Kinzy Diab (Instagram) weaves her way through the humming crowd at Hayaty Diaries’ (Instagram) latest exhibition, the conversations around her accented with English, Arabic and the occasional excited burst of French. As she wound through the gallery, the murmur of voices faded. It was a success – the carefully curated space filled with works by female artists from across the Arab world was abuzz. A sense of accomplishment mingled with a restlessness she couldn’t easily define. London’s rhythm was familiar now. Yet, sometimes its soundtrack blurs with distant childhood memories –the beat of Cairo, her father’s melodies drifting from the studio, learning how to Moonwalk from one of his backup dancers. Each memory was attached to one of his songs, a soundtrack of shared nostalgia for millions across the Arab world.
The scent of jasmine and freshly brewed coffee hung heavy in the Cairo air, clinging to her even in her mind’s eye. As a child, Kinzy Diab moved to a different rhythm than her bustling city. Her world was a place where melodies flowed and colours sparked conversations – her childhood defined by an undercurrent of art and expression. “I wouldn’t say that there is a particular moment that inspired me,” she reflects, “I think that what has always fascinated me is that his songs hold such a specific place in my memory.” The “he” is, of course, the legendary Amr Diab, who was unknowingly composing the score to her most precious memories. Those memories, it turned out, weren’t just her own.
“I’ve had friends tell me when they remember dancing to “Amarain” with their grandmother in the kitchen of the house they grew up in, or that “We Malo” was the song for their first dance,” she says. “It’s incredibly beautiful and inspiring to see how my personal experiences with my dad and his songs resonate with millions of others in different iterations…that thread of memory and emotion carried through his music that connects us.”
In the swirling, cosmopolitan chaos of London, where she’d moved as a teenager, that connection felt stretched thin. A subtle distance settled between Diab and her creative roots. But within the grand theatres of London, a spark was reignited. “Although I don’t quite remember what I watched, I remember feeling so fully immersed in the meticulously crafted world of the stage,” she recalls, “that I forgot about reality altogether.” It was the magic of storytelling, the power of art to transport and transform, that stirred a longing for connection within her. Lost in the world onstage, the line between fantasy and reality blurred. “Since then,” she recalls, “I have wanted to break the fourth wall and learn the magic so that one day, I could possibly provide that same feeling of awe and confusion to someone else.” Hayaty Diaries became her means of creating those immersive, transformative spaces, not on a stage, but through the language of art.
Music was in her blood, but Diab’s creative heart was restless. “I would say that I am a conduit for creativity; I really am inspired by a lot of the creative world, from music, fashion, and art to film.” Fashion held a lifelong allure, but her true drive, she realised, lay in the creative process itself – the magic of bringing ideas to life. “My main passion is not a specific medium of creating, but creative people themselves,” she reflects. “I think that my strong appreciation for multiple art forms pushes me to explore more innovative ways of showcasing the narratives and experiences of the incredible artists we work with at Hayaty Diaries.”
London’s siren call couldn’t drown out a quiet, persistent hum of something still missing. A yearning for her Arab heritage continued to gnaw at her, there was a quiet dissonance within her, a growing sense of distance from her roots – a feeling amplified by those shared coffee-filled conversations with childhood friend Christina Shoucair, a kindred spirit yearning for that same sense of home. “Hayaty Diaries began to take shape when I pitched the concept of collaborating with Arab women creatives to Christina,” Diab explains. Hayaty Diaries was born in the space between that longing and their combined creative drive. “I think that because I was in such a transient phase, I could only hold on to three truths: I was Arab, a woman, and I understood the creative space. It was from this foundation that Hayaty Diaries was imagined.”
Their exhibitions are like portals to other worlds, meticulously curated with a keen eye for the raw and the beautiful. Diab, ever driven by a love for people as much as the art itself, shines brightest when championing the artists. “When selecting artists for collaboration, we begin by brainstorming potential exhibition themes,” she explains, “We deliberately seek out boundary-pushing artists who embody boldness and freshness.” Each exhibition is a mosaic of experiences: identity, womanhood, and liberation explored with courage and imagination. Diab wants to do more than showcase talent – she wants these spaces to dismantle assumptions about Arab women, to cultivate empathy.
“One misconception I would like to dispel is the notion that Arab women possess a monolithic identity,” Diab passionately declares. She believes that the beauty lies in the complexity, in the unexpected nuances that defy easy labels. Her hope is that Hayaty Diaries does more than just showcase stunning works; she wants it to be a space where viewers confront their own biases and leave with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of Arab female experience.
“With its transformative power, each exhibition,” she says, “becomes a space for personal growth and understanding…inviting viewers…to engage with the complexities of Arab identity in profound and captivating ways.”
The collective’s philosophy is as bold as the artists they champion. “We want to revitalise and diversify the art market, creating a community where all voices are valued and heard,” she insists. This commitment extends to cross-disciplinary collaborations, pushing the boundaries of the traditional art experience with events like ‘The Material Woman,’ a collaboration with UK-based platform 3eib, where art and fashion fused into a mesmerising whole.
Success isn’t just about growth, but impact. “Ultimately,” Diab states, “we measure our success by our ability to amplify underrepresented voices, promote diverse representation, and cultivate a platform where creativity thrives without bounds. As long as we’re advancing in this direction, the possibilities for Hayaty Diaries are limitless.”
The impact of collectives like Hayaty Diaries extends far beyond the gallery walls “Any platform advocating for diverse representation…nurtures empathy and understanding on a global scale,” she says. But perhaps most importantly, within the Arab world itself. “Within our region,” Diab explains, “Arab women must not just see themselves represented, but feel valued and recognised.” The collective provides validation, role models, and a powerful message for young Arab women: “their voices matter, and that there are endless possibilities for their futures.”
When Diab has a moment to herself, a different kind of creative expression takes over. Her love for fashion is a love letter to her roots and a tribute to her mother, a woman of impeccable style. Her own wardrobe becomes a canvas where past, present, and future collide. “Fashion and styling, to me, are a fusion of the past, present, and future, allowing me to express who I am, who I want to be, and where I came from.”
A story still unfolding, Kinzy Diab, curator, creative force, and passionate advocate for women and creativity, is driven by memory, a longing for connection, and a belief in the boundless power of the creative spirit. For Kinzy Diab, Hayaty Diaries is a homecoming, a way of building a bridge between her past, her present, and the limitless possibilities of the Arab women she champions. She’s creating a platform where belonging, identity, and boundary-defying art intersect, leaving the world of art a more vibrant, inclusive place than she found it.
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