Seamlessly marrying music and visual art, Waves by the high-fashion house Bottega Veneta provided a stunningly sleek yet meditative experience at Dubai’s Concrete.
A one-of-a-kind immersive event, Waves took place under the creative guidance of Matthieu Blazy, who brought his unique touch to the atmospheric occasion. Hosted at Concrete, the multidisciplinary cultural venue in Dubai, and with the aim of fostering a deeper commitment to arts and culture on the part of Bottega Veneta, the fashion house sought out some of the biggest names in contemporary Middle Eastern art and music to perform at the event.
Throughout the evening, in the gently illuminated and evocative setting designed by the renowned Lebanese architect Carl Gerges with Matthieu Blazy, guests were fully immersed in the surroundings, with their auditory and visual senses stirred by the installation and performances. “Waves was designed to connect with an audience in a genuine way,” said Gerges, “creating an immersive landscape centred on music and cultural exchange. The space transformed into a living soundscape, inviting visitors to experience sound as a shared, dynamic environment.”
Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui’s installation, nestled among the burnt yellow, low seating designed to recall the gentle slopes of desert dunes, was a classic expression of his dynamic and insightful work. “I aim to create sensory experiences that transform the way we engage with sound,” he explained. “Listening becomes multi-sensorial. It’s not limited to the ears, but reaches through the eyes and the sense of touch. My hope is to invite people to rediscover and deepen their understanding of what sound and music can be.”
Interspersed throughout the seating design, Atoui’s work saw sound art emanating from seemingly incongruous objects, intertwining with the geography of the place in rhythms that danced between space and sound to provoke new responses and perceptions. “Unlike the passive listening we often encounter on streaming platforms, I want my art to encourage active, immersive experiences that redefine our relationship with music,” the artist continued.
The synchronised temporal rhythms were further intensified by the performances of Zeyne, a Palestinian-Jordanian singer; Nehmasis, a Palestinian-Canadian singer; Fatima Al Qadiri, a Kuwaiti artist, composer and producer; Dina El Wedidi, an Egyptian singer and composer; and Bachir Attar, leader of Master Musicians of Jajouka in Morocco, whose music is deeply rooted in ancient Sufi traditions. Through their lyrical and expressive vocals and instrumentals, the performers enhanced and exemplified the artful blend of ancient and contemporary that is the hallmark of Waves, displaying the unique ability of the Middle East, and especially the UAE, to mesh traditions with a forward-thinking approach. A light was shone particularly on the ability of younger generations to tap into ancestral ways of being to create art forms that are distinctively theirs, with an uncommon freshness of expression and positivity.
Bottega Veneta sets itself apart in its ability to truly think outside the box, finding new and innovative ways of showcasing the dedication of the house to passing creativity and knowledge down through the generations while also embracing modernity. Waves is an art event in its own right, with all the personality, conviction and savoir-faire to make it a landmark cultural experience.
For more information please visit: waves.bottegaveneta.com
