Abu Dhabi cultural venue Manarat al Saadiyat is set to be transformed this October by Australian-born creativity and design festival Semi Permanent, running as part of the inaugural Collectors Week. With a three-day program of talks, performances, dining experiences, art installations and screenings from a standout line-up of acclaimed global creative talent aimed at offering fresh and unique perspectives on our world post-pandemic.
From an exclusive interview with Grammy award-winning DJ and songwriter Mark Ronson to a pop-up bar and restaurant by New York establishment The Flower Shop and an installation by the genre-defying artist Refik Anadol, Semi Permanent is your window into the current state of global creativity.
Event program showcases the diversity of creative practices
From art and music to architecture and fashion design, the breadth of Semi Permanent’s program demonstrates the shifting nature of creativity in the 21st century. In particular, many of the projects that the speakers will discuss on stage point to a breaking down of traditional practices or structures: there are artists collaborating with fashion designers, musicians making fashion lines, graphic designers creating furniture.
According to Semi Permanent creative director and curator of the Semi Permanent Middle East festival, Mitchell Oakley Smith the event is intended to provide a window into what’s happening in the arts and design landscape — both today and into the future. “We’ve brought together some 30 incredible talents, from here in the UAE as well the United States, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and beyond, and while they vary greatly what they create, what they have in common is that they’re leaders in their field and define trends,” says Oakley Smith, noting such talent as architect Oana Stanescu, musician Dana Hourani and fashion designer Bunyamin Adin of Les Benjamins among those that will be in attendance.
“In our talks program, which anchors each ticketed session of the event, we’ll have keynote talks and conversational interviews on stage with these talents, and that’s an incredibly rare and amazing opportunity to hear directly from these tastemakers about what makes them tick, how they go about their work, and what’s next,” he adds. “To be returning to live events with such a dynamic and broad lineup, and to be doing that in Abu Dhabi as part of the inaugural Collectors Week is really exciting.”
A new format for live events
For 19 years, Sydney-based company Semi Permanent has been staging its festivals in cities across the world, including its Australian home as well as Auckland, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, London, Stockholm and Portland. Over the course of nearly two decades, Semi Permanent became the largest and most recognised creativity and design festival in the southern hemisphere, with its events featuring keynote talks by esteemed creative talent including director Oliver Stone, filmmaker and photographer Gia Coppola, architect Bjarke Ingels and skateboarder Tony Hawk.
When Covid hit in early 2020, companies like Semi Permanent went into shock, the insurmountable impact of the pandemic on the live event format shuttering businesses across the globe. But instead of retreating, Semi Permanent’s founder, Murray Bell, took is as an opportunity to reinvent what a festival experience can be, the result of which will be unveiled at Manarat al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi this October.
“We’ve gone from being able to have 5000 people in a room to having less than 500, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make something that’s exciting and memorable,” says Bell. “We discovered quite the opposite: that we could craft a series of incredibly intimate experiences that bring audiences even closer to the talent, and offer a range of touch points and dynamic mix of programming.”
For Semi Permanent Middle East, that includes keynote talks and performances, but also curated exhibitions, large-scale installations, pop-up food and retail experiences and workshops. “At Semi Permanent, no two experiences will be the same, and whether you’re someone working in design or the arts, or are just keen to enjoy something new, we know this evolved event format will really inspire.”
Semi Permanent Middle East runs 14-16 October 2021 at Manarat al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi. For tickets, visit: https://semipermanent.com/events/middle-east-2021
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Court One
Starting at 2pm
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
