Manal Al Dowayan. Sage Sohier
Manal Al Dowayan. Sage Sohier
Manal Al Dowayan. Sage Sohier
Manal Al Dowayan. Sage Sohier

Artists chosen for scholarship to create together thousands of miles apart


  • English
  • Arabic

Four artists based in the UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will take part in an online residency programme set up by the Arab British Centre and the British Council.

For the second year running, the Connect ME Digital Residency programme will allow artists to collaborate on digital work over four weeks with an online mentor.

Developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme is a digital continuation of Making Marks, the Arab British Centre’s creative exchange programme between the UK and Gulf countries.

This year’s edition will be mentored by Manal Al Dowayan, a Saudi Arabian multimedia artist whose works are on display at the British Museum, Ithra Cultural Centre and LA County Museum.

Ollie Cameron, one of the two UK-based artists, is an illustrator and recent winner of the BBC Student Visual Journalist of the year award. Having found it hard to collaborate with other artists during the pandemic, he said the residency was “an exciting new platform to explore the interesting and often bizarre ways that we can continue to share art and ideas, even when thousands of miles apart".

Cameron will be paired with Dubai-based Dina Khatib, a multimedia designer and member of the UAE National Pavilions research team for 2021 Venice Biennale. Khatib is intrigued to work with someone she does not know and who is thousands of kilometres away. “I am excited to see the work that comes out of a close collaboration with a stranger, especially one who has been influenced by a different cultural experience.”

London-based Carolin Shnurrer, who will be working with Meshal Al Obaidallah in Saudi Arabia, says the digital experience will allow “intriguing synergies between cultures”. Shnurrer’s captivating cross-medium sensory experiences have already landed her a residency at the studio of multi-award-winning British artist Haroon Mirza, as well as invitations to perform at Tate Lates and Mira Festival.

Winner of the 2016 Fourth International Emerging Artist Award, Al Obaidallah is a visual artist with a focus on current issues and affairs in Saudi Arabia. Given that his more recent works explore internet culture and multimedia, he says he was particularly drawn to the residency because of its "digital and collaborative aspects", which he hopes will allow him to continue to experiment within his practice.

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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F1 line ups in 2018

Mercedes-GP Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen; Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; Force India Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez; Renault Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr; Williams Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa / Robert Kubica / Paul di Resta; McLaren Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne; Toro Rosso TBA; Haas F1 Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; Sauber TBA

MATCH INFO

Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')

Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')

Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)

Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes. 
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com

RESULTS

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.

Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.

Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.

Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.

Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.