We took the panoramas out of the first post and have placed them all together here. You’ll have to scroll to the right to see many of them.
How many Elizabeth Monoians do you see in the photo above? Can the answer even be a finite number? Is she particles or a waves or both?
Traffic opened their new location on Um Suqeim Road last night with an exhibit that featured the works of Hesam Rahmanian, Hit Me With your war Tune. I wasn’t able to stay very long since I had to catch the last metro home, but it was a very good time, and a very successful night for the new venue.
The Rahmanian exhibit features some really visceral yet somewhat playful commentary on themes of oppression and politics. It will be up until December 30 along with other pieces from the Farook collection under that title of THE STATE, which will continue on until January 22.
Here are a few images from the opening and my walk home.
We were on our way to the grocery store last night when we got pulled into the spirit of Diwali. There were lights on every balcony and fireworks going off all around. It was really magical. So we decided that instead of getting toilet paper and bread, we should walk to the Dubai Creek and make sure that we didn’t miss any of the festivities of the occasion.
We learned from talking to some lovely store owners in Bur Dubai that on Diwali, you are supposed to give gifts and hugs to your enemies. Very beautiful. We were the beneficiaries of some homemade treats that I will have dreams about for many nights. They were sort of reminiscent of peanut butter, had a fudge-like consistency, but comparison is impossible because they were unlike anything we had ever had before and I’m afraid that if I knew where to go to get a regular supply that I might end up living in a box somewhere guarding my stash.
I used to work as a cashier at the Giant in Harrisburg, PA when I was 15. Same exact logo.
Another drive-by glimpse of Ferrari World. We really owe you an honest visit I guess.
Hope these wind towers are functional!
We returned to Abu Dhabi Art on Friday to catch up with our friend Huda Abifares, Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation. If you don’t know about the Khatt Foundation, you owe it to yourself to click on that link especially if you are interested in the aesthetics of the public realm and typography as art.
Some other interesting projects with workshops at the design center pavilion.
WIP Lounge.
We had attended the Abu Dhabi Art opening last year under the incredible generosity of the jamjar gallery and I had forgotten my camera.
Abu Dhabi Art is one of those occasions where you really appreciate being here. It is a wonderfully organized event at the Emirates Palace in the glorious weather of Abu Dhabi November. Everyone is happy, inspired, and catered to with fancy hors d’œuvres and drinks that find you wherever you are.
So this year when we were again kindly bestowed invitations by the jamjar we vowed to make up for the photos we missed last year. So here they are. A most pleasant evening with contemporary art and friends.
Since we were only VIPs and not VVIPs or VVVIPs, we had to park in a side lot and catch a golf cart escort to the main entrance.
We were followed to the door by this SUV. Its passenger was a woman who we overheard while waiting in line for our cart. She was on her cellphone ranting about how last year she was able to valet to the door and that this was ridiculous and who did they think she was, putting her in a “buggy” of all things! The horror.
Mona Hatoum
Ahmed Askelany
Simeen Farhat
Love this photo!
A blurry w-shaped glimpse of Ferrari World on the way home.