Inloco Talks 2024 explored semiotics of the Gulf

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

In late November, Al Safa Art & Design Library, Dubai, hosted Inloco Gallery where it presented its annual conference, Inloco Talks 2024, which focused on the urban semiotics of the Gulf. The event organisers, now in their second year, aimed to cultivate interdisciplinary connections among professionals to strengthen interest in the public art scene across the region. The theme of urban semiotics explores how cities and urban environments communicate meaning through signs and symbols of their environment. It examines how the physical and virtual elements of a city — its architecture and history, urban planning and citizens’ perceptions, visual imagery and aesthetic landmarks — serve as signs that convey cultural and social messages and how they reflect and shape societal values, identities, and narratives.

The Talks fostered a synergistic atmosphere where academics, curators, developers, architects and artists exchanged thoughts and ideas, encouraging a cross-disciplinary understanding of the theme. One of the most compelling presentations was a retrospective by Emirati artist and Dubai Culture representative, Khalil Abdulwahid. Drawing from his personal archives, he shared insights on the Emirates Fine Arts Society pioneers and the evolution of art movements in the UAE since the 1980s. Artist Karim Jabbari discussed his extensive and multidisciplinary artistic practice within The Arabic Letter as a Street Art Medium. Notably, his discourse marked the start of a residency with Inloco Gallery, set to conclude with an art intervention and solo exhibition in early 2025.

Jabbari’s primary medium – calligraphy – serves as a foundation for murals, photography, and video installations, which also became a focal point for Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares, founder of Khatt Foundation. In her talk, The Poetics of the Arabic Script in Public Space, she emphasised the significance of Arabic script in shaping the identity of spaces and cities. Central to her thinking was the idea that Arabic script is not merely a writing system, but a deeply rooted cultural asset tied to poetry, thought, and abstract art.

At the close of the first session, independent curator Nadine Khalil presented her research on languages of embodiment in contemporary art practice. The conference also featured distinguished academics from leading local institutions, whose presentations enriched the discourse with scholarly perspectives. Laure Salma Assaf, Assistant Professor at the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), guided the audience through an introspective examination of urban nostalgia, offering an academic analysis of the universally relatable subject. Professor Maurice Pomerantz, also of NYUAD, delivered a session delving into Abbasid-era graffiti from Baghdad, shedding light on a perhaps lesser-explored facet of cultural history.

Nelida Fuccaro, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at NYUAD, invited participants to explore the symbolic and visual representations of oil in the urban landscapes of the Gulf. Adding an interdisciplinary angle, Dr. Mariam Al-Attar, lecturer at the American University of Sharjah, provided an insightful exploration of semiotics through the prism of Islamic theology and philosophy. Inloco Talks 2024 concluded with the public talk ‘Why We Return: Unpacking the Power of Place’, which brought together artist Hessa Alghandi, architect Aida Balaš, cultural initiative Abu Dhabi Streets, and architectural designer Tala Gharagozlou, moderated by cultural advisor Alexei Afanasiev.

The discussion explored the key aspects of creating successful public art projects, place making, and community building, drawing on the speakers’ extensive and diverse expertise. A particularly valuable dimension of the talk was the participants’ reflections on nurturing conditions for creative collaborations and a deeper understanding of how creative industries and municipal authorities can collaborate effectively on public art initiatives. The conference was organised by Inloco Initiative, a brand embracing projects dedicated to supporting, exploring and developing urban art, since 2014. It includes the Inloco Gallery and the Nuvo Buro Group, which focuses on public art and urban design. Inloco Gallery is based in Dubai. It is a private cultural institution focused on urban art, phygital, and site-specific practices. The project is committed to collecting and showcasing art by contemporary artists with an urban art background. (Inloco is Latin for ‘in place’ or ‘in the right place’).