THESSALONIKI: As part of Sharjah’s participation as a Guest of Honor at the Thessaloniki International Book Fair 2024 (TIBF) in Greece, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and Founder and Patron of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), inaugurated yesterday, the Greek edition of the ‘Folktales Reimagined’ exhibition, at Thessaloniki Central Library, organised by UAEBBY in collaboration with the Greek Board on Books for Young People (IBBY Greece).

During the exhibition, Sheikha Bodour was briefed by Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, on the folk tales featured in the exhibition. She also met some of the Emirati and Greek artists who contributed to the production of this special edition of the exhibition and applauded the outstanding talents involved and the illustrators’ ability to reimagine the tales of other cultures in a way that preserves their spirit and original form as handed down from generation to generation.

With previous editions he
ld in Italy, Mexico, and South Korea, the Greek version of the exhibition features five Emirati artists and the same number from Greece, who have introduced characters from the two countries’ most famous folktales and reimagined them with their own vision from the perspective of new generations and the reality of their experiences. In a dialogue blending cultures and ideas, Emirati artists depicted the most popular Greek folktales, while their Greek counterparts reinterpreted the most famous Emirati tales.

The first edition of the exhibition was held in Italy in March 2022 as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. It was followed by the Mexican edition in December 2022 in the city of Guadalajara as part of the Sharjah Guest of Honour programme at the 36th edition of the Mexico Book Fair. The third edition was held last June in conjunction with the Sharjah Guest of Honour Programme for the Seoul International Book Fair 2023, with artists from the three host countries participating with Emirati artists.

Ma
rwa Al Aqroubi stressed that the Greek edition of ‘Folktales Reimagined’ is a continuation of the success of the exhibition’s Italian, Mexican, and Korean editions, which contributed to promoting Emirati folklore and traditional tales among different cultures.

‘The various editions of the exhibition have contributed to strengthening communication between peoples and cultures through literature and art, and allowed Emirati artists and illustrators to explore the heritage of other peoples and reimagine their folktales.’

Al Aqroubi pointed out that folktales are a tremendous source of knowledge and culture. Their events, details, and characters have contributed to shaping successive generations and played a major role in instilling social values and customs and proper upbringing.

‘Organising such exhibitions in different countries around the world would foster a dialogue in which cultures blend and ideas and perceptions meet to discover these tales in a renewed way that inspires current and future generations
.’

As part of the Greek artists’ re-imagination of Emirati folktales, artist Filomila Vakali-Syrogiannopoulou inspired her work from the traditional tale ‘Bu Assalasel.’ The tale concerns a legendary character dressed as a human but carrying chains that restrict her enormous strength. It represents a testament to the untold mysteries of the desert and the unseen forces that dwell within.

Fellow Greek artist Vasilis Grivas chose to recreate the story of ‘UM KARBAH WA LEEFAH,’ a fairy living in a palm tree’s trunk who rejects injustice and bullies the weak. The story was told in front of children to prevent them from going out at night, making mistakes, or doing unacceptable things.

Artist Emmanuela Kakavia participated in the exhibition with a work that depicts the tale of ‘Bu Ras’, a monstrous amalgamation of man and beast that prowls under the moon’s eerie glow. The tale aims to teach children patience, endurance, and the ability to face the unknown.

In her artwork, artist Lela Stroutsi tackled the Emira
ti folk tale ‘ANNAGGAGAH’, a woman who is transformed into an owl by the jinn after losing her son and wanders around at night, screaming her sad cries in the hope of finding her lost son.

Finally, multi-talented Greek artist Gerasimos Galiatsatos found his passion in the Emirati folktale ‘FATTOUH’, a story of a glowing-eyed hero who is described by grandmothers to grandchildren as the only one who protects mangroves in the eastern region of Sharjah, specifically in the old city of Kalba, giving a warning message to anyone who tries to tamper with nature and destroy these beautiful trees.

As part of the Emirati artists’ contribution to retelling the Greek folktales that is still passed down from generation to generation, artist Moza Al Hamrani reimagined the story of ‘The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail.’ It tells of a fox that fell into a hunter’s trap and lost his tail. To avoid being shamed alone, he gathers other foxes and tries to convince them to cut off their tails. The story depicts those who give advice
to others only for their own benefit.

In a work of art that highlights the abilities of Emirati talent to reimagine Greek heritage, artist Zakia Alamry recreated the Greek tale ‘The Farmer and His Sons’, a story of a farmer who gave his sons a large bundle of sticks and asked them to break them, but they could not. When the father dismantled the bundle and distributed the sticks to them one by one, his sons were finally able to break them easily, emphasising that unity always makes us strong.

Under the title ‘The Turtle and The Eagle’, illustrator Noor Al Khamiri creatively incarnated the wisdom of the Greeks through a painting depicting the turtle who asked the eagle to train her to fly, ignoring that it was not created to fly in the sky. The turtle fell and died because she tried to do something that did not suit her nature.

Her colleague Fatima Alameri re-imagined the popular story ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ a cautionary tale reminding us that the credibility of habitual liars is tarnished, even when the
y speak the truth.

The fifth and last Greek folktale was ‘The Tortoise and the Hare, ” which Emirati artist Alia Jalabi depicted. The story tells the tale of a race between a lazy rabbit and a diligent tortoise, which ended with persistence and effort trumping speed.

The ‘Folktales Reimagined’ was launched as part of the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 initiative, under the supervision of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY).

The initiative aims to celebrate the heritage and foster intercultural dialogue by bringing together artists from two different cultures and inviting them to reimagine the folktales of each other’s culture, emphasising the common values that unite peoples and civilisations.

Source: Emirates News Agency