Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, a member of Bahrain's royal family, has unveiled his extensive art collection to the public in his newly opened gallery in Riffa.
The RAK Art Foundation, situated in the converted traditional Bahraini house, where the painter and first president of the Bahrain Arts Society was raised, contains myriad works from international artists and includes a new space dedicated to his oeuvre.
Built in the 1920s, the restored building maintains its original walls and colonnade alongside new additions and repurposed spaces, which opened to visitors in December. Sheikh Rashid’s childhood bedroom is now an office-cum-library that stands beside his first artworks, which were painted directly onto the wall when he was 16 years old.
Sheikh Rashid has been an avid art collector since he was young and aims to encourage others to follow his lead with this new hub. "I hope that when guests visit the RAK Art Foundation, they might feel inspired to develop their own collections, or at the very least acknowledge the importance of sharing art with others," he tells The National.
“Not only does this benefit artists, in turn it helps grow a market and improves a culture of arts appreciation that is necessary and needed.”
The range of works on display is impressive. A huge piece by American artist Frank Stella dominates one room of the gallery. Wrought from aluminium and magnesium, his 1991 creation The Honor and Glory of Whaling draws its inspiration from Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Indeed, the work seems to crash like waves over the surface of the wall, chaotic and disorderly.
In contrast, La Vie (1995), by Kenji Yoshida, presents a tranquillity that belies the Japanese artist's harrowing experiences as a Kamikaze pilot conscripted during the Second World War.
Yoshida claimed he planned to crash his plane into the sea in order to avoid killing others, but this proximity to certain death – averted only by the end of the war – affected the artist profoundly, and his work celebrates the importance of life and peace.
Visitors will also get the chance to see work by Spanish painter Juan Genoves, who died last year after becoming one of the key figures in the revival of Spain’s artistic scene, following the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorial regime.
Genoves's 2009 work Oro gives us a birds-eye view of crowds fleeing bombings but, rather than an indistinguishable mass of humanity, his work attempts to give individuality and distinctness to his tiny figures.
The newest building at the RAK Art Foundation houses the work of Sheikh Rashid. Spectrum is a series of pieces that examines his enduring relationship with colour. Each work presents the opportunity for the viewer to develop a personal reaction to them. As they transition from one colour to another, its identity is altered.
Spectrum allows visitors to see Sheikh Rashid's works in context, with each element dependent on its placement within the surrounding environment, the emotional state of the viewer and the mind of the artist.
For Sheikh Rashid, the act of collecting is an articulation of the self. “Bahrain has long been rich in culture and tradition. Perhaps we have long understood how collections of objects that we happen across and connect with, help us express our identity.”
Unannounced visits are not permitted, and appointments can be booked online. Visitors can reserve a tour of the collection conducted by curator and consultant Yasmin Sharabi.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
GIANT REVIEW
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Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
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LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
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OUTSTANDING VARIETY/TALK SERIES
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LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, Ozark
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Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
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Laura Linney, Ozark
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Zendaya, Euphoria
OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Masked Singer
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Paul Mescal, Normal People
Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Regina King, Watchmen
Octavia Spencer, Self Made
Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
Little Fires Everywhere
Mrs. America
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me
The Good Place
Insecure
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schitt’s Creek
What We Do In The Shadows
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Killing Eve
The Mandalorian
Ozark
Stranger Things
Succession
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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