ICOM Dubai 2025
Speakers’ names and presentation titles are updated below.
The session timetable has been modified according to the entire session schedule change. Please check.
11-17 November, 2025
Join us in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for ICFA Conference activities as part of the 27th ICOM General Conference: The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities.
Our own meeting theme is Art and Ethnicity.
The term “Fine art” has traditionally been rooted in Western cultural traditions. However, every culture has cultivated its own artistic expressions that align with the concept of fine art. These diverse artistic traditions should never be considered marginal—rather, their significance becomes evident when we shift our perspective.
To fully integrate these artistic contributions into the broader context of fine art, substantial effort is required, and we bear the responsibility for driving this change. The first step toward this goal is to adopt a more relative perspective, recognizing and understanding the ethnic dimensions of our own artistic heritage.
As we gather in an Arabic country, we aim to engage in discussions that will help us create a rich, interconnected map of fine art traditions, weaving together diverse cultural threads into a more inclusive artistic landscape.
Along with this main concept, we offer three sessions followingly:
12th November: ICFA Session A –Traditions and Fusions – The Role of Museums in a Changing World
12th November: ICFA Session B –What Technology Enhances – Digital Innovation and Artistic Expression
13th November: CAMOC & ICFA Session C – Art and Creativity in Arab Cities: Transformation
15th November: ICFA’s IC day –Curating Identity: Collection Making at Sharjah Art Museum
Session A: Traditions and Fusions – The Role of Museums in a Changing World
In an era of rapid globalization and cultural exchange, artistic traditions are constantly evolving through fusion with other influences. Museums, as cultural institutions, play a crucial role in preserving heritage while also adapting to contemporary transformations. This session explores how museums can navigate the balance between safeguarding traditional art forms and embracing new, hybrid artistic expressions.
November 12
1:00–2:30 PM at Dubai World Trade Center (Exhibition Hall 5 *Get in from Hall 6)
13:00. Opening remarks
13:05. GIBBONS Gloria (UK), Re-presenting Mexico in Fine Art Museums
13:20. WAHLER Marc-Olivier (Switzerland), Traditions and Fusions: The MAH Geneva’s Multifréquence Museum Model (Online)
13:35. AJDARI Irène (France), From modernism to contemporary: The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art as a cultural bridge
13:50. PRIEWE Sascha (Canada), The Aga Khan Museum and the Reimagining of Migration Narratives
14:05. Discussion / Q&A
14:20. Member meeting + Break
Session B: What Technology Enhances – Digital Innovation and Artistic Expression
Technology is reshaping the way art is created, preserved, and experienced. From digital curation in museums to AI-generated art and virtual reality exhibitions, new technologies offer both opportunities and challenges in representing diverse artistic traditions. This session explores how technological advancements can enhance our understanding of ethnicity in art, bridge cultural gaps, and expand accessibility while also questioning potential risks such as cultural dilution or digital exclusion.
November 12
2:45–4:15 pm at Dubai World Trade Center (Exhibition Hall 5 *Get in from Hall 6)
**The order of presentations has been changed**
14:45. SOBANOVA Petra (Czech Republic), Between Prompt and Practice: AI-Supported Artistic Creation and the Redefinition of Authorship in Emerging Visual Culture
15:00. AL THANI Najla (Qatar), Preserving and Transforming Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age
15:15. WANG Suwen (UK), From Disconnection to Reconnection: Cross-Cultural Communication In Cultural Heritage Studies Through AI-Based Digital Storytelling
15:30. HOZOURI Bahar (Iran), Sonic Bridges: Exploring Auditory Modalities for Fostering Cross-Cultural Understanding in Art Museums
15:45. CACCIN Daniele (Italy), Chinese calligraphy goes digital: Intersections between calligraphy and digital art (Online)
16:00. Discussion / Q&A
Session C: Art and creativity in Arab cities: Transformation
Joint session with CAMOC: IC for City Museums
Arab cities have long been vibrant cultural hubs where artistic and creative expressions reflect historical depth, contemporary transformations, and visions for the future. This session welcomes proposals that explore the dynamic relationship between urban spaces and artistic practices in cities of the Arab world in the past, the present, and the future.
13 November
2:40–4:10 pm at Dubai World Trade Center (Sheikh Rashid Hall A)*Schedule changed
- OMAR Id Tnaine (Morocco), The Museum as an urban storyteller: Narrating Agadir’s transformation through art
- FARHAT Hiba (UAE), Narrating the Nation: Public Art and Urban Identity in the Gulf
- ABDULLA Eman (Qatar), The Expansive Role of Museum Education in Shaping Creative and Civic Life in Arab Cities
- LOESKE Annette (Germany), Qatari Soft Power: Global Museum Brands, Transregional Cultural Diplomacy, and the Shifting Multipolar World Order
- NASSER Ranya (UAE), Artist as Teacher, Teacher as Artist
ICFA’s IC Day at Sharjah Art Museum
Curating Identity: Collection Making at Sharjah Art Museum
After the wide-ranging discussions in the previous sessions, we will have gained a foundational understanding of Arabic art. But by then, many of us may be eager to experience real artworks firsthand. On the IC Day, ICFA plans to visit the Sharjah Art Museum to explore how the museum is building its collection with a focus on representing Arab identity, regional narratives, and contemporary curatorial challenges.
Through a guided tour and on-site discussion with local professionals, we aim to engage in meaningful dialogue that will enrich our own perspectives on fine art. Furthermore, this visit will offer a valuable opportunity to reflect on the role of Arab museums in shaping a more pluralistic and representative fine art landscape.
Timetable
8:30 am Meeting in front of Hall 1, Dubai World Trade Centre
9:00 am Transportation to Sharjah in a group bus
10:00 am Arrival at Sharjah Art Museum, Welcome refreshments upon arrival
10:30 am Welcome remarks by Alya AlMulla, Curator, Sharjah Art Museum
10:45 am Museum Tour guided by Alya AlMulla with Q&A session
12:30 am Lunch (provided by ICOM Dubai)
1:30 pm Take a bus to Al Mreijah
1:45 pm Welcome note and presentation on how Sharjah Art Foundation built its collection over the years, by Sheikha Nawar Al Qassimi, Vice President, Sharjah Art Foundation
3:30 pm Summarizing discussion at Al Mreijah
4:15 pm Bus transportation back to Dubai