Two artists known for turning Arabic calligraphy into monumental public art will sit down together at this year's Arab Media Summit to talk about how art tells stories that words alone cannot.
Mattar bin Lahej and eL Seed will take part in a session titled 'The Power of Art in Storytelling' at the Arab Youth Media Forum, part of the Arab Media Summit 2026. The summit is organised by the Dubai Press Club and runs from 15 to 17 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
What the session will cover
The conversation will look at how art enables storytelling, expresses human experience, and bridges cultural and linguistic divides between communities. For a summit built around media and communication, the pairing of these two artists points to a specific angle: visual art as a language that travels across borders where spoken and written language sometimes cannot.
Who is Mattar bin Lahej
Mattar bin Lahej is an Emirati artist whose work spans painting, photography, design, and sculpture. He is best known for his distinctive treatment of Arabic calligraphy, using it to explore questions of identity, culture, and the tension between tradition and modernity.
His public work is already familiar to many in the UAE. He created the 'Power of Words' sculptures at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, and he designed the calligraphic façade of Dubai's Museum of the Future, one of the city's most photographed buildings.
Who is eL Seed
eL Seed is a contemporary artist with an international profile, working across painting, sculpture, and large-scale installation. His signature style blends Arabic calligraphy with urban art, often at a monumental scale that transforms entire walls, buildings, or landscapes.
His work uses language as a tool to connect people, cultures, and histories, engaging with themes of identity, cultural memory, unity, coexistence, and human connection. He has installed pieces near the pyramids of Giza, at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, in Rio de Janeiro, and along the Korean DMZ. His pieces are held in major collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Why it matters for Dubai's media calendar
For Dubai and UAE audiences following the Arab Media Summit 2026, the session offers a rare joint appearance by two of the region's most recognisable visual storytellers, brought together under a media forum rather than an arts festival. It reflects a broader argument the summit's organisers appear keen to make: that storytelling in the region is not confined to journalism or broadcast, but extends to the walls, façades, and public sculptures that shape how communities see themselves and are seen by others.
Details on the exact date and time of the session within the three-day summit, 15 to 17 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre, are expected to be confirmed closer to the event.