Film Screening: AiR Dubai 2012

 
AiR (Artist in Residence) is an annual artist residency programme launched by Art Dubai, Delfina Foundation, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Tashkeel. For this year's addition of the residency, which happened between January and March, Tashkeel commissioned Mahmoud Kaabour to direct the documentary called AiR Dubai 2012 which followed the artists and their work during the residency programme in Dubai. 

The documentary will be screened on Tuesday, 19th June at Satellite in Al Serkal Avenue. There will be a panel discussion and a Q&A session after the screening. The panel will incude some of the artists from the residency, Art Dubai, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Tashkeel and Mahmoud Kaabour.  

This 30-minute documentary opens a window to the imagination of six artists selected to participate in the Artist in Residency (AiR) Dubai 2012 program. Over a period of three months, three emerging UAE artists and their international counterparts created personal works in the lead up to Art Dubai and Sikka Art Fair while based in Dubai's old quarter, Al Bastakiya.

Award-winning filmmaker Mahmoud Kaabour followed Deniz Üster, Fayçal Baghriche, Magdi Mostafa, Hadeyeh Badri, Nasir Nasrallah and Zeinab Alhashemi, together with resident curator, Alexandra MacGilp, through the last weeks of the residency as they reflected on their inspirations, impressions of Dubai, and their personal processes of creating art.

Event details
Date: Tuesday, 19th June at 7.30pm
Venue: Satellite, Al Serkal Avenue, Warehouse C-16, Al Quoz, Dubai (location map) 
Free entry. 

www.artdubai.ae/residencies

The Continuous Cycle by Rebecca Rendell

The Continuous Cycle (2011), Dimensions: 62 x 62 cm | Materials: Pins, Glue, Found Objects | "When you stand on the edge of the ocean or looking out over a sea of sand dunes, there is an overwhelming sense of scale, you feel small. In contrast, you can look down at the ground, and pick up a seashell or the body of a dead sand beetle, and examine the patterns and details of these beautiful forms. You have two contrasting perspectives of the natural world, the great and the small."

The Continuous Cycle is a new solo exhibition by Rebecca Rendell currently running at Tashkeel till 28th February. It features found objects and mixed media installations with an intricate attention to detail.

The exhibition invites us to take a moment to contemplate the ordinary by displaying objects using nature’s patterns to depict the continuous cycle of life, providing us with a fresh look at art with a disciplined simplicity that is a key element in her work. 

I like to examine the interconnectedness of the natural world and the relationships between art, ecology and geometry. This research has led me to visit ancient geometry and pattern theories. My previous experience in textile art has also influenced my pattern making, with repetition, control and order all playing important roles in my practice and concepts. Rebecca Rendell

Dentition Cabinet (2011), Dimensions: 74 x 67 cm | Materials: Wood, Teeth, Glass, Paint. | "These strange little objects, essential for our survival, are the things that survive longest after we go. Camel, Fish, Goat, Fox and Human Teeth are just a few of the 300 teeth contained in this cabinet, collected throughout 2011 around the United Arab Emirates and during my travels." 

Here are some photos from the exhibition by Darwin Guevarra.
 

© Darwin Guevarra

© Darwin Guevarra

© Darwin Guevarra

Event details:
Date: Exhibition is on till 28th February

Venue: Tashkeel, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai   (location map) 

www.rebeccarendell.com 
www.tashkeel.org
www.darwinguevarra.me

Call for Submissions - Mawtini (My Home)

© Hind Mezaina 

Tashkeel, the Dubai based gallery and studio space has announced a call for submissions for their next exhibition called Mawtini, which means My Home in Arabic. Submission date ends on 18th February 2012. The exhibition will run from 6th March - 30th April 2012.

I am very interested in this theme and looking forward to seeing what gets selected. Thinking of taking part myself. Here's the full brief. Good luck to everyone that submits their work. 

“Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, a dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest” - Robert Montgomery
 
We are living in an increasingly complex world in which barriers and borders are being broken down and where conventional concepts of “homeland” and “belonging” are being challenged. This is of particular relevance in the United Arab Emirates, where almost 80% of the population is living away from their so-called home country, and yet for so many of these people, this is truly “home”.
 
Within this context, we would like to invite both local and international artists resident in the UAE to explore the notion of what constitutes “home”. Do you consider “home” to be a country, a city, a particular building or place with a personal history and memories? Is home defined by the country of birth, country of residence, country of choice or by nationality or is it the place where one is, or where ones heart longs to be or where one simply feels that they belong?
 

Submission guidelines:

• The call is open to all contemporary artists living in the UAE, creating original work using any medium.
• Artists can submit up to 3 works, a series is considered as one work.
• Previously exhibited artworks will not be accepted. Artworks presented must be made specifically for this call.
• Application and images must be submitted not later than 18 February 2012
• Shortlisted artists will be informed by email by 27 February 2012
• Artists will be responsible for the framing and mounting of works selected for the exhibition before delivering it to Tashkeel.
• Tashkeel reserves the right not to exhibit any work that differs substantially from the initial application or is deemed unsuitable for exhibition.

You can download the application form here. For more information, you can send an email to tashkeel@tashkeel.org.

www.tashkeel.org

Maitha Bin Demithan

To the Moon
Maitha Bin Demithan is a young Emirati artist that is making a name for herself. I first met her in October 2008 at a photography workshop we attended at Tashkeel. The theme of our assignment was Documentation.

When she first presented the idea of documenting herself, I was fascinated by the fact that she chose a  scanner to do this. I saw her concept develop during this workshop and so glad to see it's now taken off and gained her recognition. Since then, she's added to this series and her work has been exhibited in several exhibitions in Dubai and abroad.

Click to read more ...

AMOR - A Magazine of Random

AMOR (A Magazine of Random) is a new limited edition experimental magazine that celebrates creativity. Published on a quarterly basis, the first issue is out this month and features five people from the art scene in Dubai sharing their lives and what they do best.

Published by Fn (art in Arabic) a Dubai based design studio (they recently organised the FAKiE exhibition), I'm really glad to see they've launched this magazine. I'm a magazine junkie and hate hearing things like "print is dead". So if you feel the same, I urge you to show some support and buy yourself a copy.

Click to read more ...

Private(ly) - photography exhibition

Short Life by Rouda Al Shamsi

PRIVATE(ly) is a photography exhibition showcasing work by 18 young Emirati women from Dubai Women’s College and exploring the private world of the girls of Dubai. From photographs exploring private fantasies for power to others expressing the intense fear of violence, each photo lets us into a private and personal truth for these young women. 

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Giant Graffiti Mural by Aerosol Arabic at Tashkeel

Mohammed Ali from Aerosol Arabic, a UK based graffiti artist was commissioned by Tashkeel to create a large scale mural in collaboration with artists living and working in the UAE. I am so glad Tashkeel is making use of the lovely and large garden space it has - it will be even more fun to spend time there.

Photo by Ammar Mohammed Al Attar
Photo by Ammar Mohammed Al Attar

This project has been in progress since 13th March and the unveiling of the completed wall to the public will happen on 22nd March at 7pm, where the artist will also give a talk about the project.

The art on the wall has been inspired by the language and people of the region and depicts the past, present and hints towards the future.

I hope this is the start of many murals around this city. We need to see art outdoors and not just confined to gallery walls.

Event details:
Date: Monday, 22nd Mar at 7pm
Location: Nad Al Sheba 1, intersection street 5 and 20 (location map)

www.tashkeel.org
www.aerosolarabic.com
www.ammaralattar.com

Portrait of a Generation - opening reception at Tashkeel

Earlier this year, Tashkeel had an open call to artists living and working in the United Arab Emirates to respond to their call for work for their latest exhibition, 'Portrait of a Generation'. They received 148 entries, out of which, 55 artists were selected.

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Portrait of a Generation - a call for work

Illustration by Khalid Mezaina

Tashkeel is looking for talented artists living and working in the United Arab Emirates to respond to their latest call for work for an exhibition 'Portrait of a Generation'.

"In a portrait, you have a room to have a point of view. The image may not literally be what's going on, but it's representative." Annie Lebovitz

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