When Destinations opened at NOMAD Abu Dhabi, it unfolded less like a celebratory anniversary show and more like a quiet conversation about making, memory, and the enduring language of craft. Presented by Bottega Veneta and curated by Rana Beiruti, the exhibition used the house’s Intrecciato weave as a point of departure rather than a focal point, inviting eight creatives from across the Middle East and North Africa to interpret weaving through their own practices, materials, and cultural references.
Rather than replicating leatherwork, the participating artists approached weaving as a system, a gesture, or a philosophy. Emirati architect Abdalla Almulla translated his interest in geometry and pattern into a sculptural work that treated structure itself as a woven condition. His piece reflected his architectural background, where repetition and order are tools for framing space and cultural narrative rather than decorative motifs.
Moroccan artist Amine Asselman worked with ceramic and zellige, drawing on the mathematical rigor that defines much of his practice. His contribution echoed traditional Islamic geometry while pushing it into a contemporary sculptural form, positioning weaving as a dialogue between science, craft, and inherited knowledge.
The architectural office bahraini , danish approached the theme spatially. Their work explored interlacing as an architectural act, referencing vernacular building traditions and material assemblies from the Gulf region. The result felt analytical yet tactile, reinforcing how weaving can exist beyond textiles, embedded in how environments are constructed and experienced.
Textile artist Esna Su brought an emotional and political layer to the exhibition. Her woven work carried traces of displacement and fragility, themes that have long defined her practice. Using fabric as a vessel for memory, her piece suggested weaving as an act of preservation, holding together stories that risk being unraveled by instability and loss.
Dubai-based lighting designer Nader Gammas interpreted weaving through light and structure. His contribution fused custom lighting with sculptural form, using interlaced elements to guide illumination rather than merely contain it. The piece balanced functionality with atmosphere, underscoring how craft can operate quietly within everyday environments.
Sayar & Garibeh injected their characteristic wit into the exhibition through a furniture-scale work that combined traditional materials with unexpected forms. Drawing from daily life and regional craft, their piece treated weaving as a playful act, one that balances utility, humor, and cultural familiarity.
Beirut-based architect and maker Shaha Raphael worked closely with artisans to produce a piece rooted in material density and flow. Her contribution emphasized touch and weight, blurring boundaries between furniture, sculpture, and ritual object. The work highlighted weaving as a sensory experience rather than a visual one. Zein Daouk’s ceramic work explored weaving conceptually through her ongoing investigation into fungal ecosystems. Her biomorphic forms suggested interdependence and symbiosis, positioning weaving as a metaphor for coexistence across species, materials, and narratives.
By the time Destinations closed, it had become clear that the exhibition was less about commemorating a signature technique and more about examining how ideas travel, intertwine, and transform across regions. In this sense, weaving emerged not as a motif, but as a shared language, quietly binding together craft, place, and contemporary expression.
