According to a recent report, Sharjah – a city named after its state, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates criteria set forth by the Arab Council of Tourism Ministers. It must be actively attempting to: increase tourism exchange with other Arab countries, promote the region’s appeal on the international market, sustain natural attractions, uphold heritage sites and cultural values, etc.

Sharjah promises fun for the whole family, with beautiful white beaches and water sports, camping along the coast, a “cultural palace” and a history museum, and interminable shopping opportunities. The Blue Souk, or Central Souk, is where 600 merchants set up shop. Then there’s the Souk al Arsah, the oldest market place in the UAE, where one can find genuine pearls from the Gulf.

The honor of being named Arab Tourism Capital is showcased in the brightly colored logo shown above. There’s something special about the skyline that forms the bottom border…did you see it?

If you read Arabic, look closer: the buildings spell out “Sharjah.” This graphic design is the perfect pictorial representation of what Sharjah is proud to be: a modern city that embraces its Arabic roots.

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The “banner” is actually a highly polished metal mirror, engraved with a simple text message intended to encourage passive public participation: which would be thinking.

The prototype states simply, “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”, but there’s no limit to possible content. Each mirror would be  situated to reflect beams from the rising and setting sun onto a large vertical surface, ideally iconic buildings that are frequently visited or photographed.

Beidas has depicted the effect on London’s Houses of Parliament (above) and the Sydney Opera House (below).

As earth spins around the star, each mirror would reflect that phrase for only a short period each day.  The message could travel through a city, or if installed in every time zone, it could go global, effectively chasing the sunlight, passed around the world much like a note in a classroom, or a typographical carrier pigeon.

He describes the project in the short clip below:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/PN4oT4BTh5U[/youtube]

Interesting concept?  Sure.  Practical?  Perhaps Abu Dhabi’s deep-pocketed art world could install Solar Banners as a performance piece on Saadiyat Island. Or a major brand might grab the idea to advertise their soft drink or sneakers.  Maybe #Occupiers will latch on to it: you can’t get arrested for making your point with solar graffiti.

Beidas is seeking financing to produce the mirrors and set up a test installation. Find out more on Zoomaal, a new crowd-funding platform aimed at encouraging innovation in the Arab world, specifically United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

All images from Zoomaal

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