The chime of cymbals echoes through the underpass beneath Urban Park, ringing with the familiar babble of the fountains.
The knell is a new addition to the area’s soundscape and comes as part of a work commissioned for the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial. The work by Lawrence Abu Hamdan is titled The Conversation. It features a set of cymbals that are struck by a mechanism fed by the running water of the fountains. The work references the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film and obscures a scripted exchange with the sounds of water and alloy.
The Conversation adds to another similar work by Hamdan at the biennial. Wsh Wsh is fitted on the fountains circling the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The installation pays tribute to the fountains found in traditional Damascene courtyards, where the sounds of water would often conceal private conversations.
The two installations draw renewed attention to the fountains in the area, accentuating them with a new layer of meaning. In that sense, it is much like the rest of the works at the inaugural biennial, which celebrates existing features across Abu Dhabi’s public spaces by introducing new, often surprising elements.
“Weaving art within significant sites of our Abu Dhabi cities is the mission of our first Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial,” Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi tells The National.
“This initiative reminds our audience about the cultural vision of our emirate as a centre for culture and creativity, and ensures that art goes beyond closed walls to enable transformative, inclusive and accessible encounters for both our residents and visitors.
"It represents our culture sector’s vision to embed art within the very fabric of the emirate, ensuring that creativity and inspiration are part of everyday life, and reflects our commitment to supporting creatives in Abu Dhabi, the Global South and the rest of the world through inspirational artistic programmes.”
More than 70 local and international artists are taking part in the inaugural event, displaying works across public spaces in the capital, from the Corniche and the public park network to the bus terminal, carpet souq and Al Ain Oasis.
Several works draw inspiration from local sources. Homesickness by Farah Al Qasimi, for instance, depicts five large oysters on a platform on the Corniche. The oysters are fitted with concealed speakers that play a piece of music inspired by Tob, Tob Ya Bahar, a traditional chant once sung by the wives of pearl divers.
Barzakh by Wael Al Awar, meanwhile, presents a large dome structure, also on the Corniche. The structure, however, proposes sustainable solutions to global environmental problems by incorporating materials derived from industrial waste, as well as those that were used in vernacular architecture. The materials included recycled plastics and palm fibre. It also makes use of brine, a by-product of the water desalination process.
Then there are installations meant to engage the public in whimsical ways. Pawel Althamer’s Tentarium, for instance, is a sprawling homage to the cats of Abu Dhabi. Displayed on Lake Park, the tent is shaped like a cat, fitted with ears and eyes on one end and a tail affixed on the other end. The interior invites visitors to draw, paint and write on its canvas walls. The installation is expected to drastically change as the biennial progresses, and will embody Abu Dhabi’s cosmopolitan nature with its mixture of languages and cultural references.
Seema Nusrat’s Floating Fragments presents a cautionary tale in the centre of the waters of Lake Park. Terracotta roofs peek out the body of water, reimagining the lake as the scene of a flood that has submerged entire homes. The installation highlights the risks of extreme weather changes incurred by climate change.
In Kombwelo 504, Sammy Baloji highlights topics of resource extraction through the window of a cultural motif prevalent in the Congolese collective consciousness. The installation recreates a Peugeot 504 car, once regarded as a status symbol in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The car, however, has been made using copper wires, reflecting a practice by Congolese children to fashion toys from discarded materials. Plants from the Congo and the UAE grow within Baloji’s copper car, nourished by the municipal irrigation system.
Christoper Joshua Benton, on the other hand, takes on the carpet souq with a design of his own. Where Lies My Carpet is Thy Home was developed in collaboration with the merchants of the souq and brings together cultural identities from Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Rendered on astroturf and in an 8-bit pixel aesthetic, the design depicts the life of a carpet, going from its beginnings as loose wool to its presentation at the market.
Afra Al Dhaheri’s installation offers refuge from the bustle and pace of city life. D-Constructing Collective Exhaustion is made of wooden structures, tangled ropes, light and sound. The installation aims to instil a meditative feeling among visitors, helping them establish a balance between their physical and mental space.
One of the most powerful works at the biennial is Khalil Rabah’s Among Trees. The installation comprises 15 olive trees presented in metal containers. Some of the trees remain stationary, others rotate on gyrating platforms. While the piece is inspired by the cyclical dances of Sufi rituals, it also brings to mind the human relationship to land, highlighting experiences of movement and displacement.
Each of the works presented at the biennial is thought-provoking in its own right, and sharply responds to their setting. Alia Lootah, a member of the curatorial team, says this is because artists directly developed their works based on where they would be displayed.
“We were looking at artists who either work with the community or have done public art, or we felt that their work is connected to the landscape of Abu Dhabi,” Lootah says. “But we also made sure that all the artists came for site visits to actually see Abu Dhabi on the ground.”
The artists also took part in discussions about the history of Abu Dhabi, learning more about its different communities and public spaces. “We had the locations that we wanted to work with in mind,” Lootah says. “We wanted really to highlight where people gather, and where the public enjoys the city of Abu Dhabi on foot. We're creating these works for the locals, for the people living here, for the residents, and also for the visitors.”
Lootah says that new works will also added to the biennial in January, while different performances, workshops and programmes will be held throughout the six months.
The curator also hinted that several of the artworks being showcased will become permanent fixtures in the city’s landscape. However, a lot will depend on public interaction.
“We have a list of artworks that are possibly going to be permanent,” she says. “But we also like to see how people interact with the artworks to make sure that this is what the people want before we take the decision.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreated%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJesse%20Armstrong%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brian%20Cox%2C%20Jeremy%20Strong%2C%20Kieran%20Culkin%2C%20Sarah%20Snook%2C%20Nicholas%20Braun%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
FIGHT CARD
Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)
Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)
Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)
Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)
Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)
Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)
Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Super heroes
Iron Man
Reduced risk of dementia
Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
Unknown risks of potion drinking
Black Widow
Childhood traumas increase risk of mental illnesses
Thor
He's a god
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20750hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20800Nm%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%207%20Speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20332kph%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012.2L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYear%20end%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C430%2C000%20(coupe)%3B%20From%20Dh1%2C566%2C000%20(Spider)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
