Alonsa Guevara's Counting Leaves exhibition at the Tashkeel concludes on April 26. Pawan Singh / The National
Alonsa Guevara's Counting Leaves exhibition at the Tashkeel concludes on April 26. Pawan Singh / The National
Alonsa Guevara's Counting Leaves exhibition at the Tashkeel concludes on April 26. Pawan Singh / The National
Alonsa Guevara's Counting Leaves exhibition at the Tashkeel concludes on April 26. Pawan Singh / The National

Tashkeel artist-in-residence Alonsa Guevara evokes mysticism of nature in solo show


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

After a year-long residency at Tashkeel, Chilean artist Alonsa Guevara has revealed a series of works that show a mystical and hypnotic appreciation for nature, while drawing from local inspirations.

Her exhibition at Tashkeel’s Al Serkal Avenue gallery, Counting Leaves, which closes on April 25, encompasses paintings, textile and audio installations, and a lavish dining table laid out in the centre of the space.

Pomegranate branches swirl in spring in circular mandala-like canvasses. Cross-sections of fruits reveal, in glistening oil paint, the pulpy depths of figs and tomatoes. The luminescent brush strokes of a ghaf tree, meanwhile, conceal birds, nests and a gawking owl — elements that Guevara encountered during her research in the UAE.

Stepping into Counting Leaves is a bit like accepting an invitation to a spiritual forest banquet. But in Guevara’s works, nature’s fantastical aspect is not buffered by folklore or imaginary beings such as fairies and wisps. Rather, the artist goes back to the roots, branches and fruits of life, converging their patterns with spiritual motifs to instil in the viewer a primeval connection with nature.

Guevara’s artistic practice is inextricable from the natural world. The artist is heavily inspired by memories of her childhood spent in the rainforests of Latin America with her family. Her experiences of living in three countries — Chile, Ecuador and the US, where she is now based — are all potent sources of inspiration.

Guevara arrived in the UAE in April last year with a handful of ideas about what she wanted to work on during her residency at Tashkeel. They were all scrapped soon after arriving in the country.

“Everything changed after being here,” she says. “I started making small paintings on canvasses that were already primed. I wasn’t attached to the material itself and was playing around. I’d make at least two a day, just to get ideas out.”

Guevara began her residency painting small canvases to generate ideas. Pawan Singh / The National
Guevara began her residency painting small canvases to generate ideas. Pawan Singh / The National

The smaller canvasses, which are among the first works on display, are composed with a strong sense of symmetry. Some were inspired by Guevara’s meditation practices and art workshops. Others were more spontaneous, featuring thumbprints and mushrooms that were gradually coaxed out of the canvas.

Spurred by her daily routine, Guevara began examining local flora and their cultural significance. These included the ghaf tree. The desert evergreen is the national evergreen of the UAE. It is a symbol of peace, stability and endurance in the UAE’s arid environment.

Guevara’s Ghaf and Migration: Uncovering the Unknown, a five-panel oil painting, pays homage to the tree. The work is imbued with species that require time and attention to spot — exhibited in front of a series of ethically-sourced tree trunks which offer visitors a chance to sit and meditate on the work.

Alonsa Guevara’s Ghaf and Migration: Uncovering the Unknown. Pawan Singh / The National
Alonsa Guevara’s Ghaf and Migration: Uncovering the Unknown. Pawan Singh / The National

The audio of the space makes it easy for visitors to lose themselves in thought. Birds chirp, the call to prayer faintly sounds in the background, a soothing vocal chant lilts in the fore. Then there is the distant warble of a helicopter passing overhead.

“A lot of people that come and see the painting here say they see it moving and I think that may have to do with the sound as well,” Guevara says. “It was recorded here in the UAE. I was recording the sound of the birds in Tashkeel and the call to prayer began.

“Then there is my humming, different layers. I love singing and I think that music can move a memory, so I wanted to bring something that connected with the piece. The helicopter, I didn’t want to add, but it constantly happened, and so I thought ‘you know what, this is our world now’.”

While exploring the local flora and fauna, Guevara found several unexpected similarities with the natural environment she knew.

“Chile is such a long country,” she says. “It stretches from the desert to the forest in the south. We have similar species of owls, foxes and flamingoes. Even the ghaf tree, there is a tree that is very similar. Here it is the prosopis cineraria, whereas we have prosopis chilensis. When I first saw it, it was so familiar, and it turned out it was the national tree of the UAE.”

Alonsa Guevara holds an MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art and has exhibited internationally in countries including China, Mexico, Denmark, Argentina and Chile. Pawan Singh / The National
Alonsa Guevara holds an MFA in Painting from the New York Academy of Art and has exhibited internationally in countries including China, Mexico, Denmark, Argentina and Chile. Pawan Singh / The National

“My culture is very different from this culture, but we have a lot in common,” she says. “The food, the celebration, the warmth, the sense of family.”

While painting the series of round canvasses that depict the cross-sections of disparate fruits and vegetables, Guevara found her subjects in local markets, which sourced produce from across the world.

“Sometimes I’d buy them not with the intent of painting them but simply to eat them,” she says. “But I always have a ritual of cut the fruit, look at the pattern and be inspired. The watermelons from Iran, for instance. They are small and long. I’d never seen a watermelon like that. Some of them I found in the desert, like that squash. Similar looking to a watermelon.”

The pomegranate, Guevara says, is a symbol of fertility, love and also something forbidden. Pawan Singh / The National
The pomegranate, Guevara says, is a symbol of fertility, love and also something forbidden. Pawan Singh / The National

In her studies of fruit, Guevara also touches upon their symbolism, many of which resonate across the globe. “The banana, for instance, is a symbol of abundance in many cultures,” she says. “It’s a tree that as soon as it blooms signifies that food is coming. The banana brings so much to eat from one flower.

“The pomegranate, on the other hand, is a symbol of fertility, love and also of something forbidden,” she says, pointing out Persephone in Greek mythology, the daughter of Zeus who unwittingly wed herself to Hades by eating pomegranate seeds, the food of the underworld.

“Then the olive tree is a symbol of family,” Guevara adds.

One of the centrepieces of the exhibition is a long dining table, decked in silverware and floral designs. When Counting Leaves opened on February 26, a feast of fresh fruits and vegetables was laid out. Though a photograph of the installation during the launch is displayed, the table has since been cleared and now holds bare plates and cutlery. The floral table designs have also wilted. Guevara says she had planned to let them stay, as decay is also a part of the natural world.

Another highlight of the exhibition is a sprawling textile sculpture depicting a plant spouting green and golden leaves. There are more than 550 leaves in the work, all of them handmade out of dyed and reclaimed fabrics.

Guevara's residency at Tashkeel marks the first time she has experimented with textiles in her work. Pawan Singh / The National
Guevara's residency at Tashkeel marks the first time she has experimented with textiles in her work. Pawan Singh / The National

Its roots, however, are much more expansive, taking up a lion’s share of the space. The piece, marking the first time she has experimented with fabrics, alludes to the cyclical nature of life.

“Our roots in the ground are our strength,” Guevara says of the work. “Then, the things that happen in the middle can be intricate but they all eventually lead to the end of it and it comes back to the root.”

Guevara's residency at Tashkeel coincides with the 15th anniversary of the organisation's residency programme. More than 80 artists, curators and designers from more than 30 countries have taken part in the initiative.

The Residency Programme consists of three strands: residencies for overseas practitioners at Tashkeel (Nad Al Sheba) for between four and 12 months, consisting of teaching, research, experimentation and the production of a new body of work; two-month residencies at Tashkeel (Al Fahidi) leading to a public outcome for UAE-based practitioners; and international opportunities for UAE-based practitioners, resulting so far in residencies in Japan, the UK and US.

Currently in residence at Tashkeel alongside Guevara is Anja Bamberg, an artist who lives in the UAE and whose solo exhibition ran until March 5 at Tashkeel Al Fahidi.

Counting Leaves will be shown at Tashkeel’s Al Serkal Avenue gallery until April 25

Education reform in Abu Dhabi

 

The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.

Brief scoreline:

Al Wahda 2

Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'

Al Nassr 3

Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'

If you go

The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.

The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).

When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Florence and the Machine – High as Hope
Three stars

'Downton Abbey: A New Era'

Director: Simon Curtis

 

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan

 

Rating: 4/5

 
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.

Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.

The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S

Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000

Engine: 3.0-litre V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm

Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

THE SPECS

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE

Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors

Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode

Power: 121hp

Torque: 142Nm

Price: Dh95,900

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

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Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year

2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)

'Cheb%20Khaled'
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FIGHT CARD

Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)

Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)

Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)

Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)

Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon

Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon

1999 - 1st round

2000 - 1st round

2001 - Quarter-finalist

2002 - 1st round

2003 - Winner

2004 - Winner

2005 - Winner

2006 - Winner

2007 - Winner

2008 - Finalist

2009 - Winner

2010 - Quarter-finalist

2011 - Quarter-finalist

2012 - Winner

2013 - 2nd round

2014 - Finalist

2015 - Finalist

2016 - Semi-finalist

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Updated: April 23, 2023, 10:40 AM