“If everybody loves your work, you’re probably playing it too safe,” is a famous quote by graphic designer David Carson.
It's surreal to hear him say those words in person. Sitting across from the Aljada Skate Park in Sharjah, Carson admires his work, sprawled over long curving walls surrounding the skatepark, which opened to the public in December 2022.
Bold colours overlap and collide into each other. Black and white photos of skaters and bikers are enlarged and break out of the frame. Letters, words and numbers in mixed and altered fonts float and splatter across backgrounds made up of a multitude of patterns, graphic shapes and block colours.
“The context of my design here was primarily about the sport itself, skateboarding, that's number one,” Carson tells The National.
“Then I thought, 'let's look at this unique environment and how we can make it work'. And it feels oddly blended. Like it almost belongs.”
Carson was commissioned by Arada – the developers behind Aljada – to design the graphics at the skatepark, which is one of the largest facilities for skaters in the Middle East.
Carson’s work doesn’t say one thing. It’s both a feeling and a tone of voice that has transformed the world of print and graphic design.
Through his work on magazines such as Ray Gun, Transworld Skateboarding, Surfer and Beach Culture, all staples of the 1990s, the self-taught designer continuously broke the rules and reimagined how design could convey stories while simultaneously influencing culture.
A formidable figure of contemporary design, it was interesting to see him walk across the Aljada Skate Park, looking for inconsistencies, or “cringe moments” as he called them, in his work.
“I tried to represent everything I saw, from little girl skaters, people in the full local dress to skate kids that could have been anywhere in the world,” he says.
“All of that struck me, the kind of universal feel to it, even though we’re in a very distinct part of the world.”
Carson was in the UAE for Sk8topia 2, a skateboarding event that took place from Friday to Sunday. The event included masterclasses, meet-and-greets and a panel discussion with Keegan Palmer, the park skateboarding gold medallist. It also included an outdoor exhibition at the skatepark showcasing key pieces of Carson’s work from across his career.
Experiencing the history of his work within the context of the skatepark reaffirms that he is a designer that has always created from his instincts above everything else.
“I'm trying to do things so that people want to know more, want to get in, or want to discover,” he says. “I want to make it worth their while to walk across the street and read the fine print on a poster.”
Carson’s work feels like an organic and universal conversation. This sense of play has been maintained throughout his different projects over the years even as the industry eventually left print behind for the online world.
While Carson would like to think there is a small chance that print is not entirely dead, he recognises that the next revolution will be online.
“I’d still want to be blown away by a magazine that I have to buy,” he says. “But I think the next thing is going to be more AI, something 3D.”
As creative sectors grapple with how AI will change the landscape, for good or bad, Carson sees it for both its potential and the impact it will have on designers.
“It's really exciting. I don't feel threatened by it in any way. Largely, because anything I've seen that’s trying to do what I might do, doesn't work,” he says.
“But if you're the cog in the middle of some big agency, preparing decks for client presentation, good luck, your job is probably history.”
Carson emphasises though that nothing can take away from an individual’s perspective and experience that ultimately makes their work more interesting whether they are using AI or not.
“If you're using your uniqueness and your way of viewing the world and putting that into your work nobody can copy that,” he says.
“Like all good design it goes back to your individual approach. That's what's going to separate the really talented designers who trust their own intuition from the rest.”
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
SPECS
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Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
HAJJAN
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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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
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Company%20profile
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Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
HOW TO WATCH
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
