Situated in Al Ain, Al Qattara Arts Centre is among the city’s leading venues for exhibitions and events devoted to exploring the cultural heritage of the region. The centre opened in 2011 has been developed around the Bayt Bin Ati al-Darmaki fort (Al Qattara Fort), a traditional mud-brick tower and residence. With its construction dating back to the Iron Age, the fort stands on a mound overlooking the date palm gardens of Qattara Oasis, which it was built to protect.
While working on Al Qattara Arts Centre, archaeologists revealed a 5m sequence of archaeological layers (horizons) spanning the Late Islamic period to the Iron Age. The unearthed artefacts can be viewed at Al Qattara Archaeological Basement, a permanent exhibition explaining how archaeological sites are formed and how archaeological excavation proceeds from the top downwards by removing each of the layers in turn. The items on view at the Archaeological Basement include a lion figurine made in the Iron Age II period (1100-600 BCE) which probably once was a part of a large pottery vessel and is one of the finest decorated Iron Age ceramic figurines ever discovered in the Emirates.
At the Centre, there is also a gallery that showcases the art pieces by Emirati art practitioners and those based in the UAE. Here, visitors have an opportunity to look at the works by, for example, designer Roudha Al Shamsi; architects Ghanem Younes, Saoud Al Dhaheri, and Khalid Al Tamimi; multidisciplinary artist Ahmad Saeed Al Areef Al Dhaheri; architect and Illustrator Sarah Aladayleh; and interior designer Maryam Al Suwaidi.
The Al Qattara Arts Centre is a place where art is not only displayed but also can be practised by anyone who wants to: it offers a full range of cultural and artistic programmes. The Centre’s Dry Studio is for practising music and handicrafts. In the Wet Studio, drawing and painting classes take place. The two other studios are dedicated to pottery and calligraphy classes. In addition, there is a room suitable for photography and computer classes.
To learn more about the Al Qattara Arts Centre, please visit its official web page.
You may also be interested in exploring the Qasr al Muwaiji fort, Jumeirah Archaeological Site, and Saruq Al Hadid Archaeology Museum.
