Arts and Culture in the Mideast

Fashion with a Capital F: Georges Chakra In the Spotlight

Fashion — it’s a loaded word. It embodies multiplicity of interpretations ranging from the most basic T-Shirt and jeans combination to the elite confections of haute couture. Fashion is something that, even if we don’t realize it, we interact with on a daily basis. It’s an art form that we literally live in.

We step into “fashion” each time we get dressed in the morning. The garments we select to adorn our bodies stem in some way, shape, or form from the runways. For example, if a designer features black lace prominently in a collection, it is pretty much guaranteed that black lace will filter its way down the fashion food-chain from high-end department stores to tween shops and bargain outlets. It makes a person wonder, then, who are these fashion elites that shape the way in which we represent our forms visually to the world?

Aslan Media Book Review: Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

In a distant time, before history marched over the hills and shattered present and future, before wind grabbed the land at one corner and shook it of its name and character, before Amal was born, a small village east of Haifa lived quietly on figs and olives, open frontiers and sunshine.—from Mornings in Jenin

Aslan Media At The Olympics: Exclusive Interview with Brunei’s First Female Athlete

Chosen as Brunei's flag bearer at the London Olympics opening ceremony, whilst making history by becoming the first Bruneian female to participate in the 2012 games, nineteen-year-old Maziah Mahusin was chosen to compete in the 400 meter hurdles. Brunei, along with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have sent women to compete in the Olympics for the first time ever. The event also marks the first time that all participating nations will feature women athletes.

Divine Will and Human Freedom

Shakespeare writes: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." This pretty much sums up the role of the three groups of factors that shape human destiny: heredity, human effort, and environment. This also echoes what Scriptures would tell us.

Influenced by Muslim traditions and Muslim and Christian scholars and theologians, Muslims and Christians widely believe that God predestines the fate of human beings – how long they live, how they live, what fortune or misfortune they enjoy or suffer in life — no matter what they actually do during their time on earth. But if this were true, as I concluded in an earlier article, the whole case for religion that makes man responsible for his actions would crumble. Destiny plays a part in human life, but man largely shapes his own destiny.

Ramadan in Style: Dubai Dazzles with Local Designers

With Eid ul-Fitr being just a few weeks away, Dubai buzzed with activity as fashion fanatics prowl the malls for designer clothing, limited edition bags, and timeless jewelry pieces. Fortunately, their quest was pleasantly rewarded with the launch of the Eventra Ramadan Fair on July 25th. Located at the newly opened Sunset Mall, the annual three-day event hosted exclusive designs from Dubai’s favorite local designers and brands, including The Ahlis, Neon Edge, The Puppet Show, and Garderobe.

Style, Translated: Neon Pop

Neon jolted the runway last year and is still going strong in 2012. High fashion designers weren’t afraid to show couture and sportswear in dizzying hues of highlighter colors on the ramp, sometimes even going overboard with pairing sharp contrasts of neon together for a full-on look. The versatility of this trend is that there is no threshold of it being over the top, or being too understated. You can wear a neon statement necklace for a pop of color, or dress head to toe in striking hues of neon for maximum impact. The neon trend can also be incorporated with other trends this season, color blocking, floral, and peplum.

Poetic Ammo Against Syria’s “War of Narratives”

Was that the heart of Syria that came beating into a small hushed room in West LA’s Levantine Center on July 15? I felt it throbbing inside of me, ushered in by the ringing words of Dr. Mohja Kahf, a Syrian American poetess from Arkansas, who read her work in a benefit performance as part of an initiative to raise funds for a brave new project, The Syrian Freedom Waves, a radio station that will broadcast from a ship in International Waters off the shores of Syria, attempt to penetrate the media censorship and counteract the propaganda and lies churned out by the Syrian State media.

A Sound in the Noise: Beirut Art Fair On View

With the abundance of art fairs on the global stage and tour-de-force art festivals such as the Sharja Biennale, Art Basel(s), Venice Biennale and Art Dubai, it seems there is only standing room for anyone new on the scene, and evermore difficult for that newcomer break through the noise. One fair that has successfully done so is the Beirut Art Fair, that ran July 5th thru 8th at the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center (BIEL). In its third generation, the Beirut Art Fair is poised to become a leading arts platform that features contemporary art from the Middle East, North African, and South Asian regions (MENASA).