About 15 years ago, when Abdulrahman Zainal moved into his current residence – a family villa in Mirdif, Dubai – the first thing he did was set up a studio.
The artist and interior designer, one of the founding members of the UAE’s nascent art movement, drew up plans for a large dome-shaped enclave to be constructed in his garden. Now, The Dome, as he calls it, is where he retreats in the evenings to paint or simply relax.
Zainal completely redecorates the insides of the structure every couple of years. Since its inception, it has been transformed into a mini mountain range, complete with large boulders and a flowing water feature, and an underwater world. It is currently painted in black with glow-in-the-dark stars and planets stuck to the wall, to create an outer-space environment.
“It was always a priority for me to have a place to work,” he says. “So I designed this place as my studio. I love to come here when I want to paint or sketch; it brings me a lot of inspiration.”
Zainal, 64, is one of 15 artists whose work is on display in the National Pavilion of the UAE at this year’s Venice Biennale.
Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, the curator of the exhibition, selected two of his paintings to be displayed. Interestingly, the only sculpture the artist has ever created, Fighting for a Chair, is made from the metal of a water tank and was kept in Zainal's garden until it, too, was shipped to Venice. "This is a political sculpture," says Zainal about the piece. "It is about our life in this world: everyone is fighting to grab a seat and does not care about others or what happens to them. For me, the form or material of the artwork is not important. It is the message that counts."
Having started making artworks during his childhood, Zainal has always experimented with different forms of art and was supported by a creative family, including his elder brother who was a master calligrapher.
His other two artworks on display in Venice are paintings. Arbab ( The Employer) depicts an old man smoking a water pipe in the foreground while a worker toils away in the background. The idea, says the artist, was to show how hard life can be for some employees, especially in the desert heat.
The other, Aggression, is a close- up of a marching soldier's feet stamping on doves, the symbol of peace.
“This is about the war, any war,” he says. “I don’t see anything positive in war – whichever side you are on, you are losing.”
It is these kinds of ethical ideas that Zainal consistently tries to capture.
“I am always trying to show issues in society,” he says. “An artist should feel the world around him and address the problems he sees. It is not as important to be realistic with the characters they paint, but to put across their story.”
Zainal, who previously worked as a set designer for Dubai TV, has had a long and interesting artistic career.
In 1972, he was part of the first art exhibition to be held in the UAE. In 1980, he was part of a group show in the Lancaster Hotel in London's Hyde Park, and in the 1990s, his works were shown in many exhibitions, including the Sharjah Biennial. In 2000, he was the UAE winner of a worldwide painting competition, as a result of which his painting, , was displayed in London at an exhibition opened by Prince Charles.
But having his work at the Venice Biennale is the pinnacle of his career. “It is really a dream,” he says, a huge smile spreading across his face. “I was really very happy to be chosen for this exhibition and it makes me very proud.”
These days, despite still spending much time in his studio, Zainal doesn’t paint as often as he used to but, like most artists, he says he can never stop completely.“Painting is never finished,” he says. “Painting is endless and it is in my blood, so it will be with me always.”
aseaman@thenational.ae
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The%20specs
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The years Ramadan fell in May
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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Have you been targeted?
Tuan Phan of SimplyFI.org lists five signs you have been mis-sold to:
1. Your pension fund has been placed inside an offshore insurance wrapper with a hefty upfront commission.
2. The money has been transferred into a structured note. These products have high upfront, recurring commission and should never be in a pension account.
3. You have also been sold investment funds with an upfront initial charge of around 5 per cent. ETFs, for example, have no upfront charges.
4. The adviser charges a 1 per cent charge for managing your assets. They are being paid for doing nothing. They have already claimed massive amounts in hidden upfront commission.
5. Total annual management cost for your pension account is 2 per cent or more, including platform, underlying fund and advice charges.
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
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
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HOW TO WATCH
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TikTok: @thenationalnews
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Related
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
