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ArtPeople

by Sophie She

The Spirit of Jebel Jais: Yoshi’s Live Performance at Mira Coral Bay

19 May 2025

The recent launch of Mira Coral Bay in Ras Al Khaimah wasn’t just about unveiling a new development — it was also about celebrating local culture through contemporary art. As part of the evening’s live performance “Ras Al Khaimah’s Modern DNA,” three female artists created large-scale works inspired by the emirate’s heritage and landscape. One of them was Yoshi — the artistic alter ego of Aisha Al Ali — who brought her personal journey as both an educator and artist to the canvas.

Painting the mountain: A tribute to growth

Yoshi’s work during the performance drew inspiration from Jebel Jais, the UAE’s tallest mountain and a powerful symbol of strength and aspiration. But for her, the mountain also represented something more personal: her students from Al Falah School, where she taught for the past three years.
“I chose it because it reminded me of my students,” she shared. “Like the mountain, they were full of strength, depth and potential. I witnessed their growth in them. The performance is a reflection of the journey we took together — one of learning, transformation, and reaching new heights. Through this work, I honour their spirit and the profound impact teaching in Al Falah has had on me as both an educator and an artist.”
This emotional and reflective approach added depth to her live painting, turning it into a tribute to both people and place.

From anime to Oman chips: Tracing identity through pop culture

Before she became known for her signature study of “boxes,” Yoshi’s work explored how Japanese anime shaped the childhood of many Emiratis growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s. She coined the term “J-Emirati Pop-Culture” to describe the cultural crossover, which she first unpacked in her 2020 graduation show Yesterday’s Inspiration at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Her interest in objects and cultural symbolism evolved into interactive works like What if? (2022), where she performed inside a Chips Oman box and invited visitors to reflect on how context changes meaning. Visitors were asked to sign a contract and stamp their own box — a ritual that sparked the now-ongoing Instagram project @boxedae, where people submit photos of boxes found in their daily lives. It is part participatory art, part social observation.
“Whenever I see a stray box, I see a person,” Yoshi explained in a recent proposal for her On Loopexhibition. “Each one is fragile, complex, and unique — just like us.”

Braiding minds, weaving stories

Her work continues to explore connection, individuality, and identity through everyday symbols. In performances like Braiding Minds, Yoshi asks what happens when these symbolic “boxes” — representing people — come together. The answer is found in collective action: movement, dialogue, and braided thought.
At Mira Coral Bay, this idea took shape on canvas as she layered personal experience with the symbolism of Jebel Jais. As with much of her work, the final piece isn’t just about what is painted — it is about the story behind it.