DUBAI: Israeli May Tager has become the first model from her country to pose for a photoshoot in the United Arab Emirates, after the two nations agreed to normalize relations last month.
She posed in modest pyjamas during a desert shoot alongside a UAE-based model known as Anastasia.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 13 agreed to normalize relations, making the UAE the first Gulf country and the third Arab state to do so when a final agreement is signed.
The shoot, which involved the models waving the Israeli and UAE flags, took place in the sands of Dubai.
FIX is an Israeli woman’s lingerie and pyjama brand. Out of respect for customs in the UAE, they modelled only pajamas.
“We respect the rules here,” said Tager.
Easily accessible visas for Israeli citizens and direct flights between the countries have not yet been established, so the photoshoot team arrived on flights via Europe and on non-Israeli second passports.
“The moment we heard about the normalization agreement we thought it would be the most exciting thing to film in Dubai,” said producer Noya Yohananoff, adding that getting the right paperwork took some time to figure out.
Israel and the UAE have stressed the economic benefits that normalization could bring, with several business cooperation agreements already signed.
An Israeli delegation last week visited Abu Dhabi for normalization talks.
Israeli brand shoots pyjama advert in Dubai after normalization deal
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Israeli brand shoots pyjama advert in Dubai after normalization deal
- Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 13 agreed to normalize relations
- An Israeli delegation last week visited Abu Dhabi for normalization talks
At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership
- Local artist channels personal hardship into works that reflect Jazan’s identity, heritage
- Jazan: A Nation and a Prince, places region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi
RIYADH: At the Ahad Al-Masarihah pavilion at Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s paintings blend memory, place and personal history, offering visual narratives shaped by beauty and hardship.
A novelist and visual artist, Al-Asiri has long used art as a storytelling tool. After a near-fatal car accident in March 2024, her work took on a new urgency. Bedridden for 11 months, cut off from the public world for more than a year, she describes that period as one of the most painful in her life — yet also transformative.
“First of all, praise be to God for granting me life, as the accident was extremely severe,” she said. “By God’s grace, I was given a new life. All my thinking after the accident was about becoming an inspiration to others — about enduring pain and obstacles, and still leaving an impact.”
Her return to public life came in 2025, when she participated in National Day celebrations with the ministry of interior. By the time she arrived at Jazan Festival, she was ready to channel that experience into her art.
The centerpiece of her display, “Jazan: A Nation and a Prince,” places the region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor and deputy governor of Jazan respectively.
Visitors linger over the details: the painting incorporates coffee beans, sesame and khudair — materials drawn from local products.
“I wanted people to recognize these products immediately,” she said. “They are part of Jazan’s daily life, and using them makes the work more tangible, more connected to everyday experience.”
The painting sparks conversation. Visitors discuss leadership, identity, and the intimate relationship between people and their environment.
Beyond the central piece, Al-Asiri presents individual portraits of the two princes, expanding the dialogue into a broader exploration of heritage and memory.
Her journey into art is tied to her life as a storyteller. Early experiments with charcoal and pencil evolved into abstract art, drawn by its expressive freedom.
From there, she explored realism, surrealism, and eventually modern art, particularly pop art, which has earned her wide recognition in artistic circles. Her novels and media work complement her visual practice, earning her the title “the comprehensive artist” from the governor.
Yet what stands out most in this exhibition is how Al-Asiri’s personal resilience flows through each piece. Her experience of surviving a devastating accident, enduring months of immobility, and returning to the public eye informs every brushstroke.
Visitors sense not just her artistic skill, but her determination to turn life’s hardships into inspiration for others.
Walking through the pavilion, one can see it in the way she blends heritage symbols, southern landscapes, and scenes of daily life.
Each painting becomes both a document and a dialogue — a celebration of Jazan’s culture, a reflection on identity, and a testament to the power of human perseverance.
At Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s art is a quiet, persistent inspiration for anyone who pauses long enough to listen.
