Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT), the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, running at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) until May 28, celebrates the concept of "Sustainability" as a Focus Idea in line with the UAE's declaration of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability prior to hosting the Conference of the Parties "COP28" next November, by organising a number of events that highlight Sustainability and the best international practices in this field.
Among the events, sessions, and panel discussions dedicated to highlighting sustainability’s concept in general and how to activate it in various fields such as climate and food security; the Fair hosts a line-up of the most prominent activists in this field worldwide. On top of the list is the artist "Felix Semper", a Cuban American artist known for his creative use of paper and eco-friendly materials in his works, and is best known for his mind-bending stretchable paper sculptures and his constant search for new techniques to incorporate everyday materials into his work.
Through his years of experience, he was also able to redefine the concept of traditional sculpture; where he succeeded in replacing elements, that are difficult to decompose, non-eco-friendly and are widely available in our daily lives such as papers, books, wood, and vinyl records, with the traditional materials used by sculptors around the world.
Although his pop culture stretch paper works and sculptures appear to be made of stone or solid materials at first glance, they are actually made entirely of glued layers of paper, wood, books, and recycled materials, so their flexible movement gives them a playful character that adds to its beautiful aesthetics that are not available in traditional sculptures, and this uniqueness does not extend only to his sculptures; it also extends to his paintings, which bear a character close to street drawings and graffiti.
Visitors to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair can view a collection of Felix Semper's works, which he created specifically for his participation in the 32nd edition of the exhibition and were inspired by Abu Dhabi's heritage, history, most prominent tourist attractions, and iconic buildings. They can also attend live performances and workshops that Semper provides throughout the exhibition's days.
