I Dreamt of a City Everyone Calls Home - The Power of Creative Imagination

The Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, adjacent to the Jameel Arts Centre, hosts the artistic work ‘I Dreamt of a City Everyone Calls Home’, produced by the design group Theories of Imagination. The collective includes the artist and architect Noor Alwan and artist-designer Abdulla Buhijji, UAE-based artists. The artwork reflects the significance of the Jaddaf area and its historical importance as a shipbuilding basin, celebrating its role in enabling trade and cultural exchange, which has contributed to enhancing cultural diversity in Dubai. Some elements of the innovative artwork draw from the nature of the Jaddaf area, combining vernacular architecture, local plants, modern designs, and fantastical installations resembling rain showers, fog, and light dances. The artwork enhances the power of creative imagination for visitors, especially children and families, providing them with a unique interactive experience. The ‘Theories of Imagination’ project won the inaugural edition of the Jaddaf Artistic Commissions: Playscape, launched by Dubai Culture in collaboration with Jameel Arts Centre as part of the Dubai Public Art initiative. The project has been selected by an esteemed international jury, receiving nearly 100 proposed projects from artists and designers across the country.