A new photography exhibition titled “Nothing Worth Mentioning” is set to open at the Kutubna Cultural Center in Dubai’s Nadd Al Hamar district on September 5. Running through September 27, the showcase features more than 40 works from 16 photographers of various nationalities, all currently based in the UAE. The collection highlights the beauty and significance found in everyday routines, personal rituals, brief encounters, and humble settings that are frequently overlooked. The exhibition serves as a reminder that the seemingly ordinary details of life often define our identities, heritage, and memories.
The exhibition is curated by Ola Allouz, a Dubai-born visual artist and Fujifilm brand ambassador who founded the creative community @foto.uae. The concept for the show emerged from a series of trips Allouz led to Kumzar, an isolated coastal fishing village in Oman’s Musandam Governorate. Accessible only by boat, the village is known for its unique culture. Allouz noted that while the group captured many images during their six visits, the moments spent sharing food, laughter, and stories around a table resonated most deeply. This experience prompted the central question of the exhibition: “Can a feeling be archived?”
Participating photographers include Abdallah Alastad, Abdullah Al Ghurair, Abdulla Alblooshi, Aisha Esmaeilzadeh, Akhilesh Nair, April Ann Vocal, Fatima Al Amiri, Fatima Albudoor, Judite Serafim, Latifa Almazrouei, Maitha Alqassmi, Maria Khodzhamberdieva, Mohamed Al Alawi, Ola Allouz, Preschelle Ann Bigueras, and Sara Al Shamsi. Additionally, Emirati writer Ayesha Alyassi contributes an interactive installation called the Therapy Mail Club, which allows visitors to write and share messages related to the exhibition’s themes via a dedicated mailbox.
The works on display offer intimate glimpses into human connection and habit. Abdallah Alastad documents the ritual of tea preparation, focusing on the sequence of pouring, the light reflecting off glass, and the movement of hands. Fatima Al Amiri explores the Emirati tradition of Fwalah, capturing the kindness and generosity inherent in sharing food with guests. Meanwhile, Abdullah Al Ghurair reflects on his bond with his late grandmother through images of the flowers he once brought her, and Mohamed Al Alawi chronicles the six-year relationship between his young son, Noah, and the family cat, Leo.
Other photographers turn their focus to the world outside the home. Fatima Albudoor captures a woman watching the horizon during Dubai’s golden hour in her piece “By the Sea.” Abdulla Alblooshi documents a man’s routine of caring for stray cats near a mosque on the RAK Corniche, while Aisha Esmaeilzadeh photographs a worker resting amidst the bustle of Dubai Creek. In Sharjah, Judite Serafim captures a quiet scene of prayer mats resting on an empty chair, illustrating how simple objects can hold spiritual significance. Ola Allouz, born in 1983, continues her exploration of human connection through her work and her project “Archiving the Now,” which documents contemporary life in the UAE.
Established in 2023, the Kutubna Cultural Center functions as an independent bookstore, literary hub, and art venue. It provides an inclusive space for the community to engage with books, art, and cultural events, specifically aiming to amplify the voices of Khaleeji, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, and Muslim creators. The center emphasizes accessibility, particularly for mothers with young children, and hosts workshops, readings, and guided conversations.
Kutubna has previously hosted several notable exhibitions, including “Women in Contemporary Arab Art,” which featured works by artists like Louay Kayali and Najat Makki. Other past exhibitions include “The Art behind the Stars,” featuring Jamal A. Rahim’s portraits of figures such as Umm Kulthum and Marilyn Monroe, and “One Hundred Years of Painting: Arab Art from 1916 to 2017,” which displayed works by significant modern artists including Saliba Douaihy, Fateh Moudarres, and Georges Sabbagh.
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