts Center
Welcome back to AL-MONITOR Dubai.
During the second week of Ramadan, we highlight a poignant solo exhibition of works by Gazan-born Palestinian artist Dina Mattar in Abu Dhabi. Elsewhere, we survey several Ramadan festivities in Dubai at the Jameel Arts Center and the newly opened Zayed National Museum, where cuisine, art, culture and performance come together in a communal celebration.
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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: ‘How Beautiful Was She’ by Dina Mattar
Dina Mattar. “The Sun is Fruits.” 2025. Acrylic on canvas. (Photo courtesy of the artist)
The bright, joyful canvases of Gazan-born artist Dina Mattar are on view in the artist’s solo exhibition in Abu Dhabi. On display are evocative paintings that invite viewers to step into Mattar’s world, where striking images of women are painted with emotion, determination and resilience.
“This time, I redraw my memories in a way that lets me see light before darkness, joy before sorrow,” writes Mattar in her artist’s statement for the exhibition. “I revisit moments from our old life and my daily recollections — those I once thought were fleeting, only to find they had become real, as though I were discovering them for the very first time.”
Mattar, who now lives in Sharjah, paints scenes with emotional depth. Her works are rich in storytelling, featuring layered figurative compositions enhanced with mixed media and Palestinian cultural motifs. As demonstrated in this exhibition, her practice centers on the female figure, celebrating the strength and resilience of women. Her subjects uplift the viewer, even as they struggle, through vivid color fields, rich symbolism and dynamic visual forms.
“How can a sorrowful person feel joy, despite carrying pain as heavy as mountains?” writes the artist in her statement. “It is a question I ask myself every time I face the blank canvases waiting for me to cry into their embrace — something I often do — yet each time, I surprise them with colours bursting with life. Through this act, I try to triumph, turning joy and delight into weapons against misery and grief.”
Every painting, writes Mattar, “opens a door to hope and love, giving sorrow a new shape of life — as if color itself were praying for a brighter tomorrow — a more beautiful tomorrow.”
Date: until March 5
Location: Iyad Qanazea Gallery, Abu Dhabi
Find more information here.
2. Word on the street: Iftar at Alaya
A decadent Ramadan spread at Chef Izu Ani’s Alaya in Dubai’s DIFC. (Photo courtesy of Alaya)
Acclaimed Dubai-based chef Izu Ani’s Mediterranean restaurant Alaya in the Dubai International Financial Centre has become one of Downtown Dubai’s most popular dining destinations, known for its vibrant Mediterranean flavors. During the holy month, it is offering Sufret Alaya, a set menu including dates, lentil soup, cold mezze such as hummus and grape leaves, hot appetizers like beef kibbeh and main courses such as lamb shank with maqluba. The meal concludes with kunafa, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert.
Groups can book a private dining experience on the terraces or at Ly-La, the restaurant’s chic and intimate lounge. Price: AED 220 per person ($59,90) for iftar set menu; AED 330 per person ($89,85) for private/group iftar.
Location: Dubai International Financial Center
Find more information here.
3. Dubai diary
Samia Halaby’s “Outside Inside” (2014) painting is part of the “In Attunement” exhibition, running until March 8 at Al Safa Art and Design Library as part of the Dubai Collection Nights 2026. (Photo courtesy of Dubai Collection)
- ‘Mapping Memories’ Dubai Collection Nights 2026
Dubai Collection Nights has returned with its fourth edition, presenting an expanded 14-day program featuring a special exhibition alongside curated public events, including workshops, artist studio tours and talks. This year’s edition marks the most ambitious iteration of Dubai Collection Nights to date, held across multiple venues throughout the city, with Al Safa Art and Design Library serving as the central hub for the program.
Inspired by Dubai Collection’s 2026 theme, “Mapping Memories: Landscapes in Flux and Geometries of the Imagination,” the event is designed to bring the public closer to the diverse narratives, aesthetic approaches and cultural perspectives represented in Dubai’s first institutional collection of modern and contemporary art.
Date: until March 8
Location: Multiple venues in Dubai, with Al Safa Art and Design Library serving as the central hub
Find more information here.
- Ramadan Nights at Jameel Arts Center
The beloved Ramadan Nights at Dubai’s Jameel Arts Center have returned in their popular weekend format, transforming the culture center at Dubai Creek into a dynamic hub of activities, games, workshops, performances, films and even a curated souk featuring artisanal goods, handmade crafts and traditional delicacies. From evenings of Arab folktales and storytelling to hands-on workshops led by local creatives, acoustic performances, a puppet show and evening stargazing, the three-night program brings the community together through art, culture and food, emphasizing the Ramadan spirit of communal gathering and sharing.
Date: March 6-8
Location: Jameel Arts Center, Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai
Find more information here.
- Ramadan Nights at the Zayed National Museum
Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum, which opened in December 2025, is staging its first Ramadan public program, offering a rich calendar of cultural events and activations. The initiative has been designed to deepen public understanding of the holy month and the values of the UAE’s 2026 Year of the Family.
Rooted in Emirati heritage, the program features storytelling, live musical performances and curated film screenings aimed at fostering reflection and connection through shared experiences that bring families and the wider community together.
Date: 8:30 p.m. to midnight until the 20th day of Ramadan
Location: Zayed National Museum
Find more information here.
4. Book of the week: ‘The Ramadan Kitchen’
Newly released in January, this highly anticipated debut cookbook by Ilhan Mohamed Abdi is the perfect guide if you’re unsure what to cook for Ramadan. Featuring Somali-Egyptian-inspired recipes designed for modern, busy lifestyles, the book pairs practicality with rich culinary tradition.
Complete with beautiful images of elegant spreads and table settings, it focuses on “meals for real life,” including pre-dawn suhoor, quick iftars and celebratory Eid dishes. With more than 80 recipes that capture the spirit and flavors of Ramadan, it is a timeless addition to any cookbook collection, particularly those centered on Middle Eastern cuisine.
5. View from Abu Dhabi
Visitors walk through Al Liwan, the indoor area of the Zayed National Museum, during Ramadan 2026. (Photo courtesy of Zayed National Museum)
6. By the numbers
- Dubai Taxi will launch its first autonomous ride in March 2026. The announcement comes as the company reported a net profit of AED 365 million ($99 million) in 2025, marking its first time reaching that milestone.
- The company’s fleet expanded by around 18% over the past year, reflecting growth across its four main business lines, reported Gulf News. Electric vehicles now account for roughly 525 vehicles in the fleet, with further increases expected this year.
- Additionally, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority confirmed last month that it expects to begin air taxi operations by the end of 2026, with the aim of becoming the first city in the world to roll out a commercial, city-wide electric aerial taxi service and vertiport network.