RESONANCE, CURATED BY MUNIRA AL SAYEGH AT AL SHINDAGHA DISTRICT

Commissioned by Alserkal Arts Foundation in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), Resonance emerges from deep research into Al Shindagha’s layered histories, contemporary realities, and the density of lived experience. Curated by Munira Al Sayegh, the installation takes shape as a sculptural intervention by graphic designer Maryam Namvar and architect Neda Salmanpour. Here, the artists share insights into their process.

Resonance, is a sound reverberating, but in this case, what sound?

Resonance is a concept expressed abstractly; it is a dialogue between space and time, a vibration felt rather than merely heard. The piece embodies resonance on multiple levels—cultural, environmental, and acoustic. It is a reflection of Al Shindagha’s soul, capturing its tranquil essence and the poetry of its stillness.

The artwork connects to the rhythm of the neighborhood, evoking a sensory response that mirrors the emotions one feels while wandering through its alleys. 
It is less an object placed in the landscape and more a presence that harmonizes with it, recreating the ephemeral yet profound experience of Al Shindagha with the wind bringing the piece to life through a subtle calming sound.

Whereas technically labelled sculpture, this verges more towards installation, what makes the place so site-specific for this artwork?

This artwork is inherently site-specific—it breathes with its surroundings, inseparable from the elements that define Al Shindagha. Whether it is the glistening waters, the geometrical forms found in architectural morphology of the neighbourhood, or the delicate acoustics of the wind weaving through courtyards and alleyways, Resonance is an homage to this living symphony.

The neighborhood itself becomes an active participant in the artwork’s expression—its light, its movements, and its whispers shaping how the piece is experienced. Rather than imposing itself upon the space, the artwork surrenders to it, allowing the site to be the maestro of its unfolding symphony.

There is a very nostalgic element in the artwork, can you walk us more through the layers of memory that it is supposed to represent, especially Al Shindagha district?

This piece is a reflection of what has always been present, a continuation rather than an intervention. It is woven into the natural evolution of Al Shindagha, embracing the delicate balance between honoring the past and embracing the future.

Designing for a historic district carries an inherent responsibility—to ensure that self-expression does not overpower context, but rather, amplifies its soul. Resonance is not about nostalgia as a longing for the past, but rather as a means of carrying its essence forward, allowing the memory of place to live, breathe, and evolve.

As the whole of UAE is changing at breakneck speed, how can we keep the past without actually dwelling on it and being stuck in it within false narratives?

As designers, our role is to participate in the natural evolution of culture and society. The past is a foundation upon which we build with clarity and intent.

By designing with context and intent, we allow heritage to thrive as a living, evolving presence. Art becomes a bridge between past and future, not by mere repetition, but through thoughtful reinterpretation—honoring tradition while unveiling new expressions that remain true to its essence.

Public art is, by principle, unavoidable. What is the strategy behind deploying more and more of such an art to the public, and has been the reaction of the targeted audience?

Resonance is designed to be discovered rather than merely seen. It invites curiosity, encouraging visitors to pause, to listen, and to feel. The wind moves the piece, creating an interplay of motion and sound—a conversation between the artwork and its surroundings.

This interaction fosters a deeper engagement, as the piece is not just an object in space; it is an encounter—one that lingers, one that whispers, one that resonates