Where to go for Art Week Dubai 2017

Posted by & filed under Dubai, Events .

Art Week Dubai celebrates Dubai’s creative industries – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and performing arts. From March 12-18, the city hosts openings, commissions, projects and public programming. Read on to see the different events taking place and our recommendations for what to see during Art Week.

Art Week Dubai - Art Dubai

 

Art Dubai

Art Dubai is one of the world’s most global art fairs. It is the week’s anchor event. This year, 92 galleries from 44 different countries will be featured. Here are the top things to see at Art Dubai:

Trading Places Talks:

Art Dubai will host a talk series centered around the theme “trading places.” It’s fitting, considering the city’s reputation as a transport hub. There will be multiple talks during the day. We particularly recommend TAK€ OFF! : Music for Airports. The talk will ponder the connection between a network of plane schedules and an array of musical notes. It’s certainly poised to be a very unique conversation! Our Historic Dubai tour gives a further overview of the city’s heritage as a trading port.

Homage without an Homage

Hassan Sharif, an influential Emirati artists, passed away last year. Homage without an Homage is an exhibition featuring works from artists he influenced or inspired. It will be held alongside a video screening and talk series.

The Room: Cooking Liberty 

Food in Dubai goes way beyond shawarma. In this installation, Beirut-based art collective Atfal Abdath takes its inspiration from Salvador Dali’s cookbook, Les Diners de Gala. The result is a surreal cross between visual art, performance and gastronomy. During the day, the artists present various performances. Then in the evening, you can purchase tickets to a twelve-course buffet!

The 11th edition of Art Dubai takes place March 15-18, 2017, at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

While Art Dubai is considered the main event, there are others happening through the city. Here are some other places to go during Art Week:

Art Week Dubai - Dubai Design Days D3

 

Design Days Dubai

This fair is for home art. It is the only fair in the region dedicated to collectible furniture and design objects. The sixth edition will showcase design pieces from prominent galleries worldwide. It will also play host to a series of talks, workshops, and performances. We recommend “Britain Takes Shape” an exhibition of British contemporary design celebrating the UK/UAE Year of Creative Collaboration.

The 6th edition of Design Days Dubai takes place March 14-17 at Events Square, Dubai Design District (d3).

Art Week Dubai - Alserkal Avenue Pop-up

 

Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue will present a series of exhibits, films, talks, workshops and events for Art Week Dubai. We’re intrigued by the six pop-up projects that will be on display. Notably, Ahmed Mater’s project will display a photo series charting Mecca’s history over the years. This essay will look at the city’s past, present and projected future. As our walking tours are divided into past, present and future themes, this project stands out.

Pop-up Projects for Art Week Dubai take place at Alserkal Avenue from March 10-18.

Be sure to check some of the many events this Art Week in Dubai. To further explore the city’s art, check out our Art Tour!

Emirates Lit Fest 2017

Posted by & filed under Dubai .

March is known worldwide as the month of reading – a time to promote literacy, encourage storytelling and celebrate authors. In Dubai, we will welcome the month with the 9th Annual Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. In 2016, the festival welcomed 170 writers and over 40,000 guests from 35 different countries; this year looks to be just as diverse a celebration.

The programme is full of interesting events designed to appeal to readers and writers of all stripes. We picked out a few of our favorites below:

If you’re a tech geek

 

Inventing the Future: Ashlee Vance on Elon Musk

Friday 3 March, 11.30am-12.30pm Al Ras 1, InterContinental, AED 75

Elon Musk is trying to redefine transportation – in space and on earth.

His car company, Tesla Inc., was the first company to launch an electric sports car. It recently had its Dubai launch with much fanfare – in fact, the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai signed an agreement to buy 200 vehicles. Musk is also known as the CEO of SpaceX, a private space exploration company with a dream of sending people to Mars.

In this talk, Musk’s biographer Ashlee Vancee, author of Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, will share her unique insight into the man referred to as the ‘real-life Iron Man.’ Vancee is a celebrated technological author and journalist, and her biography of Musk has received praise in the NY Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal.

If you’re a politico

 

The Orwell Lecture: A World Turned Upside Down?

Saturday 4 March, 1.30pm-2.30pm Al Ras 3, InterContinental, AED 75

The Orwell Lecture is an annual session at the festival, examining both the writing of George Orwell and the current events of today’s world. This year’s lecture will be delivered by BBC Reporter James Naughtie, and will discuss how our understanding of literature can help us comprehend today’s global political situation – and predict what might happen next.

If you’re a history buff

 

The Strait of Hormuz: Living Memories

Thursday 9 March, 10am-11am Al Baraha 1, InterContinental, AED 75

Emirati author Reem Al Kamali first became interested in her homeland’s history after hearing the tales of her grandmother. She went on to obtain a dual degree in history and archeology. She has done extensive research into the history of Dubai and the wider region, centering on an extensive overview of oral history accounts. Her novel Strait of Hormuz is a tour into the history of this strategically important location. Strait of Hormuz won the Al Owais Award for best creative fiction of 2015 and the 2016 Sayidaty magazine literary award for Emirati women. This talk will be given in Arabic, with English subtitles, and will provide a great look into the heritage of the region.

For those further interested in learning about the history of the region, we recommend our Historic Dubai Walking Tour.

If you’re a parent

 

George and the Blue Moon

Friday 3 March, 1.30pm-2.30pm Al Baraha 3, InterContinental, AED 50

In Lucy Hawking’s acclaimed George Greenby series, George, his friend Annie, and a supercomputer named Cosmos embark on a string of adventures through space and time. The books are a great way to introduce children to complex science – the information comes from renowned scientist (and Lucy’s dad) Stephen Hawking.

In this family session, Lucy Hawking will share insight on how to tell stories with both adventure and information. She will also provide a sneak peak into her newest book, George and the Blue Moon. This session is intended for ages 9 and up.

 

The 2017 Festival will be held from March 3-11, 2017 at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

 

 

The coffee chronicles

Posted by & filed under Dubai .

Those who love their caffeine fix might take a special enjoyment out of a trip to Dubai. In addition to the fancy Frappuccino’s of brands like Starbucks, the UAE serves its own style of Arabica coffee known as Khaleeji. The drink is prepared in a traditional coffee pot known as a dallah, with coarsely ground coffee beans, cardamom, cloves and saffron.

Coffee is an integral part of Bedouiin hospitality. Whether it’s a special feast, a social gathering or even a business meeting, it’s likely that you will be served a steaming drink in a delicate Finjaan cup.

In fact, coffee is such an important part of the UAE’s heritage that Dubai can boast of its very own coffee museum! Located in the historic Al Fahidi District, the museum allows you to witness three types of live brewing, heralding from Ethiopia, Egypt and of course, the Emirates. Dubai by Foot offers you the chance to take in the delicious refreshment in a relaxing setting, while our tour guides tell you the storied history of this most Arabian of beverages.