Tag Archives: sports
Project to transform metro stations into art museums
Project to transform metro stations into art museums Staff Reporter / 18 March 2014 Shaikh Mohammed gave directions to complete the project by the commencement of Art Dubai 2015. The Dubai Metro Museum project that will transform the metro stations into art museums was detailed on Monday during a presentation to His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Mohammed gave directions to transform Dubai Metro stations into art museums displaying artworks and creations from different themes and cultures, an initiative that aims at making arts and creativity accessible to all segments of the society. It also aims at enhancing the UAE’s international position in general and Dubai’s in particular as a vital supporter for arts and artists. He was briefed on the project and its different implementation stages. The presentation was also attended by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Mohammed gave directions for the project to be completed within 12 months and to synchronise the launch with the commencement of Art Dubai 2015. “We want to reach everyone through arts. We want creativity to reach every individual. We want to inspire and communicate with every employee on his way to work, every student on his way to pursuing education and every tourist visiting Dubai,” he said. “We want to transfer Dubai Metro stations to museums accompanying passengers to all destinations,” he added “Art is a universal language that has power to unite humanity. It removes barriers that seems to separate them from one another,” he said. Station art themes Phase one of the project will include transforming four vital metro stations into art museums. Each of the museums will have a specific theme that highlights a specific aspect of arts or cultures. The interior and exterior designs of the museums will reflect their themes. Islamic arts and Arabic Calligraphy Museum; Inventions Museum; Contemporary Art Museum; and Visual Art Museum will be launched during phase one. The Islamic art and Arabic Calligraphy Museum will include a collection of artworks inspired by Islamic art and its development phases over 1,400 years. Manuscripts, ceramics and jewellery will be some of the items on display. Inventions Museum will offer a unique and interactive educational experience that illustrates the most important human inventions in different fields. The Contemporary Art Museum will have paintings, designs, graphic illustrations, models, and many other items that reflect the expressive and intellectual styles created by contemporary artists. Visual Art Museum will give visitors the opportunity to share their work and have it on display as well. The museums will be provided with state-of-the-art technology and smart and interactive mobile applications in line with Smart Dubai initiative. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the initiative will add a new attraction factor for commuters and an aesthetic dimension to the facilities. Operational hinderances to the metro stations will be minimal. news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights
A spectacular blend of sound, music and lights Lily B. Libo-on / 18 March 2014 Sharjah’s Roman style amphitheatre to serve as venue for international cultural and art events. The more than Dh140-million Sharjah Amphitheatre, a huge Roman-style theatre with state-of-the-art technology unprecedented in the Middle East, is nearing completion in time for the opening of the epic oratorio Clusters of Light on March 26. The opening of the amphitheatre will signal the emirate’s celebration of the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture of the Arab Region 2014. Sharjah has earned this new title as it continuously honours the emirate’s contributions in preserving, promoting and spreading the culture of Islam. The new technology which blends sound, lighting, and music in a spectacular fashion, with more than 400 animated lights, 120 sound speakers, and 21 projectors creating a unique effect, is built on Al Majaz Island project, which is the first of 24 heritage, tourism, cultural, and architectural projects of Sharjah this year. Estimated to cost more than Dh140 million, the project is an open-air semi-circular theatre spanning 7,238sqm that can accommodate up to 4,500 people. It features a vast viewing platform through which artists can ascend, and is equipped with a high-quality and accuracy-advanced audio system that has never before been used in the region. After the epic oratorio Clusters of Light, the amphitheatre will become Sharjah’s centerpiece of international cultural and art events to be hosted at its modern VIP conference rooms and galleries which are complemented with a number of shops, restaurants and green spaces. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Centre and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 Celebrations, said the Al Majaz Island project includes a Dh13-million bridge between the island and Khalid Lagoon Street. “The Al Majaz Amphitheatre is more than 90 per cent complete.” Upon its completion, Al Majaz Island is expected to become a prominent tourism site, an ideal venue for future artistic, cultural and tourism movements in Sharjah and in the UAE. “It will also contribute to securing infrastructure that promotes the global theatre movement, which will entrench the position of the UAE and Sharjah as a hub for international tourism. It will be a tourist destination that is culturally integrated,” said Shaikh Sultan. He also said that Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment and e-Commerce company, has been chosen as the venue management for the soon to be completed Al Majaz Island Theatre for a period of three years. Currently, the Al Majaz Island Theatre is one of the most ambitious and significant projects undertaken in Sharjah. It will also act as the hub for all of Sharjah’s numerous cultural activities aside from being the focal point for the celebrations of Sharjah’s 2014 Capital of Islamic Culture. “We knew from the off-set that the management of such an important venue would need the highest levels of experience and expertise,” he said. The Sharjah Amphitheatre will serve Sharjah residents as well as visitors to the Emirate and the UAE. It is expected to host the best quality cultural performances from the region and around the world. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
UAE joins search for Malaysia Airlines plane
UAE joins search for Malaysia Airlines plane (Agencies) / 18 March 2014 The UAE Armed Forces are using two Search & Rescue aircraft in the search operations. The UAE Armed Forces are taking part in the search operations for the Malaysian Airlines passenger plane, which went missing10 days ago, a source at the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces has said. The UAE Armed Forces are using two Search & Rescue aircraft in the search operations, which cover a zone stretching south over the Indian Ocean to Australia and north over an area extending to the south and central Asia. Latest: No motive found to explain disappearance of Malaysian plane Meanwhile, the last words from the passenger jet were spoken by the co-pilot, the airline said on Monday, providing a new glimpse into the crucial period when the plane was deliberately diverted. The last message from the cockpit — “All right, good night” — came around the time that two of the plane’s crucial signalling systems were manually disabled. Read more: Planning could hold key to mystery of Malaysia flight For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
