Music
Lights festival debuts in Downtown Dubai
Lights festival debuts in Downtown Dubai Kelly Clarke / 21 March 2014 Walls of iconic buildings in Downtown area become the canvas A typical walk through Downtown Dubai usually exposes you to a visual array of awe-inspiring skyscrapers, with revving engines and car horns providing the perfect sound backdrop. But Dubai’s busy district has now become home to an array of all singing and dancing art. From the shores of the Milky Way, to an urban Serengeti, the city’s skies will explode with colour over the next few days and become ‘the brightest square-kilometre on earth’ thanks to the 32 installations on display at this year’s debut Dubai Festival of Lights. Passers-by will get an insight into the minds of each exhibiting artist — and whether it makes sense or not, it’s certainly going to be a feast for the eyes and ears. Lights in different shapes and colours on iconic buildings in the Downtown area as the Dubai Festival of Lights started on Wednesday evening. — KT photos by Shihab During a sneak preview of some of the finished installations on Wednesday evening, Star Fishermen by Tokyo-born artist Akira-Lisa Ichii kick-started proceedings — but hamour and salmon were not on the menu. “This is a story about fishermen trying to catch the stardust in the Milky Way, so they’re not your typical fishermen.” Composed of three fishing cabins draped in aluminous lighting, the seven-minute composition using a dynamic 360-degree lighting and sound system, sees light take on the role of dancer, and the music its composer, while hypnotically bringing spectators to the seas shore. And when asked where the inspiration for such a unique idea came from, Ichii said the UAE’s history played a big part in show piece. “When I was invited to Dubai, I knew I wanted to adapt this particular piece of mine. Not many people know this about the city, but before all the skyscrapers and highways, Dubai was a fishing village, so I thought this fit perfectly for this festival,” she told Khaleej Times. A light injection Turning Downtown Dubai’s urban surroundings into a façade of light, sound and art, the consensus among the exhibiting artists is that Dubai is a city which deserves artistic light. And French sculptor Edouard Levine, who is showcasing his illuminated geometric sculpture, Mikado, at this year’s festival, told Khaleej Times the city is a welcome platform for his pieces. “Dubai’s art scene is up and coming, so for me it’s a new discovery. It’s a new stage for my work and I am never afraid of trying new things.” With the 10-day light festival making Dubai’s famous square kilometre the ‘brightest on earth’, it could well bag the prize for ‘most entertaining car park on earth’ too, thanks to a humourous video mapping composition from French duo Mouety Batlle and David Passegand. Spread across a giant coloured wall canvas along Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, The Anookis throws you back to the days of the Atari computer. With simple imagery and a humourous story, the duo cleverly use lighting and sound effects to create a sense of nostalgia, and spectators are bound to fall in love with the loveable ‘Inuit’ characters too. Visually based on the two artists themselves, the Inuits take you on a wacky journey where cute cries, adorable laughter and wiggling bums are bound to raise laughs among Dubai’s old and young alike. “We originally created these two characters to animate our website, but they became so famous on the Internet, and it just spiralled from there. Now they’re on Facebook stickers and we’ve adapted them into smartphone apps too. This creation should be fun for all people,” Passegand said. Given just five weeks to produce the seven-minute show, The Anookis story is exclusive to Dubai audiences, and with the artists currently working a TV show based on the loveable Inuit characters, we could be seeing a lot more of them around the UAE soon. Time to explore A collaboration between Emaar and the Ville de Lyon’s Festival of Lights in France, Emaar’s managing director Ahmad Thani Al Matrooshi promised to continue long-term partnerships with the art organisation at Wednesday’s event, in a bid to build a cultural bridge between both Dubai and Lyon. So, as office buildings, homes and shop fronts become the canvas for these extraordinary international artists, why not get yourself down there and expose yourself to a different kind of art this month… one which tells a tale. kelly@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Clusters of Light show in Sharjah for 4 days
Clusters of Light show in Sharjah for 4 days Afkar Abdullah / 20 March 2014 Operetta on Islamic history to be held for public on March 27, 28 and April 3, 4. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Executive Committee Chairman for the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 (SICC 2014) celebrations, on Tuesday shared some details and insights regarding Sharjah’s forthcoming musical spectacular “The Clusters of Light”. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed announcing the details of The Clusters of Light show in Sharjah on Tuesday. — KT photo by M. Sajjad The show will be performed for the public on March 27 and 28, and April 3 and 4. The revelations came during a Press conference held in Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre in the presence of Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Head of the Projects Committee for the SICC 2014 celebrations. The conference was also attended by members of the Executive Committee for Sharjah’s celebrations for being declared the capital of Islamic culture, as well as prominent members of the crew and representatives of the media. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed said: “The Clusters of Light is the culmination of the vision of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who ordained a work to be “recorded by history and engraved in memories of next generations”. “In presenting the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the early story of Islam, it promotes humanitarian values of justice, brotherhood, love and peace. The Clusters of Light contains such dazzling elements that words fail to describe them. The efforts of the administrative, technical and artistic staff will leave an indelible imprint in the history of this epic,” he said. He added that the show will bring values of love, justice, tolerance and peace to the entire world. More than 750 people came together from various countries to produce an artwork that, as the Sharjah Ruler said, reminds us of the most important moments in the formation of the Islamic civilisation. Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmed said that this first-ever performance at the new Al Majaz Open Theatre is Sharjah’s gift to the entire world: “By telling the story of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and clarifying the true nature of Islam, we hope we will enrich the world of ideas, highlight the civilising aspects of Islamic culture and irrigate the intellects of present and future generations,” he said. Khalid Al Shaikh, Bahraini artist who composed The Clusters of Light, commended the “spring of culture” currently being enjoyed by Sharjah. Christian Steinhauser, German musician and conductor of the Global German Orchestra that completed recordings of the momentous operetta, said the last six months of his life were the most important in his career. He co-operated with 50 musicians and 20 sound engineers from around the world to offer a spiritual and emotional soundtrack inspired by Islamic history. Steinhauser said that admiration for the biography of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) helped the team produce a monumental artwork about Islam in a short period of time. The audience watched a short film about Al Majaz Theatre, which will host the first performance of the world’s greatest oratorio of Islam, The Clusters of Light, on March 26. The theatre will be the official headquarters of the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 Celebrations. Tickets are available at http://www.ticketmaster.ae/ and at selected outlets across the UAE. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Dubai opens window to priceless Islamic legacy
Dubai opens window to priceless Islamic legacy Staff Reporter / 19 March 2014 Offers preview of Aga Khan Museum, the first Islamic art showcase in N. America. Michelangelo. Leonardo da Vinci. Velazquez. Cezanne. Van Gogh. Sir Joshua Reynolds. Jackson Pollock. Name the artists famed worldwide and you won’t find a single Islamic artist among them, that is, not one known to the man on the street. “Most people can’t name a single Muslim artist. I find this terrible,” says Henry Kim, curator and historian. Shaikh Nahyan (3rd from R) at the preview of the Aga Khan Museum at the Ismaili centre in Dubai. He is flanked by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of The Emirates Group, Arif Lalani, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE, and other officials — KT Photos by Juidin Bernarrd Though Islamic art has been flourishing for over 1,400 years spread over a vast canvas stretching through Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, its amazing beauty and diversity is yet to gain the recognition it deserves. But come autumn and the lacuna will be addressed as the Aga Khan Museum, the first museum in North America devoted solely to Islamic art, opens in Toronto. The sprawling museum, designed by Japanese Fumihiko Maki, will display over 1,000 artefacts from the personal collection of the Aga Khan and his family. “It will be a proud destination for Muslim and non-Muslim visitors, showcasing the art, science, music and philosophy of Islamic culture,” adds Arif Lalani, Canadian ambassador to the UAE and Canada’s Special Envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. A tour of the Aga Khan Museum The Aga Khan Museum, says Henry Kim, its director and CEO, would promote art and culture of the Muslim world and build bridges between cultures. Besides the museum, the three-pronged project also has a park designed by Vladimir Djurovic and an Ismaili Centre planned by Charles Correa. Nearly 1,700sq m space has been kept aside for both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The objects on display are as various as the Holy Quran in different scripts, illustrations of classics like Firdausi’s Shah-Nameh (The Book of Kings), carpets, jade ware and exquisite ceramic art that shows the influence of China. Muslim explorers and navigators left an indelible mark on history. The museum pays a tribute to them, especially through its display of astrolabes, the navigating tool used by sailors of all religions to find their way by calculating planetary positions. The preview has an exquisite bronze astrolabe made in the 18th century by Qazi Ali of Iran. A special place will be given to the section of art pieces called In search of artists. The art here is all signed by the artists and Kim hopes it will help familiarise the audience with Muslim artists as well. There will also be a Garden of Ideas section, focusing on different countries. Since the Aga Khan Museum plans to bring the sights, rhythms and sounds of Islamic culture as well, Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki has created a state-of-the-art elegant auditorium that can seat 350 people and will host regular performances. sudeshna@khaleejtimes.com With Dubai being a cultural hub, the museum chose the emirate to offer a preview on Tuesday. “I wish that we were gathering today to open the Aga Khan Museum in the United Arab Emirates,” said a wistful Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, in his keynote address at the event. Islamic art, with its astonishing plurality, is an important part of the heritage of mankind. “The museum preserves important artefacts of our Islamic heritage,” Shaikh Nahyan said. “They communicate our history, culture, and art. Those artefacts convey a clear sense of Muslim diversity, a diversity that deserves global prominence.” “Culture and art are important for peace, understanding and harmony in the world,” Shaikh Nahyan added. A deeper appreciation of art and culture leads to goodwill and friendship, building bridges between diverse religions, cultures and backgrounds for a peaceful and prosperous world. Shaikh Nahyan also referred to the 88th Ogden memorial lecture delivered last month by the Aga Khan at the US Ivy League Brown University to emphasise why the world needs to retain its diversity: When people stop learning and understanding each other’s cultures, it leads to misunderstanding and hostility. Today’s world, being inter-connected, requires a thoughtful, renewed commitment to pluralism. “We understand the wisdom of that response,” Shaikh Nahyan said. “We are a cosmopolitan society bound by mutual respect and understanding… Art allows us to celebrate the principles and values that unite us across national and cultural boundaries and highlights our common values and pursuits.” He also quoted the UAE President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan: “The United Arab Emirates has relied, and will continue to rely, on the rich and diverse contributions of its true wealth, its people, to guarantee its prosperity.” Several factors contributed to make Dubai ideal for the preview. The host of the event, the Ismaili Centre Dubai, has been organising a series of cultural programmes since its inception in 2008 to share knowledge with other communities. Also, the preview comes during Art Dubai, the annual event drawing VIPs and art connoisseurs to select sites where art displays are held. Finally, as the Canadian ambassador said, Canada admires the UAE’s diversity and the Dubai preview would introduce the Aga Khan Museum to the Middle East. While Toronto would have the Islamic art museum, Abu Dhabi would have the Louvre Abu Dhabi and both countries would be home to world-class museums. sudeshna@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
