Weaving Pathways: Textiles, Healing and Connection

Dubai just welcomed a taste of Brazilian creativity as Cris Martins unveiled her premiere UAE exhibition 'Textiles Choreography' at Kutubna Cultural Centre last weekend.

The lively opening drew distinguished guests including Brazil's Ambassador H.E. Sidney Romeiro, his wife Eliane Isabelle de Carvalho, and Vice Consul Carlos Gardés. The evening was full of enthusiasm and energy as members of the Brazilian community came together, turning the art showcase into a joyful cultural celebration.

Living in Dubai since 2017, Cris Martins tells me the move with her husband and daughter was "a painful process. I had to let go of everything I was and loved to rediscover myself here."

Ms. Martins speaks with a calm and measured cadence that hinted at a mix of surprise, joy, and a sense of responsibility as she prepared to share her work with a new audience. She was visiting her family in Brazil when we spoke to her by video call. With a big smile, she explained the choices she made in the past are the reasons for the concept and meaning behind her work.

// A New Beginning

Ms Martins left her home in São Paulo to join her husband's who was to start a new position in Dubai. While the transition was easier for her family, she found it more difficult to adapt. “Suddenly, I stopped working, became a full-time mother and wife, and little by little, I moved away from the woman I had built over the years,” she said.

“This led to some days when I simply didn't recognise myself. It was a deep, not always easy, but necessary dive.”

“The most challenging of all was having to rediscover myself professionally," she recalled. it is precisely this process that has brought me the greatest and most beautiful surprises. Nothing I am experiencing today was in my plans.”

Ms Martins, a graduate of both Architecture and Marketing, had always seen art as a hobby, a way to connect with her creative self through painting and drawing. She never imagined it would become her professional path.

But when she started weaving macramé as a pastime, something clicked. Testing different fibres and techniques became a fascination, the spark she needed to keep exploring. This new passion to learn and push forward is what eventually led her to create the conceptual pieces she makes today.

Ms Martins explains that she was focused on the creative process for the 'Reimagining Al Sadu' Collection, when she received the invite for the solo exhibition at Kutubna. “It is an honour to show my collection at Kutubna, a cultural hub committed to supporting creative local talent. It marks a beautiful meeting between my journey and a culture that inspires me every day, and it serves as a conduit to self-expression and healing” , Martins declares.The “Textiles Coreography” invites us to join Ms Martins on her journey of healing. It is not surprising that museums nowadays are moving beyond passive viewing and inviting the audience to connect with art and themselves in a more personal, hands-on way. It's a testament to the idea that creativity isn't just about producing beautiful things - art’s core

value is making us feel better. The writer William Ploman stated that “creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected”.

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// The "Textiles Choreography" Collection

The "Textiles Choreography" collection is built on three complementary concepts: Tubes, Fiq,and Reimagining Al Sadu. Ms Martins explains that the raw fibres, techniques, and colours "were chosen precisely because they represent three distinct universes: three concepts, three sources of inspiration, and three different fibres, each with its behaviour and personality. I believe this diversity creates a visual and sensory dialogue.”

For all her pieces, Martins uses a technique called fibre wrapping, which involves coating a base (thread, rope, or rigid structure) with another fibre, layer by layer. This process builds thickness and texture, often completely changing the appearance and feel of the original material.

// Sustainable, Intentional Art

Ms Martins's passion for her work is palpable. She is driven by the discovery of new and unusual textile fibres and is fascinated by how they behave and manifest. "I believe that a fibre I am working with shouldn't be altered to fit my creation, but rather be respected for what it can offer so that I can create from that point of intersection, " she states.The artist has a strong commitment to sustainability and seeks to work with eco-friendly, recyclable, biodegradable, and mostly hand-dyed materials. “I believe that sustainability should be present in all stages of my creative process, guiding not only the choice of materials but also respect for time, the environment, and the people involved, ” she notes.

// What the future holds

Cris Martinsi is excited to be part of the growing Brazilian the expanding cultural scene in Dubai and the Middle East. Since Brazil and the UAE celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2024, cultural

diplomacy has been a key tool in strengthening their friendly ties. According to Rafael Solimeo, Director of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC-UAE), the Brazilian community in the UAE has grown significantly over the last decade, with approximately 14,000 Brazilians now calling this country home. Martins hopes to expand her work to reach new audiences in the Gulf and Europe, creating connections across different cultures. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her studio into a dual-purpose space: part workshop, part gallery. The goal is to let visitors witness the creative process and see the finished works together, offering a more intimate experience. Finally, she aims to develop collaborative projects with artisans and artists from different backgrounds to enrich her practice and process through shared knowledge.

"Textiles Choreography" is on show at the Kutubna Cultural Centre in Nadd al Hammar. Running from August 23rd to September 12th, is a three-part narrative that explores culture, memory, and the expressive nature of fibres.

// Raquel Plowman