ART in Selfie-land

Dubai Design District (d3) is the new up and coming neighbourhood where local designers will hobnob with global brands. This UAE government initiative is a gateway for regional ideas to access the world. In the near future, it is touted to be a conduit for international companies to discover new Middle Eastern talent.

Thats me the B'lu one... in agreement with Einstein at the entrance of the d3 yesterday

It's launch called ‘Meet D3′, the public community event presented a program of fashion, music, art, design and dining experiences during the weekend from the 2 to 4 April, 2015. I was glad to make time to could go and see as this was talked about by every radio channel. In less than a day of its first day social media had lot of hate notes... To me the experience was different and will be remembered for the right reasons too.

Things that impressed me here... in that order:

1. Food... to be specific the Ghaf Kitchen also believed to be UAE's first food truck. "Ghaf means home food back in England. And Ghaf (the tree) has its home in the UAE," says David O' Brian, its director who was excited to speak to his hungry visitors. I had a taste of their grilled halloumi served with romesco sauce and courgette shavings. Most dishes sound English to me... but has at least one familiar ingredient to Middle Easterners... like pan seared 'Sultan Ibrahim' [it is a fish!] with red onion salad.

The halloumi meal was small... just about a mouth full for Dh35... but it tatsted fresh and good... at the Ghaf Kitchen especially because Brian served it with a soulful smile. This dish used Indian-kitchen-staple fennel seeds as a garnish... adding an twist to the bites that had a seed or two... must try this on salads made in the blukitchen too.

I also tried the vegan chocolate brownie at 'Spill the beans' van/cafe. It was good and mushy. Everywhere else the queue-ups were too long to waste time. It was also bright and windy.

2. Stefan Seigel... The presentation and talk by CEO and founder of Not Just a Label (NJAL), an online designer platform for showcasing designers and emerging talent in the contemporary fashion industry with more than 18,000 designers from 100 different countries. Founded in 2008, NJAL encourages designers into the Slow Fashion movement that support sustainable/eco-friendly... while supporting local communities and craftsmanship. "We promote real art as opposed to mass buying. Imagine the pleasure of opening a handwritten note by the designer and wearing a dress that nobody else has in the whole world. This is the future," says Seigel.

Stefan Seigal of NJAL addressing the Dubai fashion aficionados

Seigel pointed out that the new generation can stand in lines and buy expensive gadgets... like iphone which is there in everybody's hands these days. So new designers shouldn't underestimate the power of new buyers. "They are everywhere. And they will find you," he says.

At Meet d3, NJAL showcased Emirati designer Bint Thani; who collaborates with ‘Inter | Act’ to unveil the first ever 3D printed dress made in Dubai. The collaborative, experimental project is called Urban Corp; merging expertise in design, fashion, and 3D printing technology, inspired by the city of Dubai.

3. Live music.

4. Organised parking facility. Smart officials who seemed to have jumped out of some hollywood action movie lined up in their cool blue crisp uniforms waving and following you while jiving like a rapper to his own music [hopefully that was not just in my head... and actually there was music and actually they were walking with a spring in their step!]

Letdowns at d3:

1. The selfie crowd. Dubaiites get confused if you mention art and community next to each other. They try to dress in their 'that dress I cant wear anywhere else' to this venue. Meet d3 had beach goers and mall hoppers who just took a detour because they badly wanted selfies in a new place... with their kids... and chomp all the while... in the queues... inside restrooms... [all this while their faces are buried in their phones. They just do not make eye contact. It scares them to look anywhere other than cameras :(]. Perhaps it is knowing this reason the organisers had installed fancy selfie machines at emergency points across the venue. There were more selfie booths than public toilets here. [Of course the nature's call can wait but not that cute picture.]

2. Long lines... at glass blowing workshop [the only event i was really really keen to attend in person since my Murano trip in 2009]... Lines where there every where else too. [Wonder why? Is it now in fashion to line up! Really hope not.]

3. There was nothing much for artists. Of course there was some art... here and there. But expensive menu cards and designer cocktails scream business business and more business! [Hello! Damien Hirst you are welcome in Dubai. And everyone else please look good, wear good brands, smell awesome... and create a good background please for his selfie... in future!]

[sorry I don't have many pics from the 'Meet d3'... but here are the few I clicked]

Love the moving shadows on the ground. Brooklyn native and Berlin resident Ebon Heath is literally known for playing with words. This sculpture uses words from Kahlil Gibran's poem 'On Beauty' and is representative of the global dialogue... He has used Arabic and English typography here. [I searched for Gibran's On Beauty... wasted attempt... nothing shows up!]

Lighting brand Lasvit from Czech Republic... gave glass-blowing workshops to visitors - a truly sensorial introduction to the process of transforming raw glass into design lighting. Very friendly artist, who spoke mostly in their language.

Zipper architecture... zip up and you have a mirror cave inside!

Egg-citing evening: the day followed into the dusk... when friends met for dinner and coloured some eggs... to welcome the spring equinox or Jesus Christ... or both!

Egg-cited us!

Happy Easter!

ARTiculating Fun

It is perhaps the busiest month for art industry in the region. By region I mean sub urban Dubai and its nearby emirates, not entirely the whole of Middle East as they like to say. But then it is ok to say Middle East... perhaps no other city in the ME ever hosts so many art events in one single season. [Applause!]

Correct me if am wrong... this month there are some 100+ events in small and big venues around the city. And if that is another fat Dubai record... you shouldn't be surprised. [The new surprise! surprise! is when something in Dubai doesn't touch a record! ;)]

DIFC Art Night that opened on March 16 7pm

These events include new shows by art galleries at Al Serkal [the arty place with street graffiti painted on containers... somewhere behind Mall of the Emirates] and DIFC [the same place that has ZUMA... that expensive restaurant, not the zumba dance class dear Dubaian!]. The UAE art scene this season saw/will see new stories - many solos, group events, charity art shows, an all new 3d event, something important at Tashkeel, then the unmissable next door Sharjah biennale [but its there for 3 months right?... thank god thats a lot of time hope you can visit it], OMG the most-anticipated Art Dubai at Madinat Jumeirah [that offers spectacular backgrounds to selfies] and a host of open calls for near-future art events. 

The most popular among the recent open calls is the Big Picture in its 3rd edition... like everything in Dubai... BP [incidentally does not stand for blood pressure] has also become bigger than its previous editions spilling into two different galleries this time. If you are an artist living in the UAE you have to apply as it is the safest and most important ways to make your foothold in the region as an artist. By region here I don't mean Dubai alone! [You should know this by now.]

Did you miss reading about my solo in Abu Dhabi? It was in a recent post in my other blog that is more personal. [Even more, I mean]. Here is the link

Along with new roads to learning art and its people... have stumbled upon how to stay calm while on this path of ARTiculation:

1. Your fine art degree/university/brand-associations/art lobby/googling abilities do not decide how great an artist you are. Only your truth and original output will.

2. We can forgive and forget people who may seem to block our progress. But things may unforgivingly remain the same when you remain unforgiving to yourself... by annexing your peace to various distractions... that ruin precious time... which deserve to be devoted to creative endeavours otherwise.

3. All the art news papers in the world cannot fill in the knowledge void. Finding yourself can be as spectacular as the movie 'Finding Nemo' is for a 5 year old who watches it for the first time. Do not confuse knowledge for wisdom. The latter is most often sleeping inside you while the former will keep you robbed of hours that can be spent in finding greater wisdom. Knowledge is important but will not save you. Wisdom will.

4. Art is never business. Those who put a price are often those who will weigh your heart and liver by the kilo and sell it off to a wholesaler who doesn't care if the buyer prefers grilling your soul or freezing it for a later occasion/opportunity.

5. Those who do business with art are merely there for the torture of it. Bless them whenever you can... often dressed in black overalls/pursed lips/fully enveloped in an am-not-approachable-air... at openings wanting to make valuable conversations with vacant spaces/white walls... they need more than your blessings... but you may stick to just that for now.

6. If anyone says artists are greedy don't believe them. If possible sue them. Actually most-often they are referring to impersonators who pretend to be artists. The majority of the real ones do not exist in Dubai... most are dead. Some are really dead - as in buried and gone (I mean some of the Masters) and others waiting for their turn (to be Masters hopefully/ideally before death).

7. To term art market as market is blasphemous. It is as offensive as paying a tax or fee to offer your prayers. This truth only an artist will tell you... through their piece of life... when they are articulate enough. Rest of the so-called market are there for fun! Bless them too.

If you just cannot make sense of this blog... the purpose is achieved... bless me... for I have saved you few moments of 'let-me-see-what-I-can-get-out-of-this' reading habit!

Take a Piece of Me at the Henosis stand @ DIFC: Abu Dhabi based contemporary Indian abstract artist and doctor Ashvin displays his satire on the commercial aspects of art here until Thursday (tomorrow). This installation allows the buyer to choose his favourite portion of the art that the artist will then use a pair of scissors to cut and part with. Originally 5 meters long, this installation is shrinking by the day... thanks to happy shopping!

ARTomatic Life

Today is not the best day to blog. But then somethings need to be done even when there is no time. A blog is a commitment. Just like the plants in your balcony garden. You need to water it as required. Perhaps for the garden you can always hire help but your blog has to endure you just as you are. Caught between two write up deadlines, a drive after that for today's still life art workshop… and some extra baking for my soon-to-visit sister… today is a bit hectic. But I have taken a break from studies and skipped the home chores because of lack of interest in them as today is so beautiful to be wasted in the mundane.

This week was awesome.

Met 5 resident Indian artists at the Art Hub. They will exhibit their works in December. Can't wait to see their finished works that will show for a month starting December 6. Will post pictures after the event opens. Last night's visit was a casual one. It was nice to catch up with compatriots who are artists… and learn first hand about what they do.

Among the firsts… it was my first time at the outlet mall earlier this week. Between two appointments sometimes a mall visit almost becomes a necessary pit stop… for a bite or coffee. That is how I happened to go to this one. Here I stumbled upon a machu pichcu-inspired amazing handcraft store run by a couple from Columbia.

Bought these handmade earrings for sister… who also loves artsy accessories

They were not keen on being clicked and allowed just one picture of the store… here is that one. This store reminds one of Global Village… time to go there too... soon!

Though the promotion was on for a while… it was for the first time that I realised twofour54 registered freelancers get a discount in all outlets at Park Rotana… That called for a quick celebration.

This dessert from Teatro in Park Rotana TwoFour54 is just as amazing as it looks. Called Baked Hawaiian this is a mix of coconut and mango ice-cream, covered with toasted meringue and served with the sauce of lilikoi coulis [That is passion fruit's not-so-passionate name!]

I have not been experimental with my winter wardrobe though I have plenty of artsy ideas. Also, I have no clue what fall fashion is like at the runways… but in Dubai, boots have been a staple each time the weather gets anywhere near winters. So I did my winter-cleaning cum space-finding exercise... and got some essentials out. And now that I have a personal stylist… the homegrown one… I mean my own baby sister who is soon-to-graduate in fashion from India's popular NIFT… she is having a ball telling me off sweetly… what to knockoff and what to keep. I keep her busy doing what she is best at… cos it is only making me look good ;).

Open toes go underground while boots are out… How I love the idea of winters any season :p… so many options to stay stylishly well-covered.

Eating ice-cream in winters is every Delhite's favourite indulgence… but try this to-die-for Häagen Dazs hot chocolate fondue with ice-cream scoops, fruits and other condiments. Please do not have a heavy meal before this huge dessert… I had to take a forced nap to get over the sweetness overloaded intoxication.

Nothing in the world can replace the satisfaction you get from home baked goodies. To mention the least… it simply fills every corner of your home with such sweet aroma… that you start feeling good and all positive. It was my first bake this season.

This is the latest from blukitchen… Devonshire Honeycake. Super easy to make. This is definitely going in to my first cookery book that is underway… more later on that.

These are also from blukitchen… called potato islands… they are baked potato slices topped with egg salad. A simple and easy winter time dinner with classic ingredients.

If the art in the galleries… malls… or the chef's art on the plate were not enough… just look outside. Mama nature is painting a breathtaking new canvas each day. The desert sky's amazing hues and shades are at its best this season.

Winter sky in uae offers amazing new canvas each day… you instantly feel better by looking up. 

Another day… when clouds became cotton-candy like… or almost like frosted glass behind which the sun was found hiding but alas… he cannot hide enough!

On that note… hoping you enjoy this beautiful weather and have a blissful weekend… signing off for now :)

ARTful noise in the region

If you are moved by current affairs and if you are one of the many who think why artist love to collect objects to represent their thoughts, you may be interested in knowing the scope of such art and its value. Did you know Da Vinci is coming to UAE next December? Have you ever wondered who an art curator is?

Record auction 

Bahraini artist Mahmud Obaidi's Farewell Kiss has gone under the hammer for $62,500 at a recent Sotheby's Doha auction. 

Obaidi's work features former US president George W. Bush in the centre of the artwork with shoes arranged like petals of a flower. 

Kochi-Muzrish Biennale 

Recent events in the region rounds up a versatile action… as art has come a long way from the 2 and 3D representations. Found objects have become and important medium to spill expression. It is also making big noise in the public art scene and was elaborated by Gigi Scaria of the Kochi-Muzrish Biennale team during his recent visit to Dubai. A complete insight to contemporary public art and its relevance will be available to read/learn in Gigi's interview that will be released shortly in one of my recent newspaper stories. The Biennale team has been visiting Dubai to accelerate awareness in the region on India's promising art fair and attract more patrons. 

Gigi Scaria's Settlement

Da Vinci in Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi will be first museum in Middle East to show a Leonardo Da Vinci painting. With just an year away for the official opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, a stellar cast has been assembled for the fourth and final series of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Talking Art Series, that began at Manarat Al Saadiyat recently. 

The portrait, La Belle Ferronniere, in which a serious-looking young woman dressed in red velvet stares out at the viewer, will form part of the first batch of about 300 works sent on loan from more than a dozen cultural institutions in France to supplement the new permanent collection of Louvre Abu Dhabi when it opens in December next year. 

The talk night was an in-depth analyses on Leonardo Da Vinci, as an artist - genius yet human with flaws - through his female portraits. The details of each work was revealed by Vincent Pomarede, the director of mediation and cultural programming for the Musee du Louvre in Paris. 

Who is a curator?

Following a radiology report and scientific research backed presentation of the acquired Da Vinci's authenticity, restoration journey etc, the floor was open to live questions through social media and to the press attending the event in person there. One of the remarkable questions were if curator can be called as art detectives. The answer to which was rather amusing.

"I read the Da Vinci code twice because I had to with all the commotion around the subject. It is not true even while the writer takes his creative liberty to paint a picture the way he wants. It is more amusing to see visitors and tourists walking with the book to connect the clues mentioned in the book. To keep facts as they are or are as 'probably they could have been' the art curators need to keep their detective's hat on. And yes, there is nothing wrong in calling them so," says Vincent Pomarede.

Vincent Pomarede

PS: Thanks to electronic translators at press conferences… they allow speakers elaborate in their comfortable languages… be it Arabic or French… and we can survive knowing just English. Phew! ;)

depART… move on

Based on the theme of Migration, Artry Dubai staged a unique art exhibition inviting 40 artists to submit their ideas that resonate with 'Out of [a] Box' idea. The result was this…

The exhibition is open to public until November 22, 2014

Cardboard boxes hanging from roof to floor… reminding one of the luggage room of a godown, or airport… but in a thought provoking manner.

The curator might have liked my submission for this event but mother being the toughest critic made her opinion clear as always… she did not think it was my best. With art, there is a unique spiritual learning that one adapts with time… that it does not matter if everyone approves of what you do… you just do it… and move on! I was quite glad with my favourite 'tree symbolism' working for me in this artwork titled 'Uprooted'.

Uprooted_2014_B'lu… Read more here.

Meeting Bose Krishnamachari, of the Kochi-Muzrish Biennale, was the high point of the eventful weekend.

B'lu with the Biennale man Bose Krishnamachari

While all 'Migration' was happening at Artry, the next door Al Serkal Avenue was in full swing with the Quoz Art festivities.

I have to be honest with my observations. It is my blog after all. I have one thing to ask Dubai art enthusiasts… why is it that you are always eating and drinking… even while the art right next to you can be really overwhelming if paid attention to ;). Anyway all this buzz is new to the UAE that is evolving from its long slumber… I mean mall culture/food courts etc… am just guessing aloud! Please forgive me if you don't agree! [or send me a note]

Here are somethings that caught the bluvianeye while taking a brisk walkatalk with close friends who risked their Saturday evening on my words. Honestly, we had a great time! And the weather in Dubai is just brilliant!

Cartel presents Dutch designer Iris Can Herpen's 3D printed Haute Couture 

Blue Eye_CDR Series [that is so close to my blog's name too!]

I must mention that I was so glad to have sat through the 'Hopper Stories' playing at A4 space's theatre. They were short movies made on Edward Hopper's paintings. Simply amazing and creative! Watched The Muse (that features Hopper's Night Hawks), The Conference at Night and The Breakup.

Conference at Night_Edward Hopper

Night Hawks_Edward Hopper

Talking of this classical American realist from the 19th century... am reminded of the great masters showing at Abu Dhabi Art that was on at Manarat Al Saadiyat until last night. Realy glad to have stumbled upon Francis Bacon, Mattisse, Picasso… flown down to the UAE... all the way from New York by Acquavella Gallery.

And then MFH was also there… Women from Yemen [the title rhymes… or is it just me?]

I also loved these…

The weekend was very artsy, busy and closed with an amazing flute recital at a friend's place.

Flutist Dr Anil Pillai… about whom I will be writing in one of my writing spots soon...

Among the new things stumbled upon this weekend are the lip smacking lamb spring rolls & crab-melon salad at the Tribe, Mall of the Emirates. [Oops! I should not have asked Dubaians why they are always eating and drinking! lol ;)]

As I say good bye for now… here are some wise words from one of the speakers I listened to last night:

"Artists give us a new pair of eyes to see the world. They are precious to our society. Let us all unite to support them."

- TP Seetharaman, Indian Ambassador to the UAE
[Quoting Lord Krishna from Gita, the ambassador drew a parallel between divine pair of eyes to see the 'real lord'... to an artist's honest/passionate/non-commercial/pure tributes of examining the world around him.]

PS: I can hear… Dr Anil's version of a popular lord Krishna number… Krishna nee begane baro… in a loop… is it some sign!? Paulo Coelho please help! ;)