Art Dubai, now in its 17th year, is one of the biggest art fairs in the region. It’s an all-consuming immersive experience that is both exciting and educational.
Featuring 120 galleries from more than 40 countries, the event will take place at Madinat Jumeirah from Friday to Sunday. Art Dubai will be spread across four permanent sections, and will also feature new commissions, talks and a packed programme for the whole family.
From contemporary to modern art, local and regionally focused artists, plus exploring subjects such as climate change, here is your guide to what’s happening at this year's Art Dubai.
Art Dubai Contemporary Gallery
Ranging from emerging art galleries to established centres, the Art Dubai Contemporary section will showcase a global insight into what is happening and what is being created by a range of creatives from across the world right now.
The section has more than 70 gallery booths representing countries and artists from India, Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, Singapore, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Iran, the UAE and many more.
Bawwaba
Artists from the Global South have come together to present works at the Bawwaba section of the event to explore the theme of healing.
Bawwaba, which translates as gateway in Arabic, will showcase 10 solo presentations featuring artworks created within the past year or specifically for Art Dubai.
Curated by Emiliano Valdes, chief curator of the Medellin Museum of Modern Art and associate curator for the 10th Gwangju Biennale, the works, across mediums and styles, grapple with the idea of healing not only on a personal and spiritual level, but also through the prism of society, historyand politics.
Art Dubai Modern
Always one of the most thought-provoking galleries at the fair, Art Dubai Modern will present works under the title This Other World: Envisioning Modern Art After 1960.
The section highlights the work of artists from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia who were active after 1960 and particularly their artistic output, influences and cultural links to the Soviet Union.
This fascinating facet of art history is curated by Christianna Bonin, assistant professor of art history at the American University of Sharjah, with works by artists from Uganda, Syria, Ukraine, Lebanon and Sri Lanka.
Art Dubai Digital
There is no bigger conversation right now in the art world than the expansion of new media art and technologies, also known as digital art.
The Art Dubai Digital space at the fair is one of the most comprehensive places to gain insight on how contemporary culture is framed within digital art and how the diverse medium is growing.
Curated by Auronda Scalera and Alfredo Cramerotti, co-directors of IAM-Infinity Art Museum in the metaverse and Multiplicity-XXnft curatorial and publishing platform, the digital art section will include works that predict new themes, trends and formats in digital art through a range of media. These include digital video, augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, artificial intelligence, robotic art and immersive art experiences.
Worlds In A Box By Sahil Naik
Worlds In A Box By Sahil Naik will introduce young culture enthusiasts to the importance and power of creativity.
The Arm Holding Children’s Programme, the cultural education programme in the UAE developed in partnership with Art Dubai, selected artist Sahil Naik for their 2024 programme titled Worlds in a Box.
Naik’s sculptural, architectural and arts education practice will take children through a journey of creation using the built environment as inspiration. Focusing on the themes of ecology and nature, the workshops will invite children to think about a central question – how do younger generations imagine future cities, and what will they comprise?
Children also have a dedicated Creative Play Area at Art Dubai led by trained care workers, so parents can freely explore the fair.
The Worlds In A Box workshops are free of charge with entry into Art Dubai 2024.
Global Art Forum 17: Whether Or Not
Art Dubai’s flagship transdisciplinary summit, Global Art Forum, includes lectures, panels discussions and performances. The forum will explore the relationship between extreme weather and extreme change.
Titled Whether or Not, this year’s Global Art Forum will present a range of established writers, academics, artists and curators to explore the theme.
Through a number of thought-provoking discussions, the Global Art Forum will refocus the idea that extreme weather conditions such as floods, droughts, storms, smog may have roots in the Old Testament, but are a part of every facet of the modern world.
This year’s event is organised by commissioner Shumon Basar and curator Nadine El-Khoury and will be taking place on Thursday and Friday.
Dubai Collection
Dubai Collection is the city’s first institutional collection of modern and contemporary art. Built in partnership with patrons who support the initiative through a loan system, all artworks in Dubai Collection reflect the values and spirit of Dubai and the UAE.
This year at the festival, Dubai Collection presents Encounters, a showcase of diverse work from UAE artists from several generations across genres and styles.
Encounters includes works by pioneering artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, conceptual artist Afra Al Dhaheri and the sculptural experimentation of Shaikha Al Mazrou.
Artist’s Talks
Aside from Global Art Forum 17, Art Dubai will also have a wider series of talks to support the region’s cultural ecosystem and engage the public on artistic concepts and practices across the spectrum.
Artists, curators, technologists and thinkers shaping the future of the creative industries through their work will be in discussion with each other and moderators in more than 50 sessions throughout the festival.
These include the Digital Summit series of talks where experts will delve into the expanding field of digital art, the Collector’s Talks series where individuals and institutions will discuss all aspects of collecting, The Art Business Conference where key issues in today’s art market will be discussed and Conversations with Artists, where the public can get a better understanding of artists and their processes and practices.
Art Dubai 2024 will take place at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from Friday to Sunday. More information is at www.artdubai.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon
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
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
