by The National News
Join hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews as they guide you through the arts and culture scene in the UAE, the Middle East and the world. A new episode of Culture Bites drops every Thursday from The National News in Abu Dhabi.
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9/14/2023
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April 17, 2025
In a special episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews host the show from Art Dubai, the city's annual art fair that is taking place this week. They share some of their recommendations for what not to miss at the event this year – including regional, international and digital art. The hosts speak to Mirjam Varadinis, the curator of the Bawwaba section at Art Dubai, about her vision for the exhibit to imagine new forms of coexistence amid an era of turmoil. Between political upheaval and the impact of climate change, artists from all around the world bring their artistic commentary to the section. Mirjam talks about their use of different materials and textures in their works and how they reflect the ability of cultures to transcend borders. Renowned Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem tells the hosts about the inspiration behind his installation, a new immersive work titled Directions (Merging). The piece features GPS co-ordinates from around the world, against a backdrop of digital waves in motion, with Dubai at the centre point of convergence. He speaks about his relationship to water and how its features in his work as a metaphor for fluidity and challenging fixed borders.
April 10, 2025
This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss the ethical consideration of using artificial intelligence to create art. Their conversation is inspired by the recent viral trend of promoting AI generators like ChatGPT to convert personal photos into Studio Ghibli-style images. The founder of the famous Japanese animation house, Hayao Miyazaki, is staunchly critical of integrating AI into artistic designs. This led to much debate over where to draw the line when it comes to intellectual property and whether it may constitute copyright violations. In keeping with the theme of digital innovation and moral ambiguity, Enas and Farah preview the new season of Black Mirror. After 14 years since it first launched, the show is back again for a seventh season, with a star-studded cast that includes Peter Capaldi, Chris O'Dowd and Rashida Jones. The hosts reflect on some of the most critically acclaimed episodes from seasons past and tease some of the upcoming ones. They discuss the cautionary tales from the show and how dangerously close some of them are to becoming a reality.
March 27, 2025
This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews dig into the controversies surrounding Disney's live-action Snow White, an adaptation of the 1937 animated classic. The film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. As far back as 2021, when the casting was announced, critics accused Disney of being overly politically correct for hiring a Latina actress to play Snow White. Enas and Farah also talk about the backlash against both actresses for their political views. Gadot, who served in the Israeli army, has been vocal about her support for her country. Zegler has publicly voiced her support for Palestinians, posting “free Palestine” on her social media. The hosts also discuss controversy around the film’s CGI portrayal of the seven dwarfs. They look at the impact all this has had on the film’s ratings and ask whether movie adaptations of classics can appeal to successive generations. With Eid on the horizon, Enas and Farah talk about eidiyah, the custom of giving money during the holiday, and fond childhood memories of dressing up for the occasion. They highlight Gulf artists who are bringing Eid traditions to the world through their work, including Abdulla Lutfi who is teaming up with Amazon to design Eid gift cards.
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