A deep dive into NOMAD Abu Dhabi, We Are ONA x Manar Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Art Fair, captured through Celine Salibi’s cultural lens and personal reflections.
This past week in Abu Dhabi felt like a celebration, not just of art, culture, and food, but of the people and ideas shaping the region’s creative future. Between the first-ever NOMAD Abu Dhabi, the We Are ONA x Manar Abu Dhabi collaboration with Solemann Haddad, and Abu Dhabi Art Fair, it was a weekend filled with moments that reminded me why the UAE’s cultural landscape is so special.
NOMAD Circle: A New Departure
NOMAD Circle’s first international edition landed in Abu Dhabi, transforming Zayed International Airport’s decommissioned Terminal 1 into an unexpected, symbolic home. For a fair built on the concept of cultural travel, choosing an airport — a true space of transit — felt perfectly poetic. Each gallery interpreted the theme of Departures in a way that stayed true to its identity, turning its assigned corners into immersive micro-destinations that felt like stepping into another world.
I made my way through Terminal 1’s check-in where I was immediately drawn to a flock of giant paper planes crafted from Persian rugs. Ali Chaaban’s 12PM Class (2019) reimagined the universal experience of back-of-the-class boredom turning creative, as last week’s homework assignment became a state-of-the-art jumbo jet. Chaaban’s retelling was a poignant nod to Arab nostalgia and representation, taking a universal pastime and infusing it with a quintessentially Arab symbol — the rug — to comment on identity and belonging in an increasingly globalised world.
A standout exhibition came from Bottega Veneta with Destinations, a 50-year celebration of the Intrecciato, the brand’s world-renowned handwoven leather pattern. The showcase brought together eight SWANA artists whose responses blended personal heritage with the brand’s iconic craft. For me, Emirati artist Abdulla Almulla’s installation held the room. It featured a reinterpreted, conversation-pit-like structure at the center of a minimalist space, encouraging people to sit, talk, and experience the weave in a communal and almost ritualistic way.
I was also captivated by wellness space Antidote and their interpretation of what it means to be “in transit.” Through creatorandcurator, they staged one of the fair’s most meditative moments by reimagining the wait at a departure gate as an invitation to pause and check in with yourself — and with the people around you.
We Are ONA x Solemann Haddad: A Fire-Lit Feast in the Desert
Under Manar Abu Dhabi’s constellation of drone stars, We Are ONA partnered with UAE’s own Solemann Haddad, the Michelin-starred chef behind Moonrise. For the creative culinary movement’s first venture into the Middle East, the experience was set inside a fire-lit dome in the desert, with a six-course dinner that felt intimate yet theatrical — like a refined, express version of Moonrise transported outdoors.
One of my favorite aspects of dining at Moonrise is Chef Haddad’s storytelling, not only through the dishes, but through the dimming of lights and the burning of wood — evoking the desert bonfire, an experience UAE-natives know and cherish so well, particularly in the winter season.
Experiencing this in an actual outdoor setting truly elevated the entire evening and felt incredibly special. As ONA’s week-long pop-up came to a close, it was a full-circle moment to witness a homegrown chef bring his vision to life under the stars through a one-of-a-kind partnership with a world-renowned collective.
Some highlights included the Bzaar Grilled Cheese (a personal favorite!), the King Crab in the most delicious saffron sauce, and of course, Moonrise’s iconic Awar Al Qalb Cheesecake. The experience felt like a bougie bonfire with a genuinely warm, social energy — the perfect way to close the night.
Abu Dhabi Art Fair: A Final Farewell Before Frieze
In its 17th edition — and its last before evolving into Abu Dhabi Frieze in 2026 — the fair offered an expansive view of regional and international talent. This ranged from local legends like Efie Gallery and Firetti Gallery to works by cultural icons including Picasso, Botero, and Warhol.
My first encounter with James Turrell’s work was genuinely surreal. The way the colors shift and the light seems to breathe is hypnotic in a way that is impossible to translate into a photograph or even video. Moving left to right, front to back, trying to break the illusion, I found myself completely taken by how something seemingly so flat on a wall could suddenly expand into layers of depth and dimension.
One of the most touching sections was Seeds of Memory, which explored migration through ceremony, survival, and renewal. I was especially drawn to Sa Tahanan Co., a Filipino diaspora collective whose body of work beautifully reflects themes of culture, memory, and community. A table installation by Alexis Convento and Jou Pabalate showcased everyday Filipino ingredients — from rice to ube — and the familiar scents that accompany them. It honored the quiet power of culinary culture and the way these aromas carry stories across borders, shaping the region’s cultural fabric.
In a personal milestone, I also saw my first Botero piece live in the flesh — something I had been waiting to experience since my Art History days in high school. I have always been captivated by the subtle humor that shines through his figures and signature style, and seeing the Colombian artist’s work in person only amplified that feeling.
As the lights, colors, and energy of Eid Al-Ettihad begin to take over Abu Dhabi, NOMAD, We Are ONA, and the city’s public art fair felt less like a pre-celebration and more like the main event. Each of these experiences, whether large or intimate, was rooted in storytelling. Through light, food, craft, and memory, the weekend served as a powerful reminder of the richness of our region and the narratives that deserve to be seen and celebrated.
As Abu Dhabi prepares for the arrival of Frieze next year, I feel optimistic that this commitment to depth, culture, and community will only grow stronger — with artists from the region and beyond continuing to find their voices and shape their stories through compelling, thoughtful work.
