uae a look at the cultural events happening in the emirates during the month of march ART DUBAI AL-BASTAKIYA ART FAIR SHARJAH BIENNIAL EMIRATI EXPRESSIONS art dubai Yes, there is a global economic recession and yet, from 19–21 March, there is an art fair in Dubai. Does this spell disaster or will the optimism of the Art Dubai organisers be shared by its participating galleries? One thing is for certain – this is a fair with a mission to maintain Dubai’s status as the region’s cultural hub. will they buy in dubai? 66 Visitors at Art Dubai 2008 admire artworks at the gallery booths. © Sertac Tasdelen. 67 The year began on a sour economic note, with the globe teetering on the brink of fiscal meltdown. Following the slumps of 2008’s last quarter, the world watched – and continues to watch – with bated breath, just how fast and subterranean this monetary plunge will be. This is certainly not good news for the art industry, especially for a relative newbie on the global art scene like the UAE and Contemporary Middle Eastern art as the latest emergent on the market. And yet, one has to hand it to the UAE's art protagonists for their resilience, grace under pressure and, perhaps most importantly, their commitment to the bigger picture.“It’s not entirely about selling work,” says John Martin, Co-Founder and Director of Art Dubai, “smaller fairs create intimacy and are a platform for people to come together and meet.” However true and strategic that may be, one has to be realistic, and it is not only Jerry McGuire who is toting the infamous phrase, “Show me the money!” Martin’s resolution is reliant on organisational backing: “The appetite for Middle Eastern art is very strong still and this is the moment when it needs institutional support and commitment. Waiting longer might pose problems. Someone, institutionally, has to make that first step.” Now in its third year, Art Dubai is showcasing a total of 66 galleries from all corners of the globe (two less than its predecessor); 30 of which are first- time participants. Since the fair’s press conference in early January, the list of participating galleries has changed several times, a point Martin addressed during the conference’s Q&A session, adding that for every gallery that backs out, many more are happy to come in. Whether the fair was facing problems with the number of participating galleries, or whether the galleries were suffering from the economic backlash is not of real significance in the macroscopic scheme of things, since, as Martin puts it: “We all depend on one another.” London- based gallery Waterhouse & Dodd, for example, was among the last to sign up. “An opportunity arose and we decided to jump on board,” says the gallery’s Jemima Patterson. “It's important just to be there, and even if that’s a flop with regard to sales, it's good PR in terms of visibility.” Regulars at artparis-AbuDhabi, Waterhouse & Dodd are bringing in a “good mix” of Middle Eastern and British artists, including a pricey piece by Iranian sculptor Parviz Tanavoli. “It is a conscious decision for us to bring more mid- range works,” says Patterson. Kashya Hildebrand of the Zurich-based Galerie Kashya Hildebrand echoes Patterson’s statement. “The works I’m bringing in hit on economics and the Middle Eastern aspect,” she says. Hildebrand plans on “accenting” her booth with works by Syrian artist Ahmed Moualla along with works by Iranians Sissi Farassat and Shirin Aliabadi, Korean Ran Hwang, TEXT BY MYRNA AYAD IMAGES COURTESY OF THE PORTSMOUTH GROUP 68 “The appetite for Middle Eastern art is very strong still and this is the moment when it needs institutional support and commitment. Waiting longer might pose problems. Someone, institutionally, has to make that first step.” John Martin, Co-Founder and Director of Art Dubai Bita Fayyazi. Akram Khanoum . 2008–9. From left to right, editions 3/6, 2/6 and 1/6. Fiberglass, acrylic and watercolour. 82 x 30 x 28 cm each. Jitish Kallat. Dawn Chorus. 2008. Acrylic on canvas. Bronze. 228.6 x 172.7 cm. Courtesy Bodhi Art, Mumbai. Subodh Gupta. There is Always Cinema (I). 2008. Found objects, nickel and brass. Variable dimensions. Courtesy Galleria Continua, San Gimignano / Beijing / Le Moulin. 69 German Anja Jensen, Turkish Gulay Semercioglu and Syrian Osama Esid. Is Hildebrand worried? “We’re obviously deeply concerned, because at the end of the day, the magnitude of the economic situation is across the board. It’s not just Asia or the USA, it’s everywhere. And those galleries who are going to bring in big names, like a Hirst pharmaceutical kit, can just forget about it!” As a Western gallery representing Middle Eastern artists, Hildebrand certainly has a keen eye on the region and her re- participation at Art Dubai is driven by a sense of loyalty to both the Emirate and the nation as a whole. “It costs a fortune between the booth, hotels, airfare and so on, but Dubai has been so good to us the last couple of years and the commitment that John Martin has to the fair is just so professional and impressive,” she concludes. So is mid-range the way to go? Third-time participant, Galerie Tanit (with branches in Beirut and Munich) is bringing in most of its stable of artists. “The whole range will be there. We want to show the public that we do not only carry expensive art, and also encourage those who are interested Sissi Farassat. Mosque . 2006. Colour photograph with sequins. 57 x 85 cm. Courtesy Galerie Kashya Hildebrand, Zurich. Zena El-Khalil. Kalashin sculpture series. 2008. Mixed media on wood. 100 x 50 cm. Courtesy Galerie Tanit, Munich. 70 “We’re obviously deeply concerned, because at the end of the day, the magnitude of the economic situation is across the board. It’s not just Asia or the USA, it’s everywhere. And those galleries who are going to bring in big names, like a Hirst pharmaceutical kit, can just forget about it!” Kashya Hildebrand, Galerie Kashya Hildebrand in young artists,” says the gallery’s Walther Mollier. The gallery’s aim is to endorse their Lebanese artists, namely Nabil Nahas and Lamia Joreige, and in doing so, promote their Beirut-based branch. “The gallery in Beirut puts us in the region and we have to show our flag somewhere. That is one of the reasons why we are participating at Art Dubai.” One could argue that Dubai-based galleries are spared the steep costs that overseas galleries bear in participating at Art Dubai. Not so true. “I ship things in and transportation is probably my biggest expenditure. My artists are not based in Dubai,” says Isabelle van den Eynde of B21 Gallery, one of Dubai’s premier galleries, and one that focuses mainly on Iranian artists. Boasting some spectacular names, including Khosrow Hassanzadeh, brothers Ramin and Rokni Haerizadeh and Fereydoun Ave, B21 plans on showcasing 11 of their artists at Art Dubai. Undoubtedly, galleries and artists feed each other’s reputations, but an optimistic gallerist is the silver lining in the gloomy economic cloud. “I know that this will pass, I am a positive person. I am more interested in the strategy behind the fair as opposed to the economics, but the economics cannot be ignored. It would be nice to simply cover my expenses!” And there we have it – a gallerist who sees the bigger picture. Just like Martin does. Art Dubai runs at Madinat Jumeirah from 19–21 March. For more information visit www.artdubai.ae “I know that this will pass, I am a positive person. I’m more interested in the strategy behind the fair as opposed to the economics but the economics cannot be ignored. It would be nice to simply cover my expenses!” Isabelle van den Eynde, B21 Gallery Nabil Nahas. Untitled. 2008. Acrylic on canvas. 150 x 200 cm. Courtesy Agial Art Gallery, Beirut. 71 TEXT BY JAMES PARRY IMAGES COURTESY OF THE BRUNSWICK GROUP This year’s Art Dubai will provide a fitting showcase for works created by the winners of the inaugural edition of what is already regarded as one of the Contemporary art world’s most exciting new awards, the Abraaj Capital Art Prize. Based in Dubai, Abraaj Capital is the premier investment firm specialising in private equity investment in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region, and, with a total of $1 million available, the Abraaj Capital Art Prize (ACAP) is the world’s largest art competition endowment. The prize was established in April 2008 to provide the opportunity for creative collaboration between international curators and artists from the MENASA region and was designed primarily to create a viable platform for artists who, although revered in their local communities, were lacking international critical and commercial exposure. ACAP provides them with the opportunity to hone their talents through working alongside international curators and to then reach a global audience through the display of their work at Art Dubai. The ACAP selection committee consists of Savita Apte (Chair); Antonia Carver; Ali Khadra; John Martin; Elaine Ng; Jack Persekian; Daniela da Prato; Maya Rasamny and Frederic Sicre. Almost 100 curator/artist applications were received, evaluated and discussed by the committee, which assessed each application from a range of different perspectives. These included innovation and use of medium; reflection of regional and local cultural principles, experimental art production techniques; and the ability of the curators to push their respective artists’ boundaries. As committee chairperson Apte explained, “Every single project was assessed very objectively on its own merits. We were particularly looking out for proposals that offered a fresh and new approach or vision.” the biggest prize of all 72 “Every single project was assessed very objectively on its own merits. We were particularly looking out for proposals that offered a fresh and new approach or vision.” Savita Apte, Chair, ACAP Kutlug Ataman. Strange Space . 2009. Video projection. Variable dimensions. Digital video file. Commissioned by Abraaj Capital, Dubai, UAE. Produced by The Institute for the Readjustment of Clocks, Istanbul, Turkey. 73 The three winning combinations of curator and artist were announced last October as: Cristiana Perrella (Italy) and Kutlug Ataman (Turkey); Carol Solomon (USA) and Zoulikha Boubadellah (Algeria); Leyla Fakhr (Iran) and Nazgol Ansarinia (Iran). Since then, each team has been working on a new work which will be unveiled for the first time just before Art Dubai. The works are as follows: Perrella and Ataman: Strange Space Ataman is well known for his intense video installations, in which he uses narration to explore the fragile nature of both personal and collective identity, creating intimate portraits of people while dealing at the same time with social topics. For ACAP , Ataman is turning the camera on himself in presenting Strange Space , a recorded performance piece and part of his most recent and challenging project, Mesopotamian Dramaturgies , focused on the problematic relationship between East and West, globalisation and the persistence of local cultures. In Strange Space the artist is filmed crossing a sulphurous desert land with bare feet and blinded eyes. A vision inspired by classical folk and court tales typical of Mesopotamia, in which the hero, blinded by the love of the heroine, is condemned to wander in the desert trying to find her, only to burst into flames when they finally meet. The ancient theme is used by Ataman as a metaphor for the encounter between modernity and tradition, of their reciprocal attraction and the trauma this attraction may cause. Zoulikha Bouabdellah. A conceptual sketch of Walk on the Sky. Pisces. 2009. Mixed media installation, LED-flex, aluminium dibond, reflective stainless steel. 600 x 600 x 300 cm. 74 Solomon and Boubadellah: Walk on the Sky. Pisces This evocative installation piece recreates the night sky illuminated by a discernible astrological constellation and is constructed as an open, three- dimensional space. A system of light- emitting diodes (LED-FLEX) is used to create a luminous network of polygonal stars that vary in size and colour to form the constellation Pisces. Mounted on a ceiling, the celestial coordinates are reflected as in a mirror on the floor beneath, upon which viewers are invited to walk. Multiple sources – idiomatic shapes and other touchstones from the artist’s cultural heritage – inform the work. These include the polygon star (a key geometric configuration in Islamic art); the influential 10th-century treatise, The Book of the Fixed Stars , by the Persian astronomer Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sufi; and the story of the legendary glass floor erected in front of King Solomon’s throne, which the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis) was led to believe was water. Fakha and Ansarinia: Untitled Ansarinia’s work explores the patterns and structures of modern- day life, the artist seeking to portray intangible aspects of social, physical and emotional interactions within the framework of society. Taking inspiration from her immediate environment, she closely investigates individual systems before restructuring them into her own configurations. This process aims to realign our relationship with the mundane. As a continuous exploration of systems and patterns, Ansarinia explores one the most stereotyped artefacts of her native Iran: the Persian carpet. Mostly perceived as a precious commodity, the Persian carpet has been the most utilised object for Iranians throughout history. While we have become numb to the repetition of floral shapes, Ansarnia prompts us to have a closer look at what is being taken for granted. With her project for ACAP , she has transformed the traditional floral motifs of the Persian carpet into scenes of contemporary life in Iran. By taking the multi-layered structures of her hometown of Tehran as a starting point, she explores how juxtaposing factors, scenarios and events can coexist within a single framework. Following their display at Art Dubai, the prize-winning works will become part of the Abraaj Capital corporate collection. Further information about ACAP is available at www.abraaj.com “In Strange Space [Ataman] is filmed crossing a sulphurous desert land with bare feet and blinded eyes. A vision inspired by classical folk and court tales typical of Mesopotamia, in which the hero... is condemned to wander in the desert. 75 global art forum In its third year running in parallel to Art Dubai, the Global Art Forum hosts a series of lectures and discussions by some of the world’s leading Contemporary art intellectuals, including HE Sheikha Abdulla Al-Thani, Vice President of Education at the Qatar Foundation, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co- Director of the Serpentine Gallery in London, Indian artist Anish Kapoor and Simon de Pury, Chairman of Philips de Pury and Company, among others. Split between the UAW and Qatar, Doha will kick start the talks on 16 March with the discussion Creating Spaces, Creating Audiences . Dubai hosts the remaining four discussions: Artists/Curators: Brave New World on 18 March; the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH): The Arts and Cultural Heritage on 19 March with a night session, Artists’ Cities 1, Tehran , and lastly Rules of Attraction: Cultural Destinations & Audience on 20 March. For more information visit www.artdubai.ae contemparabia The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), Art Dubai, the Sharjah Biennial and the Qatar Museums Authority all come together to form Contemparabia – a programme comprising events and tours designed to educate the public on the Gulf’s cultural initiatives. Over the course of seven days and spanning four cities, the Contemparabia programme – open to collectors, artists, curators, museum directors and media members – features special tours of Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art, a VIP preview of the Sharjah Biennial, a tour of the Tate exhibition the Lure of the East at the Sharjah Art Museum, Art Dubai and the inauguration of the Dubai Abraaj Capital Art Prize, the Global Art Forum (in Doha and Dubai), a trip to Dubai’s Al-Quoz gallery district, visits to artist studios, private collections and a cultural excursion to Abu Dhabi, among other activities. Beginning from 15 March, more information can be found on www.contemparabia.com 76 al-bastakiya art fair Dubai’s annual fringe fair runs along Dubai Creek in the Bastakiya heritage area from 15–22 March. Each year Dubai’s galleries descend upon and take over the traditional houses of the Bastakiya heritage area, bringing its cobbled streets and sand-coloured wind towers to life with vibrant artworks, lectures and evening events. This year sees the third edition of the highly successful fringe event, Creek Art Fair, rebranded for 2009 as the Al-Bastakiya Art Fair (BAF). The latest edition hosts a rich lecture series curated by ex-Tate programming curator, Sara Raza, and will take the form of a BAF ‘Art School’. The five-day morning event is open to the public, including students, emerging artists, critics and collectors, and hopes to engage participants in vibrant discussions on trends with current Contemporary art practice. International artists and curators for the BAF Art School will come together from 16–20 March from 10 am–12 pm daily. Says BAF Co-Director Emily Doherty, “the programme will present a compact and lively series of talks and artist presentations designed to offer an alternative art curriculum, with topics ranging from the aesthetics of the contemporary art bazaar to blogging, art collectives, collecting and gossip.” Some of this year’s participating galleries include Tashkeel, The Third Line, B21 Gallery, Cuadro and B_asement. Artists taking part include Laudi Abilama, Mark Pilkington, Arnaud Rivieren, Durriya Kazi, Jonathan Gent and Ebtisama Abdul Aziz, among others. For more information visit www.baf.ae start @ art dubai START partners with Art Dubai to provide on-site arts education workshops to children. Founded by Art Dubai and the Al-Madad Foundation in 2007, START has delivered educational workshops in Lebanon and Jordan to orphans, as well as to children from Palestinian refugee camps, The Institute for the Deaf and NGOs socially integrating Iraqi children who have lost limbs during the war. Focusing on working with children with special needs in the UAE, as well as government schools and abused mothers and children, START hosts workshops guided by arts professionals and art students. This year, START has organised a series of free activities programmes for families, allowing young visitors to the fair to meet artists and participate in creative workshops on-site from 18–21 March. This year’s artists include British/Iranian filmmaker Elhum Shakerifar (with whom children can make a short documentary film on the fair), French/Indian painter Sacha Jafri (who will guide children in the creation of large canvases recording daily life at Art Dubai) and Emirati artists Maitha Bin Lahej and Noor Amin Al-Khaja. While workshops are free of charge, participants are welcome to make a donation to START. For more information visit www.startworld.org 77 The latest edition of Sharjah Biennial, running from 19 March–16 May, mixes it up with a fresh perspective on artistic endeavours and themes, moving beyond traditional frameworks to create a dynamic, living, breathing project. Hosted by Sharjah’s Department of Culture and Information, and under the patronage of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, as well as the auspices of the Biennial Director, HH Sheikha Hoor Al-Qassimi, renowned curator and Artistic Director Jack Persekian brings in the talents of Isabel Carlos and Tarek Abou El- Fetouh for a dynamic new Biennial. The real change this year is Persekian’s decision to abandon a pre-set theme, creating two parallel exhibition programmes instead; Provisions for the Future, curated by Carlos, and the film programme Past of the Coming Days, curated by El-Fetouh. In fact, Persekian was drawn to Carlos by her Latin background. “I’d seen Isabel’s work at the Sydney Biennial as well as what she did for the Artist Mundi Prize,” he says. “She has a quiet and in-depth perspective on Latin American art, as well as art from mainly Spanish and Italian speaking countries and Portugal. I felt that this was an area that had not been very visible in previous Sharjah Biennials, and that it was time we shed some light on that part of the world.” El- Fetouh, also, was specifically chosen for his vast experience in the field of film, and experience with the Meeting Point project, a visual art and performance theatre programme that took place in several Arab and European cities. With the conscious decision to keep the Biennial 'theme-free', applications were open to all, professional and amateur. The result was overwhelming. “It was a tremendous response,” says Persekian. “We started with something called The Production Programme last year, and had already received numerous proposals for funding. When Isabel came on board, she went through all the applications, as well as her own ‘wishlist’. Based on the applications that we got and the selection of our committee, we came up with a shortlist of proposals that we found interesting and in need of further discussion and reading, and from there, selected the artists who are now participating.” Having been quoted as saying that open creativity “I felt that [Latin American art] was an area that had not been very visible in previous Sharjah Biennials, and that it was time we shed some light on that part of the world.” Jack Persekian, Artistic Director, Sharjah Biennial 9 TEXT BY ANNA WALLACE-THOMPSON IMAGES COURTESY OF SHARJAH BIENNIAL 78 Nadia Kaabi. Give a Name to Your Boat . 2008. Imprints of walls from Berlin and Tunis with wax, ink and pigment on paper and folded paper boats. Both sides 275 x 550 cm. © Miguel Vidal. Basma Al-Sharif. Everywhere was the Same . 2007. Mini DV. Projection. Nika Oblak and Primoz Novak. We Did This and That . 2005–7. Series of 43 photographs on aluminium. 75 x 101 cm. Doug Henders at Art Köln. Rear View. 2005. Oil on canvas. 140 x 180 cm. 79 Left and right: Maider Lopez. 366 Silas (366 Chairs). 2007. La Noche en Blanco, Madrid. With a staggering 49 new commissions taking place, Sharjah Biennial 9 has carefully placed itself in the role of curator, rather than static exhibitor. 80 Sharjah is “a crossroad seeking to work out its position,” and that he believes that transformation is “not merely inevitable but absolutely essential,” Persekian is highly aware of the need for an event such as the Sharjah Biennial to stay fresh and innovative. “I think carefully about the way it is done,” muses Persekian, “and the way in which the Biennial addresses needs, and how it sees its positioning in Sharjah, the Emirates and the Arab world. We’ve turned things around by sending out this open call to artists, rather than first bringing in a curator and then solely having a list of nominees to invite and commission. We went around it the other way, and in doing so, I received proposals from people that we would never have known or encountered. In that sense, the Biennial is changing, through the very way it is organised, curated and put together.” The abandonment of a uniting ‘theme’ and two new exhibitions allows the Biennial to “paint the picture”, as Persekian calls it, of what they are trying to show, as well as organise an array of presentations and workshops. This year also sees the opening day of Sharjah Biennial 9 coincide with that of Art Dubai. “It was a conscious decision as far back as 2007,” says Persekian. “Both openings that year were a month apart, and it was a challenge for people who were interested to make it to both events, especially those who were travelling from overseas.” This year sees dedicated daily shuttle buses between the two venues. Despite the chilly climes of the current global financial crisis, Persekian remains unfazed. “I can only say that I am totally blessed and privileged to be part of a circle in which the thing that I do and the way I do things somehow has very little to do with what the current financial market does. We are instead completely focused on the artists and projects that we are producing.” In fact, with a staggering 49 new commissions taking place, Sharjah Biennial 9 has carefully placed itself in the role of curator, rather than static exhibitor. “One of the main things we’re attempting to do with the Biennial this year is to move it away from being a showcase, to being a producer,” explains Persekian. “We want it to be an entity that is involved in the production processes of these commissions. We want to cater to the needs of both artists and audience alike, rather than simply be a platform for art to be displayed.” With a special emphasis on artists from the Arab world, Sharjah Biennial 9 sees international names such as Lawrence Weiner, Liu Wei, Doug Henders and Lani Maestro work side by side with Middle Eastern artists such as Ayse Erkmen, Amir H Fallah, Lamya Gargash and husband and wife team Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. This focus on Middle Eastern artists also provides them with the exposure they need in order to gain access to funding, a wider public and recognition. It is this dedicated interest in its artists and Persekian’s constant drive to keep it fresh, innovative and, above all, a living, breathing thing, that ensures that Sharjah Biennial 9 will be at once a step away from previous years, as well as continuing its role as a cutting- edge art event in the Middle East. Sharjah Biennial 9 runs from 19 March–6 May. For more information visit www.sharjahbiennial.org 81 Sixty-four Emirati artists. One hundred and sixty- five artworks. One black box. A new exhibition, curated by Anne Baldassari, Director of the Musée National Picasso in Paris, and organised by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) in Abu Dhabi, brings together over 165 works from 64 Emirati artists. Having opened on 20 January under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Emirati Expressions: Art From the Heart of the Emirates is an eclectic mix of works by artists both young and old, established and upcoming, professional and amateur. Explains Baldassari, “ Emirati Expressions is a superb opportunity to show the rest of the world the level of talent and progress the UAE’s art and culture is witnessing.” What is interesting about Emirati Expressions is the selection and mixture of artists picked to represent art in the UAE. Works by internationally renowned and distinguished Abdul Qader Al- Rais are hung alongside other familiar Emirati names such as Jalal Luqman, Dr Najat Makki and pioneering brothers Hassan and Hussain Sharif. The younger generation is represented by such rising stars as Reem Al-Ghaith, Ebtisam Abdul-Aziz, Sheikha Maisa Al- Qassimi, Alia Al-Shamsi, Musab Abdul Qader Al-Rais, Lamya Gargash and Hind Mezaina, among others. Several works stand out, such as Maisoon Al- Saleh’s Husband 1 and Wife 2 , skeletal paintings of a bridal couple bedecked in a white wedding dress and black bisht (men's cloak), as well as Reem Al Ghaith’s multi-media work, What is Left of my Land , a flashing, neon-lit monolith of oil fields, lights and desert. The addition of relative freshman artists to the mix provides a comprehensive overview of the local arts scene. What is interesting is that in Emirati Expressions the gallery space plays almost as important a role as the works themselves. Conceptualised by Baldassari but realised by Colin Morris of Colin Morris Associates Ltd TEXT BY ANNA WALLACE-THOMPSON IMAGES COURTESY OF TBWA RAAD national treasures 82 “ Emirati Expressions is a superb opportunity to show the rest of the world the level of talent and progress the UAE’s art and culture is witnessing.” Anne Baldassari, Director, Musée National Picasso in Paris Left: Maisoon Al-Saleh. Husband 1. 2008. Acrylic on paper. 61.5 x 105 cm. Right: Maisoon Al-Saleh. Wife 2 . 2008. Acrylic on paper. 61.5 x 105 cm. 83 London, the ‘black box’ design of the main exhibition area is a step away from anything seen previously in the Abu Dhabi art world. The main exhibition space is divided into three sections; the central entrance area opens into a theatre, in which video interviews with featured artists are played, along with a film introducing the exhibition. Flanked by photographs of participating artists, the theatre will also host scheduled presentations of media works during the exhibition's duration. The ‘black box’ itself, designed to enhance the visitor’s senses, is a long gallery, completely lined in black. The works at once stand out and are subsumed by the intense dimness, creating a paradox of light and dark – works are at once brightly lit close up, yet seemingly shaded and hard to focus on from afar. Explains Baldassari, “What appeals to us in this exhibition is the ‘movement of thought’, as Picasso called it, a movement that is revealed in this place [Abu Dhabi] between East and West.” She describes the space as a place “where cultural, semantic and iconographic forces come together and give rise to the unknown, unseen and uncreated.” The exhibition is complemented by a series of educational initiatives and events. Children’s Art Workshops run weekly, with hands-on sessions relating to the exhibition. Furthermore, an Artistic Platform is planned. TDIC, along with different partners, will present international speakers and panellists to explore topics relevant to the subject matter and themes of the exhibition. While there are currently no plans afoot to tour the exhibition internationally, there is no doubt that this wealth of talent, representing the entire gamut of local Emirati creativity, from photography, sculpture, installation, multi-media, video and painting, will provide a fitting showcase of the vibrant, diverse and rapidly expanding UAE arts scene. Emirati Expressions runs until 16 April at Gallery One in Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. For more information visit www.artsabudhabi.ae Lateefa Bint Maktoum. Reflection . 2008. Digital manipulation. 99 x 66.5 cm. Reem Al-Ghaith. Frame 3, Held Back . 2006. Digital photograph. 300 x 200 cm. Edition of 3. 84