To define the durag as a piece of cloth used for styling and maintaining hair would be correct, but incomplete. Yes, it is a type of headwear predominantly used to protect and style waves on black hair, but it is also, in the US specifically, a celebrated and complex cultural symbol wielded in music, fashion and even art.
For artist Anthony Akinbola, it is material. His series titled Camouflage is made up of durags, composed in various tints and shades. The cloths are stitched together, stretched, stapled on canvas, with some inside out and others loosely rippling.
“I like that I’m able to frame these works in the conversation of painting,” Akinbola says. “There’s a subversion of power that I’m interested in. By positioning these as paintings, I’m able to upset the conversation around painting, which in the past has been elitist.”
Akinbola, who is from Missouri and was born to Nigerian parents, is presenting his first solo exhibition at Carbon 12 in Dubai, where a number of his durag paintings are on view for the show Thanks A Million, which runs until November.
Working in the tradition of readymades, the artist builds his practice on found objects and what he calls “unpacking the material”. He often begins with scavenging for items that have histories he can excavate. “I was always interested in being able to re-contextualise objects,” he says. “I would pick an object and do research on it. I would find its origin and see how I can manipulate the material, critique its origin or something it’s associated with.”
The story of the durag’s invention is not entirely clear. It may have its roots in headwear used by African slaves in the 19th century to keep their hair in place as they laboured. From the 1930s to the 1960s, black men and women were fashioning types of head coverings from handkerchiefs, scarves or women’s stockings. The durag in the cut and shape that we know it today – with strings to tie it in place and a cape at the back – came about in the late 1970s.
In Akinbola’s works, the original object does not maintain its hooded shape, but its textures of shiny silk and lush velvet stand out, as do the colours and how the artist harmonises them.
The work Camouflage #055 (Jude), for example, presents varying brown tones – patches of shiny copper, amber and cocoa, skin-like and sensual. Camouflage #053 (Neptune) is also alluring, its alternating pockets of blue shifting from light to dark across the canvas.
Though these have not been included in the show, Akinbola has also made all-black durag works that are among the most striking in his series, not only for the size – with one measuring about six metres across – but also because monochrome brings the textures and shapes into focus. The artist has constructed something else out of the durags: a matte, vast, agape portal.
It’s all part of the artist’s intention, for the paintings to sit on the edge of the recognisable and the accessible as the everyday object, now transformed, opening up a way to discuss colour, composition and light.
His process isn’t always the same. Sometimes he methodically lays out the cloths and stitches them together. Other times, his approach is spontaneous, “more about feeling”, stapling durags directly on to wooden panels, building and rearranging as he goes.
With the ascendance of hip-hop and rap in the 1990s to 2000s, the durag gained even more visibility outside of black culture. Rappers such as Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Nelly and Cam’ron all sported it. Akinbola suggests that this popularity may have been limited to pop stars. “It has become more acceptable as it relates to fashion and hip-hop, but the durag, with its proximity to blackness, was also used to vilify its wearers,” he says. Individuals donning it, he says, were labelled “hyper-aggressive and hyper-masculine” and “associated with criminality”.
I would pick an object and do research on it. I would find its origin and see how I can manipulate the material, critique its origin or something it’s associated with
Anthony Akinbola,
American artist
For the object to transcend these associations and instead become a material in art, for it to exist outside of shops and instead hang in galleries, is the subversion Akinbola seeks.
Over the years, the headwear has been brandished as a sign of cultural pride, a way to present a kind of identity. In 2018, Solange Knowles wore one to the Met Gala. Themed Catholicism that year, Knowles braided her hair in a halo that emerged from a black durag with the cape flowing down the back. Superstar Rihanna has worn different styles, including a crystal-studded one and a plain black one for the cover Vogue magazine. In art, the durag has yet to appear as much.
The measure of how subversive his work is, then, relies in how the viewer understands the durag and its cultural significance, how it has been used to signify different meanings inside and outside of black communities, and whether it is the right object to use, considering its varied reputation.
Embedded in the artist’s work is also a critique of the commodification of black culture and the globalised nature of modern-day production, with the artist exposing the “Made in China” tags for some of the durags. This rise in marketability has also allowed the artist to have more choices in his material. “There’s more consideration for black consumers. It used to be just black, white, maybe red and blue, but now there’s a range. In polyester and fine silk, too,” Akinbola says.
The durag, like other parts of black culture, including vernacular, music, style and fashion, has also been appropriated, according to the artist. “There is a fetish to the object. There’s an idea of achieving that status or style. The object has utility and has a certain purpose, but it is also able to be co-opted in that way,” he says.
The artist steps outside of that to give the object a beauty it did not always have. By detaching the durag from the wearer, the artist gives viewers a chance to rethink our presumptions about this piece of cloth and the head it sits on. He also brings the intimacy of the everyday, entangled in personal items that are overlooked, to the public space, directing us to see in new ways.
Thanks A Million is on view at Carbon 12 in Dubai until Thursday, November 4. More information is at carbon12.art
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
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
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
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
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
