Nestled between the rust-red cliffs and sweeping valleys of the UAE’s Mleiha mountains, a new artistic marvel has emerged—one that draws viewers into a dialogue between the desert’s ancient stillness and the bold edge of contemporary art. Sculptor Shaikha Al Mazrou has installed five gleaming metallic discs that form a contemplative sculpture trail, inviting visitors to reflect not just on the land around them, but on the spaces within.
The installation, which quietly materialised amid the rugged terrain earlier this year, is fast becoming a cultural beacon for art enthusiasts, hikers, and UAE residents looking for a fresh way to experience nature. Each of the five discs, differing in size and orientation, plays with light, shadow, and reflection. Together, they create a rhythm that mirrors both the natural world and the shifting inner landscapes of those who walk the trail.
Art That Reflects and Reshapes
Shaikha Al Mazrou, one of the UAE’s most acclaimed conceptual sculptors, is known for her dynamic work with industrial materials. Her latest installation in Mleiha represents a significant evolution in her practice—moving from gallery spaces into the untamed outdoors. Yet her signature approach remains: taking heavy materials like steel and bending them into forms that feel weightless, fluid, and emotionally resonant.
“The discs are not merely objects,” Al Mazrou said during a recent artist-led trail walk. “They are mirrors—literal and metaphorical—that ask viewers to see the landscape, themselves, and time differently.”
Their placement across the Mleiha terrain wasn’t random. Each location was chosen for its natural features—wind flow, sun angles, and elevation—so that the sculptures respond to the environment, rather than dominate it. During sunrise and sunset, the discs catch the changing light in ways that feel almost spiritual, adding layers of meaning for visitors traversing the trail.
A Journey for the Soul
Unlike many art installations that demand viewers observe from a distance, Al Mazrou’s trail pulls you in—physically and emotionally. The trail, which stretches across a walkable path between rocky outcrops and sand dunes, encourages slow travel and intentional reflection. As visitors move from disc to disc, they often pause, gaze, sit, and think.
Families have begun using the trail as a weekend outing, couples visit for sunset walks, and solo hikers come for the serenity. It’s become a new kind of pilgrimage—one not tied to faith or tradition, but to self-discovery and mindfulness.
Visitors can begin their journey at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, which now includes guided tours of the sculpture trail, complete with insights into Al Mazrou’s vision and process.
Where Nature Meets Modernity
The choice to embed modern art into a prehistoric site like Mleiha—a region rich with fossils, Bronze Age tombs, and ancient tools—is deliberate. The juxtaposition underscores the long continuum of human expression: from the earliest carvings on stone to these futuristic metallic forms. And rather than feeling out of place, Al Mazrou’s work complements the rugged beauty of the mountains, reflecting the sky during the day and the stars at night.
This balance between old and new, permanence and impermanence, is part of what makes the trail so moving. Visitors report feeling a heightened sense of connection—to the land, to history, and to themselves.
Empowering a Cultural Movement
Shaikha Al Mazrou is not just shaping steel—she’s shaping the cultural narrative of the UAE. As a woman leading large-scale public art initiatives, she stands at the forefront of a growing wave of Emirati artists who are redefining the region’s creative identity. Her work is also part of a broader push to integrate art more deeply into public life, making it accessible, inclusive, and part of everyday experience.
The sculpture trail follows in the footsteps of initiatives like Sharjah Art Foundation and Alserkal Avenue, which have worked to decentralise art in the Emirates, bringing it beyond galleries and into communal spaces. Al Mazrou’s project is particularly unique in that it requires viewers to engage not just with art, but with nature and movement.
Visitor Tips and Future Plans
If you plan to visit the sculpture trail, it’s best to go early in the morning or just before sunset, when the play of light is most dramatic. Sturdy walking shoes, water, and a phone or notebook for reflections are highly recommended.
The trail is currently open to the public free of charge, and plans are underway to expand the experience with an audio guide and night-time lighting that will allow for star-gazing walks integrated with art commentary.
There are also talks about using the trail as a platform for future collaborations, where new sculptures or sound-based installations might be added in harmony with the existing works.
A Living, Breathing Artwork
In a world filled with fast-paced entertainment and overstimulation, Shaikha Al Mazrou’s sculpture trail is a powerful invitation to slow down. It doesn’t shout for attention—it whispers to the soul. Through her five metallic discs, she gives form to feelings many can’t yet name and offers a meditative space for clarity, inspiration, and connection.
Whether you’re an art lover, a weekend explorer, or someone seeking peace, this trail in the Mleiha mountains offers a journey worth taking—one step, one sculpture, and one silent moment at a time.
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