Mass Medium: Emirati TV on Home Video
Global Art Forum 6, Art Dubai 2012

Hind Mezaina presents highlights from Aqeel al Showab’s 10,000-hour VHS/Betamax archive of Emirati TV from the 1970s to the 1990s. A private individual’s passion becomes de facto national archive.
https://www.artdubai.ae/global-art-forum-06

Mass Medium: Emirati TV on Home Video
From the Private Library and Archives of Aqeel Al Showab

What you are viewing today is a small glimpse into what TV was like in Dubai in the 1970-1980s. Taken from the private library and archives of Aqeel Al Showab who has been recording almost every show from the television since the 1970s (sports, entertainment, news). It is an insight into an individual's passion to record (and even film and photograph) his surroundings because he knew, even in the 1970s that things were changing so fast in the city. 

Sit back and enjoy what it was like watching TV in Dubai in the 1970s and 1980s. 

1. Studio Al Munawa'at (Variety Studio)
A variety show presented by Maisa Mahmoud featuring Kuwaiti singer Abdul Kareem Abdul Qader, an Egyptian comedian and actor and Iraqi singer/actress Souad Abdullah.

2. Music video featuring Kuwaiti singer Abdul Kareem Abdul Qader
A love song, shot on streets and beaches of Kuwait.

3. Fairuz and Nasri Shamseddine 
Song from a stage musical

4. Muhammad Hassan
Song called Hanuna Min Hinakum 

5. Excerpts from "Arabian Sands" spoken by John Nettleton
Commentary based on conversations with Wilfred Thesiger. 

6. Issam Rajji 
Song called Ya Samra Ya Tamr Hindi

7. Nesreen
Song featuring Egyptian singer/actress Nesreen. 

8. Boney M - Ma Baker
Recorded in front of a live studio audience in Dubai in the late 1970s. 

9. Samar Dubai
A music show recorded in front of a live audience in Dubai featuring Iraqi singers and musicians: Fadel Awad, Maeda Nazhat, Samy Abdul Ahad, Sobhy Saleh, Khalid Hassani.

10. House of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai
One of the many films shot by Aqeel Al Showab using a Super 8 camera. This was was filmed on 11th August 1982.  

11. King Hussain of Jordan visiting Dubai
Source and year unknown. From the acquired collection of Aqeel Al Showab's Super 8 films.

12. Travelogue by Dr Victor Hashem
Filmed in the late 1940s, across the Gulf region, Egypt and France. From the acquired collection of Aqeel Al Showab's Super 8 films.