The work of Mohammed Ibrahim, who will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale, not only includes land art, but also abstract sculptures molded out of papier mache and vibrant paintings. Photo by Augustine Paredes. Image courtesy National Pavilion UAE La Biennale Di Venezia
The work of Mohammed Ibrahim, who will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale, not only includes land art, but also abstract sculptures molded out of papier mache and vibrant paintings. Photo by Augustine Paredes. Image courtesy National Pavilion UAE La Biennale Di Venezia
The work of Mohammed Ibrahim, who will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale, not only includes land art, but also abstract sculptures molded out of papier mache and vibrant paintings. Photo by Augustine Paredes. Image courtesy National Pavilion UAE La Biennale Di Venezia
The work of Mohammed Ibrahim, who will represent the UAE at the Venice Biennale, not only includes land art, but also abstract sculptures molded out of papier mache and vibrant paintings. Photo by Aug

The UAE has something 'bold and confident' in store for the next Venice Art Biennale


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In February, I visited veteran experimental artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim at his studio in Khor Fakkan. Nestled in a quaint neighbourhood surrounded by the rugged terrain of Al Hajar Mountain range, Mohamed's studio was humble and inspiring. I wondered if the art connoisseurs, critics and curators outside the region were aware of the cultural richness and contemporary playfulness in his work. This week, when the National Pavilion UAE announced that Mohamed will represent the nation at the 2022 edition of the Venice Biennale, I was elated, to say the least.

The Venice Biennale is one of the world's most exclusive and critically rigorous cultural platforms. It recognises the most remarkable contemporary artists from around 90 participating nations. It is the longest running and most prestigious opportunity for countries all over the world to exhibit their best creative talents through a dedicated platform. Therefore, it is important to showcase that despite being a young nation, the UAE's art scene is deeply rooted in cultural heritage, landscape, traditions, values and infrastructural development following the discovery of oil.

Noura Al Kaabi and UAE’s veteran experimental artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim’s studio in Khor Fakkan. Credit: Ministry of Culture and Youth
Noura Al Kaabi and UAE’s veteran experimental artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim’s studio in Khor Fakkan. Credit: Ministry of Culture and Youth

Mohamed’s work explores the natural landscapes of the UAE, giving us a playful interpretation of the mountains, coasts and skies of his native Khor Fakkan. He has been at the forefront of the UAE’s avant-garde scene since he began creating works in the 1980s, alongside his peers such as the late conceptual artist Hassan Sharif, Abdullah Al Saadi, Hussein Sharif and Mohammed Kazem.

Mohamed continues to explore new frontiers in cultural expression through distinctive shapes, colours and patterns that both children and adults immediately like. He treats his work based on a one-on-one relationship with the viewer, which changes from one canvas or sculpture to another.

During the preview of his recent solo exhibition Memory Drum at Lawrie Shabibi gallery, he looked at his sculpture Dancer Contessa (2020) and said: “With the pandemic I started naming my pieces for the first time. Maybe it’s the clarity of confinement where I get old memories resonating back to my thoughts."

Mohamed’s work is approachable and fulfils the definition of conceptual practice in the 21st century. I am very pleased that the legacy of these convention-defying artists has been given its due recognition in recent years, thanks to cultural protagonists tirelessly working across the UAE to promote the local narrative to the rest of the world.

Noura Al Kaabi and UAE’s veteran experimental artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim’s studio in Khor Fakkan. Credit: Ministry of Culture and Youth
Noura Al Kaabi and UAE’s veteran experimental artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim’s studio in Khor Fakkan. Credit: Ministry of Culture and Youth
Mohamed's work is approachable and fulfils the definition of conceptual practice in the 21st century

Whether it is through the National Pavilion UAE's stellar exhibition at the 2015 Venice Biennale, titled 1980 – Today: Exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates and curated by Sharjah Art Foundation president Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, or the homegrown show But We Cannot See Them: Tracing a UAE Art Community from 1988-2008, curated by Maya Allison of the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery with Bana Kattan and Alaa Edris, the audience is now better aware of the cultural discourse present in the UAE since the country's inception in 1971.

My sincere gratitude to Maya for bringing these notions to the forefront through the 2017 exhibition at the NYUAD Art Gallery, which surveyed the founding decades of this influential artistic community, and best wishes for her selection to curate the National Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale. Her insightful curatorial and research projects have been instrumental in documenting the UAE's history, including a previous collaboration with Mohamed as part of the Cultural Foundation's 2018 exhibition Artists and the Cultural Foundation: The Early Years. I am excited to see how Maya will continue a productive partnership with Mohamed as he has nominated her to curate his exhibition for the Venice Biennale.

Over nine exhibitions, the National Pavilion UAE has become a vital channel through which to highlight UAE artists on a global stage. It facilitates connections to art critics, collectors and global institutions that can transform careers and has prepared more than 175 interns for successful careers in the cultural sector.

Mohamed will join a stellar group of artists who have previously represented the UAE, including Hassan Sharif, Mohammed Kazem, Dr Mohamed Yousif and Nujoom Alghanem, whose 2019 solo presentation Passage was widely acclaimed.

The National Pavilion UAE is approaching its 10th anniversary next year and will mark the milestone with an architectural exhibition curated by Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto that presents an environmentally friendly salt-based cement alternative inspired by sabkha, the UAE's natural salt flats.

In light of its legacy and contribution to the national cultural landscape, the National Pavilion UAE’s curatorial strategy is increasingly focused on solo exhibitions from established artists such as Nujoom and Mohamed, whose work has reached an outstanding level of conceptual depth and technical skill over the past few decades.

The NPUAE’s curatorial approach is a bold and confident statement, one that cements the UAE’s position as home to a prominent community of international artists with long-established careers.

The aim of the Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Commissioner of the National Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates, and in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, is to support the UAE’s culture and arts and promote cross-cultural exchange through initiatives such as the Venice Biennale that enables us to celebrate our artistic output and engage with international peers through a unique dialogue that is vital for our cultural community to develop further.

I look forward to Mohamed and Maya’s contribution to this significant yet often-untold story about our nation, and very much look forward to seeing the exhibition at the National Pavilion UAE in 2022.

Noura Al Kaabi is the UAE Minister of Culture and Youth

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMascotte%20Health%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMiami%2C%20US%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bora%20Hamamcioglu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOnline%20veterinary%20service%20provider%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

SPECS
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Top tips to avoid cyber fraud

Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:

1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.

2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.

3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.

4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.

5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.

The biog

Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists. 

Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.

Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic 

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community

• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style

“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.

Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term. 

From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”

• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International

"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed.  Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."

• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."

• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com

"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.

His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.

Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."

• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher

"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen.  He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”

• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900