This November, Dubai’s creative landscape will welcome a new chapter in its ongoing dialogue between heritage and artistry. L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts, will unveil Poetry of Birds, an exhibition exploring the timeless symbolism of birds in jewelry, art, and poetry
Opening on November 6, 2025, during Dubai Design Week in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), the exhibition will run until April 25, 2026, inviting the public to witness how creativity, symbolism, and poetic imagination intersect across centuries and continents.
Following acclaimed showcases in Paris and Tokyo, the Dubai edition presents a fresh perspective, weaving together 19th and 20th-century Western jewelry with Islamic art and poetry. The exhibition’s curatorial thread is inspired by The Conference of the Birds, the 12th-century Sufi masterpiece by Farid al-Din Attar, reimagined here through gems, gouaché drawings, calligraphy, and photography.
A Dialogue Between Heritage and Modernity
Among the rare pieces on display are creations from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Buccellati, Boucheron, Mellerio, Fabergé, Chaumet, and JAR, each capturing the grace, motion, and mythology of birds. These bejeweled forms will be presented alongside historical Middle Eastern works from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization and Dubai Museums, including ceramics, textiles, and miniatures.
The exhibition also marks the public debut of Emirati artist Faisal Al Rais’s contemporary photography, whose lens captures the subtle power and symbolism of birds across cultures.
Curated by Marie-Laure Cassius-Duranton, gemologist and art historian, Poetry of Birds is envisioned as a poetic journey, from the sacred verses of regional poets to a glittering aviary of jeweled creatures, culminating in the imaginative brooches of French jeweler Pierre Sterlé.
“Birds have long held a sacred place in the cultures of the Middle East – as symbols of freedom, renewal, and the human spirit,” Cassius-Duranton notes. “This exhibition is not just about beauty, but about meaning – how a single motif can carry centuries of craftsmanship, faith, and memory.”
A Cultural Moment During Dubai Design Week
Timed with Dubai Design Week 2025, Poetry of Birds stands as one of the festival’s most anticipated cultural highlights. On November 8, L’ÉCOLE will host an Open House Day, offering workshops, demonstrations, and guided tours, opening its doors to children, collectors, and enthusiasts alike.
“Through Poetry of Birds and our cultural calendar, we hope to create a bridge between Western craftsmanship and Middle Eastern storytelling,” said Sophie Claudel, Director of L’ÉCOLE Middle East.
“This is an exhibition for everyone — from those who admire the precision of jewelry to those who find meaning in poetry and art.”
A Celebration of Collaboration
The exhibition underscores Dubai’s role as a crossroads of global creativity. Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of d3, describes it as:
“a celebration of artistry where the world’s finest jewelers meet the poetic legacy of the Middle East.”
“By hosting this exhibition during Dubai Design Week,” she adds, “we further reinforce Dubai’s role as a global hub for creativity and design.”
Cultural Exchange
Beyond its glittering displays, Poetry of Birds embodies L’ÉCOLE’s educational mission. Over its six-month run, visitors can participate in specialized workshops on gemology, the history of jewelry, and the techniques behind traditional craftsmanship. All proceeds from public courses and talks will support Dubai Cares, funding youth education initiatives across the developing world.
Founded with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, L’ÉCOLE has become an international institution devoted to the art and science of jewelry, with permanent campuses in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Dubai.
In its Dubai home at d3, the school continues to create meaningful intersections between jewelry, design, and the region’s cultural narrative, a dialogue that, much like the bird in poetry, remains in constant flight.
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