Sunday, March 13, 2022 – 10:05 am
DUBAI, 13th March / WAM / The “Badyha” exhibition held at Expo 2020 Dubai contributed to the blending of the Emirati and French cultures by weaving the two countries’ flags in one “Sadu” with the participation of a group of Emirati women who practice the art of sadu weaving, a form of traditional weaving in UAE.
The exhibition was organized by the National Institute of Arts and Crafts (INMA) and the France Pavilions and “Sameem”, to display the works of French weaver, Melanie Croce, and a group of Emirati women in front of the French Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Dalal Al Balushi, one of the Emirati participants, said: Today we are weaving the UAE flag with the French flag in one “Sadu”. Sadu is an ancient handicraft that our ancestors used to do and is involved in the manufacture of clothing, hair houses and others, noting that the goal of being in Expo 2020 Dubai And specifically in front of the French Pavilion, is the revival of the old heritage, as the people in charge of the France Pavilion were drawn to the display of the Sadu craft in the “Sameem” pavilion. Between the two crafts together, as a way of blending two cultures, one from the East and the other from the West, the merging of cultures and ideas is one of the most important goals of Expo 2020 Dubai.
She added: My work in weaving the same flag on Sadu took a week, and today we are presenting this traditional handicraft to teach new generations more regarding the crafts of our fathers and grandfathers, to ensure its continuity and preservation from extinction.
Al Balushi said: We celebrated International Women’s Day at Expo, and showed the heritage and historical role of women, thanking the leadership and government of the UAE, for providing all opportunities for Emirati women to prove themselves at all levels, and Expo 2020 Dubai was the platform that showed this to the whole world.
For her part, the French artist Melanie Croce said: In France we make weaving and in the Emirates they practice the Sadu craft, so this exhibition aims to unify the heritage of the two countries, and prove that although the distance between us is thousands of kilometers, the techniques we practice in weaving are similar.
She added: In France, we focus on hanging furnishings made of wool, while in the UAE it is used more to make floor coverings and pillows, and Sadu weaving is a very important artistic style, so it is nice to display it at Expo 2020 Dubai for visitors to learn more regarding, as it is a tradition. It needs to survive, and what I’m doing today is weaving a wall panel between the France Pavilion and Al Wasl Square.
Wam/Mohamed Jaballah/Mustafa Badr El-Din
