After 31 years, relaunch breathes new life into art magazine Al Tashkeel

Nasser Abdullah was born in September 1984 – the same month and year that the first issue of Al Tashkeel was compiled by a group of budding artists in Sharjah’s newly formed Emirates Fine Arts Society.

The magazine, which was handwritten, photocopied and only a few pages long, was off to a shaky start. It grew in size over the years and was eventually printed in larger numbers but it never really gained traction, with only 21 issues being produced over the next three decades.

Abdullah, who started to practise art in 1998 and also studied media at university, saw huge potential in the publication. When he joined the EFAS board of directors in 2004, he had his mind set on breathing new life into the magazine. It wasn’t until last year, when he was elected as the society’s chairman, that he finally managed to achieve that goal.

He approached the Sharjah Art Foundation and its president and founder, Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, agreed to fund the magazine’s relaunch. In July, Issue 22 of the magazine was published with a brand new look and feel as well as, importantly, dual translation of all articles in Arabic and English.

“This magazine is a really valuable resource for all sectors of the artistic society,” says Abdullah. “In my opinion, it will really give a push to this society because it is not just a catalogue that covers exhibitions but also essays and thought pieces surrounding topics of art locally as well as global movements.”

Original article by Anna Seaman

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After 31 years, relaunch breathes new life into art magazine Al Tashkeel