Wings of desire – Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More

A masterpiece of twelfth-century Persian literature has travelled through time and across borders – via the high jewellery maisons of Paris – to inspire a new exhibition at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Dubai. Mystic poet Farid al-Din Attar’s The Conference of the Birds, written circa 1117, prompted gemologist and art historian Marie-Laure Cassius-Duranton, L’ÉCOLE Senior Exhibition Contents Project Manager, to reimagine an earlier exhibition, Birds of Paradise – originally presented by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Paris in 2019 and in Tokyo in 2023 – for the Arab world.

“Birds of Paradise was a dialogue between natural history and jewellery arts and visual arts, the birth of ornithology as a science at the end of the 18^th century, and how the evolution of the science affected the representation of the birds, especially in jewellery,” Cassius-Duranton recalls. “This time, it’s not at all the same story. We wanted to create something completely new and specific to the region. During the research, the thread that became obvious is that poetry connects everything, and even if poems are created in a very specific cultural context and time period, poetry can be timeless and universal.”

Soaring like a falcon and migrating to the Middle East, Poetry of Birds, a strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), comprises over 150 works of art from over 20 lenders, celebrating the universal symbolism of birds across cultures in jewellery, literature, painting and photography.

“Birds have long held a sacred place in the cultures of the Middle East – as symbols of freedom, renewal, and the human spirit,” says Cassius-Duranton. “With , we wanted to honour that tradition while showcasing how these symbols echo across time and continents through art, poetry and jewellery. This exhibition is not just about beauty, but about the stories and meanings behind it – how the smallest motif can carry centuries of memory, emotion and craftsmanship.”

This comes to life in the form of dazzling jewels, precious objects and gouaché drawings depicting birds from the collections of Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Buccellati, Boucheron, Mellerio, Falize, Fabergé, Boivin, Mauboussin, Marchak, Chaumet and JAR alongside Middle Eastern objets d’art, including carpets, ceramics, metalware and miniatures – many on loan from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization and Dubai Museums.

“We are grateful to Intisar Al Obaidli, the curator of the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, for her trust in us. The collaboration with the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is very important to us,” says Cassius-Duranton. “L’ECOLE is very young here in the region, yet it’s essential for us to be recognised as a cultural institution, too.”

A striking moment in Poetry of Birds comes courtesy of Emirati photographer Faisal Alrais who shot a black-and-white series of houbara bustard feathers while exploring the themes of spirituality and representations of power. “It’s a manifesto for the preservation of this species in the region,” Cassius-Duranton explains. “Not only is each feather different, but also each feather belongs to a different bird. The patterns on the feathers are like fingerprints, and I truly believe he captured the souls of the birds in these photographs.”

However, the exhibition’s journey doesn’t end in the exhibition space. Cassius-Duranton hopes Poetry of Birds continues to resonate throughout the city thanks to its accompanying cultural programming.

This includes: poetry readings in both English and Arabic with exhibition tours every Saturday from 2pm-4pm; Jewels of Cinema in collaboration with Cinema Akil, a new series of outdoor movie screenings curated around the theme of the exhibition including The Eagle Huntress and Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire, a film very close to Cassius-Duranton’s heart; public talks with L’ÉCOLE lecturers and specialists in art history, photography and poetry; and workshops and playful learning activities throughout the duration of the exhibition, reaching its crescendo with the L’ÉCOLE Festival taking place from 27-29 March 2026.

Furthermore, Sophie Claudel, Director of L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts adds, “At L’ÉCOLE, we are committed to making the world of jewellery arts accessible to everyone, from curious beginners to passionate collectors.” Claudel reveals, “Through the exhibition Poetry of Birds and our vibrant cultural calendar, we aim to create an immersive journey with jewellery, contemporary photography, poetry, music, and calligraphy, bringing together Middle Eastern heritage and Western craftsmanship through the shared language of symbolism, artistry, and storytelling. We hope to inspire meaningful encounters and to build a dynamic creative community in the region.”

Visit the Poetry of Birds exhibition at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, Dubai Design District, Building 10, Ground Floor, Dubai from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm until 25 April 2026​. Admission is free. Reservations required.