The popular Spring of Culture festival continues this week with a range of artistic and musical talents taking the stage, in addition to lectures and workshops.
The 16th edition of the festival is being organised by Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca), Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research and Al Dana Amphitheatre, in co-operation with Al Riwaq Art Space and Albareh Art Gallery.
In an exhibition titled Protection, Artist Faika Al Hassan explores the cultural significance of frankincense through painting, drawing and installation. Thanks to its aromatic and antiseptic properties, frankincense was used in perfumes and to deodorise homes and domestic linens.
Bin Matar House, 9am – 1pm & 4pm – 7pm, until May 8
The stunning Palestinian musician Omar Kamal is returning to Bahrain with his new album Show Me the Light, bringing together delightful, multilingual repertoires including songs from Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Fairouz.
Bahrain National Theatre
Tickets Required, Tomorrow, 8pm
The childhood favourite Wind in the Willows returns in a new adaptation that features beautiful puppetry, catchy and uplifting live music, and a beautiful story of animals emerging from hibernation and enjoying the wonders of the great outdoors.
Cultural Hall
Tickets Required, Friday, 5pm & Saturday, 11.30am and 6pm
Founded in the mid-1940s in Muharraq by Mohammed bin Jassim bin Harban, Dar Bin Harban Band continues to be instrumental in reviving a myriad of local traditional arts, including Al-Ardhah, Al La’abouni, Al-Khammari, and Al-Fjiri.
Dar Al Muharraq, Saturday, 8pm
Khalid Al Rowaie will be launching his book Khadija, delving into Khadija bint Khuwaylid, and how she saw Prophet Mohammed from his birth to prophecy, and ultimately her death, mixing historical events with contemporary poetic, artistic, and human vision, The book and exhibition include a new adaptation of the art of historical miniatures, and modern artistic forms of lines and formations that go along with the poetic text.
Bahrain National Theatre, Sunday to March 16, 8pm
Saudi poet and filmmaker Ahmed Al-Mulla will be reciting some of his most famous poems. Ahmed is considered one of the pioneers of the Saudi film industry as the founder and manager of the Saudi Film Festival.
House of Poetry, Monday, 8pm
The Aga Khan Programme’s brilliant musicians will be presenting creative music workshops to a number of school students and local musicians. The workshops will discuss the creative process at the juncture of traditional and contemporary music, in addition to advanced lessons in improvisation and cross-cultural composition. These workshops will be open to the public to attend and witness this creative process.
Cultural Hall, Tuesday to March 18, 8pm
The Al Riwaq Art Space will be hosting Post-Fiction: Manama, an exhibition that highlights the space between shared narratives, personal fictions, and prevalent histories of Manama according to five distinct voices. It invites the viewer to reconsider different possible versions of Manama, placing it both as a physical space and a realm for speculation.
Al Riwaq Art Space, March 15, 7pm. Runs until April 15.
Rashed Al Araifi’s continuing exhibition Visual memoirs is a body of work in response to urban behaviour, social practices, and cultural customs in Bahrain. It features artworks that are dual products of the artist’s exploratory approach to non-linear storytelling.
Art Centre
Daily until March 29, 9am – 8pm.
For details, visit www.springofculture.org or follow @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
