Six international artists have been chosen for the Royal Commission for AlUla's new artist residency programme, which runs until December, with the aim of nurturing creativity, engaging communities and shining a light on the natural beauty of AlUla.
The group was whittled down from an original list of 35, then a shortlist of 16, to include three men and three women from across the world, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Morocco, the Philippines and the US.
The selection criteria was a mix of experience and technical ability, alongside initial research projects, alignment with the Royal Commission for AlUla's objectives and their ability to work in an unusual environment.
Applications were evaluated by a panel of judges that included Nora Aldabal, executive director of arts and creative industries at Royal Commission for AlUla; Ali Alghazzawi, its creative opportunities lead; Sumantro Ghose, its artistic programming director; Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, founder of Barjeel Art Foundation; Iwona Blazwick, chairwoman of the public art expert panel at Royal Commission for AlUla; and Arnaud Morand, head of innovation and creation at Afalula, the French agency for Alula development.
"The artist residency programme will give these six artists the most precious commodity of all, which is time," said Blazwick. "It’s an opportunity to leave everything they are familiar with behind, and in turn negotiate a place and community that is completely new. The ambition is two-fold — to create dialogue that transcends geopolitics and cultural differences, and to see what happens when you invite someone from outside into this rich environment."
These artists will engage with AlUla's environment and local heritage and undertake on-site work with archaeologists, botanists, water specialists, craftsmen, oasian agro-system specialists and perfume scientists. All of this expert knowledge aims to give the artists an insight into the workings of the land.
They will employ a range of media and practices, including visual arts, mixed media, installations, poetry, performance and documentary photography, taking part in workshops and public talks throughout the programme.
The group will also explore ancient skills and traditions from past civilisations in the area, such as the Dadanites and the Nabataeans, at Mabiti AlUla, which is a palm grove and guesthouse.
The ongoing research will be showcased in an Open Studio in December, "proposing a fresh look on how to give a new lease of life to the land and to make sure it is connected to its fabled history", according to the announcement.
"The local community of AlUla and the artists will both play fundamental roles in combining the essence of place, local histories and artistic skill," said Aldabal. "Additionally, whatever their angle of approach or their preferred technique, this research residency will offer these six artists an exceptional and inimitable field of investigation."
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UK-EU trade at a glance
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Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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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.
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
