Prada Mode has taken over a space in Abu Dhabi’s Miza district. The event has been curated by American multidisciplinary artist Theaster Gates.
Gates lives and works in Chicago where he is a professor at the University of Chicago in the department of visual arts and the college. But his work has shaped his city in many ways, with a practice focused on space theory, land development, sculpture and performance.
Drawing on his interest and experience in urban planning and preservation, Gates “redeems spaces that have been left behind”. This is particularly apt in Miza, which, while it has never been left behind is certainly undergoing a regeneration – and finding a new purpose – as a home for the creative industries.
This is the third time Gates has worked with Prada Mode on a curatorial mission. “The first one was a celebration of the black image. The second one was a celebration of black and brown people in London, almost like one of my black artists retreats,” explains Gates. “And this one is a celebration of the Middle East and the UAE.”
“The company is amazing to work with,” he says of Prada. “The production team is an amazing production team. If it were just a party, it would probably not be my jam.”
Gates certainly has bigger ambitions for the project than a simple space to party. The space he has created offers two tonally and sonically distinct experiences - one encased in a square, the other in a circle. The cylindrical structure is reserved for performances that require quiet and active listening from the audience, while the square operates as a more freeform space, open to conversations and chatter.
“It's a place for humanity, it's a place for all of the diasporic folk of this region to come home and to share their ideas, to share how they are changed, to share how they're even more nuanced than when they left so I'm excited to learn,” says Gates, alluding to many of the guests and performers from the Arab diaspora. Musicians Saint Levant and Bayou were also spotted at the event.
“Folk love Prada,” says Gates. “We’re here because a brand has an amazing connection here. On one level, it’s Prada saying ‘thank you’ to its constituents. And then when given the charge, Prada Mode can be anything the artist wants. If the artist is bombastic, it can be a bombastic situation. But I tried to listen to Abu Dhabi first.”
Gates is well-known for his large-scale urban regeneration projects in Chicago, which blur the line between art and property development. One thing his works have in common is their desire to bring people together. "I think in some ways the goal of Prada Mode is to bring these disparate worlds that normally wouldn’t come together, together,” he says. Art may not unify "but it can congregate" and bring in people from other places, he adds.
Prior to Tuesday’s opening of the space – which acts as a travelling members’ club – Gates spent time discovering the emirate, in particular, the Mina Zayed area. “You can feel that there’s a real desire to say ‘yes’ to culture in new ways,” he says.
He believes Abu Dhabi is still developing its cultural independence and voice and being involved in the city's efforts to celebrate its local culture is meaningful, as it helps showcase and nurture the creative scene.
“Seeking and searching was part of what made a person's humanity so deep and now we have everything at our fingertips,” he says, while he ponders one of the event’s themes focused on interiority in a time of overwhelming technology.
He certainly seems to be on a mission of seeking during his sojourn in Abu Dhabi. “What do I think I could learn from an Islamic country?" he says. "I think I can learn the importance of having a life of ritual that is consistently seeking god all day every day, right?”
“We've already borrowed from India, we've already borrowed yoga as a meditative practice,” he says of this hunger within him, but wider Western societies want something they can’t quite put their finger on. “They're hungry for an interior life and they're hungry to connect their minds and their bodies.”
Gates once said that when art is present, things are better. But is this always the case, even when he thinks of the difficult time the region and the world are going through?
“I really believe that there are so many other agencies and entities that could precede the artist in being at a front line of some sort,” he says. “You know there was a time when I was a bit more outdoorsy than I am now.
"When you pitch a tent, you just start with one stake. It's like a point in geometry. You need a point. I think that there are moments when artists can be a necessary first point, a locational point. Somebody has a stake and they put it in the ground.”
Prada Mode is open as a member-only club on Tuesday and Wednesday and opens to the public on Thursday and Friday
Company%20Profile
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Read more about the coronavirus
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)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Avatar%20(2009)
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The years Ramadan fell in May
The years Ramadan fell in May
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
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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Poacher
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
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Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
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
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
