Artists Sara Farha and Khaled Shalkha, the winners of this year’s Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, have had their winning work Datecrete Bee Hotel unveiled as part of Abu Dhabi Art.
Under the guidance of Christianna Bonin, assistant professor at the American University of Sharjah's college of architecture, art and design, the pair's winning submission integrates materials science with ecological awareness. The innovative element of the work is the use of a new building material called datecrete, which is made from date seeds and is free of concrete or resin. The artists are in the process of patenting the material.
Datecrete Bee Hotel will be on display during the event until Sunday, followed by an exhibition at NYUAD from November 26 to December 11, and concluding at Umm Al Emarat Park from December 12 to December 27.
"Abu Dhabi is at the threshold of a new chapter in public art, as we witness the Public Art Biennial launching now," says NYUAD Art Gallery executive director Maya Allison. "It's wonderful to see this flourishing, and to participate with our longstanding support of emerging talent in the field of public art. Datecrete Bee Hotel in particular offers a future-facing vision of public art as a participant in non-human ecosystems, in this case, the life of bees, and therefore plants.
"It reasserts our interconnectedness: species, structures, plants. We humans are living participants in the ecosystem, constructing buildings and public art, among which humans move and thrive, weaving a meaningful urban fabric."
This is the 12th year of the award, which runs in partnership with Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), produced in collaboration with the NYUAD Art Gallery.
Admaf founder Huda AlKhamis-Kanoo congratulated the winners for their "outstanding project".
“Utilising date pits, the winners have created an innovative and sustainable building material – the first eco-friendly cement of its kind," she said. "By promoting environmental awareness and preserving natural resources and the local environment, the work epitomises the award's 2023–2024 vision, which is dedicated to the Year of Sustainability."
Farha is an architectural engineer and urban planner who is passionate about creating work that addresses needs, sensibilities and the environment.
Shalkha is a chemical engineer whose focus has been on culture, economy and policy. He is also a rapper with the stage name Kafv and released his first album Akshun in 2019.
The pair founded Datecrete Studio to focus on merging materials science, which refers to the composition of substances, with design.
Farha and Shalkha have been awarded $10,000 to complete their installation project over the next eight months and will be supported by the NYUAD Art Gallery team and their mentor Ms Bonin.
The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award, which has been held annually since 2013, serves as a launch pad for artists across the UAE. It is open to UAE students and recent graduates.
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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.
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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