Since its establishment in 2007, Art Dubai has grown to become a pivoting force in the city's art scene. The fair has become a highlight event in Dubai's cultural calendar, attracting artists, galleries and collectors from across the world.
More than 120 exhibitors are taking part in the fair this year. The scale of the event can be dizzying, so we've lined up eight artists to kickstart your exploration.
Mehdi Moutashar
Lawrie Shabibi is presenting a series of works by Mehdi Moutashar that elegantly draws a trajectory of his career from the 1970s to the present. The French-Iraqi artist is renowned for his experiments with shapes, through which he explores concepts of dimension, framing and perception.
“The focus is really on the square,” William Lawrie, co-founder of Lawrie Shabibi, says of the presentation at Art Dubai. “With most of the works, he’s playing with the shape of the square. You can really see the development from what he was doing in 1970, when he was very involved with the Op Art movement, all the way to 2004.”
The works showcase how Moutashar gradually teetered towards the edges of his canvases before foregoing them completely, and considering the wall as a whole as a backdrop for his works, often employing materials such as wood and metal. The approach would become known as his idiosyncratic style.
To trace this development is especially significant as many of Moutashar’s early pieces had been damaged. “We’re very lucky to be able to put this together,” Lawrie says. “Because he had a flood about 15 years ago that damaged a lot of his historical works. To be able to put some sort of presentation together like this, which is coherent and has this progression from 1970 to 2004 is really a one-off.”
MF Husain
A luminary of Indian modernism, Maqbool Fida Husain, aka MF Husain, is known for his depiction of Indian stories and historical figures in a unique cubist style. A selection of his works, representing seven decades of his career, are being displayed at Art Dubai by Delhi Art Gallery, better known as DAG.
“We’re very proud to represent in Dubai, a city that he actually called a second home,” says Kishore Singh, senior vice president at DAG. “We’ve taken works that present different periods and styles.”
The works include sculptural pieces from Husain’s toy series, as well as paintings that reflect on topics ranging from nationhood, Hindu mythology, as well as depictions of Mother Teresa and Gandhi.
Laila Shawa
Gallery One from Ramallah is returning to Art Dubai to spotlight Laila Shawa. The late artist, who was born in Gaza in 1940, has an incredibly diverse body of works, so much so that it can be easily mistaken as the output of several artists.
“We’re very proud, under the current circumstances, to present a solo exhibition of Laila Shawa,” George Al Ama, co-owner of Gallery One, says.
Among the works is the stunning 1965 painting, The Family. The work was among those that survived the destruction of Shawa’s family home in 2008.
Also on display are a selection of her still life paintings, as well as the cityscapes she produced in the 1970s. Another major highlight are 12 works from her famous Walls of Gaza series. The works are colour lithographs based on photographs that she took during her final visit to Gaza in 1987, just as the First Intifada began. During her visit, Shawa also inaugurated the Rashad Shawa Cultural Centre, an institution that was named after her father, an activist and mayor of Gaza City. Shawa died in London in 2022.
“Walls of Gaza had an incredible impact on the art world in the Middle East,” Al Ama says. “To the point that there isn’t any publication surveying regional art that doesn’t mention this work.”
The exhibition at Art Dubai, Al Ama says, is a “mini retrospective” of an artist who deserves to have her work examined and studied in-depth.
Bertina Lopes
Bertina Lopes is celebrated for her use of bold colours, figures and narratives. Her works draw from African traditions and fables as much as they do from European modernism. The Mozambican-Italian painter is being represented at Art Dubai by the Richard Saltoun Gallery.
A selection of the late artist’s works from the 1970s are on show. They show Lopes’s singular approach to figurative styles, as well as abstraction that draw from textile motifs.
Omar Mismar
Among the most arresting works in the Bawwaba section are the mosaics of Omar Mismar. The Lebanese artist often incorporates political themes into his work and this series is no different. The works include Ahmad and Akram Protecting Hercules. Spanning two meters in length, it is drawn from real-life events and depicts two men piling sandbags by an ancient mosaic of Hercules in the Maarra Mosaic Museum in Syria to protect it from destruction.
Beside it is a work created specifically for Art Dubai. The tetraptych features panels of mosaics showing an archaeological discovery in Gaza, where mosaics were discovered during a renovation project several years ago. Another work, meanwhile, presents a mosaic in carpet form, evoking a pleasing material contrast between the hardness of the glass tiles and the rippling textile.
Dana Awartani
Saudi-Palestinian artist Dana Awartani is presenting Standing by the Ruins, a body of work that takes its title from the pre-Islamic poetic form wuquf ala al-atlal, commonly known as ruin poetry. An early famous example of this is a work by sixth century Arab poet Imru al-Qais, who stands over a devastated campsite and yearning for his beloved. The poem was a springboard to a genre that mediates of loss and longing through places that have been destroyed or abandoned.
The works Awartani is presenting with Sfeir-Semler Gallery takes several cues from this concept. The centerpiece is an installation made up of clay bricks that have been inspired by designs at Gaza’s Qasr Al Basha. The palace, which was built in phases during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, have been heavily damaged in the past year by Israeli airstrikes.
The central installation is complemented by Awartani’s studies for the piece, which have been produced with gouache and walnut ink on handmade cotton paper.
Mohammed Kazem
Mohammed Kazem has been a staple figure of the UAE contemporary art scene since the 1980s. The artist has produced works across a range of mediums, from painting and photography to sculptural and conceptual works.
At Art Dubai, he is now presenting a digital installation commissioned by Julius Baer. The work, titled Directions (Merging), is the latest installment of a series that incorporates GPS co-ordinates from around the world.
The work is featured in a purpose-built room, similar to previous presentations by Julius Baer at Art Dubai. The walls are filled with co-ordinates from across the global as a backdrop of rolling waves move from one side of the same to another. Dubai’s co-ordinates, meanwhile, will occupy the centre of the space.
Directions (Merging) touches upon resource exchange and the interconnectedness in the modern world, while also reflecting on Dubai’s evolution as a global hub.
Susumu Kamijo
Susumu Kamijo gained worldwide acclaim in the past decade for his vibrant and whimsical paintings of poodles. The works were marked explorations of form and colour. Kamijo’s experimentations have only ramped up in the past few years.
Known for his idiosyncratic use of quick drying vinyl paint, the Japanese painter occupies a unique space in which his works are as humorous and uplifting as they are thought-provoking. His work, Greeting by the Master, at Perrotin is a good example of this, featuring bold colours and a deft use of geometric forms and shadows.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
'Jurassic%20World%20Dominion'
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
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RACE CARD
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
The five pillars of Islam
IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
World%20Food%20Day%20
%3Cp%3ECelebrated%20on%20October%2016%2C%20to%20coincide%20with%20the%20founding%20date%20of%20the%20United%20Nations%20Food%20and%20Agriculture%20Organisation%2C%20World%20Food%20Day%20aims%20to%20tackle%20issues%20such%20as%20hunger%2C%20food%20security%2C%20food%20waste%20and%20the%20environmental%20impact%20of%20food%20production.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FIXTURES
Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)
Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)
Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Fixtures
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Aguero 1', 44', 61'
Arsenal 1
Koscielny 11'
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
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RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
