As evening falls, the sail-like architecture of Jumeirah Burj Al Arab becomes a canvas. Light moves across its façade, and with it, the fluid silhouette of an Arabian horse emerges – rippling, weightless, alive. Created in collaboration with renowned Chinese paper artist Jackie Wen, the installation marks Chinese New Year 2026, the Year of the Horse, with a gesture that is both monumental and poetic.

“The horse starts its journey from Guangzhou and passes through countless rivers and mountains,” Wen explains, referencing the Chinese city where she was born. “It represents the friendship between our two countries and carries wishes for a smooth and successful year ahead.” The result is a visual narrative that intertwines tradition, history, and contemporary art.

Projected across one of the world's most recognisable buildings, an icon born of the sea, the work transforms paper into light and motion. From an unfurling ribbon of red, the stallion travels through urban silhouettes and natural landscapes, tracing an ancient route that connects two cultures. It is a path defined by exchange: of ideas, craftsmanship, and culture. 

Horse and structure, both subject and setting are shaped by movement and maritime heritage.
That journey is reimagined in light, becoming a celebration of connection between China and the Arab world.

Wen’s practice is rooted in tradition yet always looking forward. Paper – both fragile and strong, elegant and versatile – is her chosen medium. “I found that the world of paper is very rich and diverse,” she recalls. “Since discovering it as a student, I wanted to use this material to express different kinds of emotions.” What began as an academic exploration evolved into a lifelong pursuit: to expand the language of traditional Chinese paper cutting and bring it into dialogue with the contemporary world.

Her work moves beyond the expected. Two-dimensional forms give way to sculptural installations; paper is placed in conversation with elements where it shouldn’t work. “It’s interesting to juxtapose paper with things it shouldn’t go with,” Wen explains. “Paper and water, paper and fire, they’re not things that naturally go together.” In some works, she submerges her creations beneath the water, training as a diver to inhabit the space alongside them and turn art into a performance. In others, paper is transformed through flame, giving rise to luminous, drifting forms that feel almost alive.

For Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, the Arabian horse stands at the centre of the story. Wen studied its anatomy closely, the elegant neck, flowing tail, and strength carried in motion. These details are translated into her distinctive visual language, capturing vitality and grace in equal measure. In Chinese culture, the horse symbolises success and momentum; in the Arabian world, it embodies heritage and nobility. Here, the two meanings meet.

Throughout Wen’s work, material and message are inseparable. Paper’s delicacy reflects an awareness of balance – environmental, emotional, human. Its recyclability speaks to sustainability, and its duality of vulnerability and strength invites curiosity. Meaning is never overt, but always present.

Working at this scale requires sensitivity. Large installations, Wen notes, are shaped as much by their surroundings as by the artist’s hand. Placed against the iconic silhouette of Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and the sea beyond, the piece responds to its environment – to light, water, nature and the city itself.

The collaboration with Jumeirah carries personal resonance. Once admired from afar, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab now becomes part of Wen’s artistic journey. Alongside the projection, her signature jellyfish – rendered in delicate installations within the hotel – extend the experience indoors. Floating forms of light and paper bring a sense of renewal and quiet joy to the spaces where guests gather.

For Wen, the jellyfish represents a modern strength: soft, resilient, self-possessed. It is a symbol of elegance and endurance, qualities that echo through her work, and through the spirit of the New Year.

As the horse moves across the sail-like façade this Chinese New Year, it carries with it a shared wish: for energy, success, and resilience. “I hope everyone’s spirit will be full of gold and silver, very elegant and rich,” Wen says. Through the interplay of paper, projection, and storytelling, the installation becomes a bridge between cultures, tradition and contemporary expression. The stories we inherit and those still unfolding.

Stand in the reflected glow of the illuminated projections at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and join us as we wish our guests across the globe a prosperous and joyful year to come, in celebration of the Chinese New Year.