If the power of art used to be abstract – the power to move its viewer emotionally – it has now become concrete: to highlight criminal misdeeds, to call attention to corporations poisoning the air we breathe and to help indigenous populations find legal protection for their ways of living. The power – or at least the ambition – of art in the 21st century has moved far beyond the confines of the exhibition space.
This dynamic is perhaps most clear in artists’ responses to the environmental crisis, in which activism and collaboration with marginalised communities are becoming major modes of production.
For the past three years, the Goethe Institute and the Prince Claus Fund have collaborated to support artists creating works in response to climate change. The project, under which 35 artists were funded, has now come to an end. A selection of the supported artworks were launched in the online exhibition Take Me to the River. Put together by Lebanese curator Maya El Khalil, the show runs until Saturday, July 31, and provides insight into the scope of artists as well as the stories they have brought to light.
“A lot of these artists are giving people the ability to speak in the first person, so these are indigenous voices that you are hearing,” says El Khalil. “And a lot of the changes are happening in communities that themselves have committed no crime.”
Take Me to the River is organised into five major themes, from the idea of rights, as something to be given to rivers and animals as much as to humans, to the notion of nature biting back, in the form of floods, tornadoes and other extreme weather events.
The project Sandstorm – And Then There Was Dust, for example, investigates the increasingly frequent sandstorms blighting Turkey, Iraq and Iran, bringing together artists, activists and researchers. El Khalil chose maps and a VR rendering from the work Al Mashoof, by the Tehran Platform collective, which looked to the depletion of the marshes shared by Iraq and Iran.
Known as Hoor Al Azim, their size has shrunk by more than 85 per cent over the past 50 years. The local economy of fishing, hunting and planting has been destroyed, while the environmental costs have been equally drastic. The wetlands help maintain healthy air quality, control floods and operate as a bulwark against sandstorms.
Mohamed Mahdy's photography series Moon Dust documents communities in Alexandria that were affected by the dust from a nearby cement factory. The Egyptian artist's series, which was also shown during Gulf Photo Plus's Photo Week in Dubai in 2019, traces the invasion of the dust into the living spaces and bodies of the local population, who have vastly higher rates of asthma, lung cancer, and eye, ear and throat infections.
Many of the projects are the result of long-term engagement with communities. Secret Sarayaku, by photographer Misha Vallejo, tells the story of the Kichwa people in Ecuador. Vallejo lived among the Kichwa for three years, and uses his photographs and videos to show the mindset of the indigenous group. Their ideas of the forest as a source of wealth and balance are the opposite to the mode of extraction by which corporations approach the area.
When you visit this platform, first of all, there's nothing that stands out. It's not about the artist, it's not about his particular name, it's not about a particular project
In 2012, the Kichwa successfully sued the Ecuadorian government over the contamination of their land by oil companies – a spirit of resistance that Vallejo also documents throughout his work, which forms a major part of El Khalil’s exhibition.
The format of Take Me to the River, and other recent shows on the subject of climate change, raises important questions about how best to frame research projects on ecology, animals and indigenous communities. Last year, El Khalil also put climate change at the centre of I Love You, Urgently, for Jeddah's annual 21, 39 exhibition that she curated.
When commissioning for the show, she challenged young artists to make work on the subject of environmental crisis, which was new to many of them. The diversity of approaches was startling, and El Khalil points to her continuing conversations with the artists as one of the show's lasting contributions. But in comparison to Take Me to the River, the two projects feel very different: one offered a biennial-like glimpse at a growing art scene, and another functions as something more akin to an archive of voices.
An online exhibition was necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic; the original invitation was to curate two separate shows in Brussels and Berlin. But El Khalil seems energised by the potential to think differently about how to show works.
“When you visit this platform, first of all, there’s nothing that stands out. It’s not about the artist, it’s not about his particular name, it’s not about a particular project,” she says. “Instead everything has been broken down and brought back together.”
The website allows the viewer to scroll through images and video excerpts, organised into chapters. The design is intuitive to the web and crosses over into stories at different points on a narrative of loss, resistance and recovery.
“If you want, you can dig deeper into each project; you can visit the individual websites,” she continues. “But here, it’s really about compounding these voices and rethinking what type of space art can occupy.
“These are artistic initiatives – but they open questions for policymakers in politics and science.”
Take Me to the River is available to view online at takemetotheriver.net until Saturday, July 31
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
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Pathaan
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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
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investors ranking by size
|
Rank
|
Country
|
Sovereign Wealth Assets ($ trillion)
|
|
1.
|
United States
|
12.125
|
|
2.
|
China
|
3.368
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
2.497
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
2.228
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
1.905
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
1.860
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
1.591
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
1.538
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
1.534
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
1.178
|
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Honeymoonish
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'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
