STAR TOO - Are You There

STAR TOO is an experimental theatre project based in Dubai. I've been missing their shows over the past few years, but I hope I don't miss their sixth and latest production, Are You There, taking place at The Fridge on 17th and 18th May.

Jules Verne’s lost novel is alive and well in Dubai with the STAR TOO Experimental Theatre troupe breathing life into the book entitled Paris in the 20th Century in an original creation called ARE YOU THERE.
 

This May 17th and 18th at The Fridge, Al Serkal Avenue, performers in both Dubai and Paris will give a live and interactive rendition of this true-to-life sci-fi novel. 
 

The evening is set to be an underground, animated lecture in a classroom setting, hosted by a cast of artists struggling to preserve the humanities that do not serve “the age’s industrial aims” of a not-so-distant future society.

According to the STAR TOO's blog, Are You There is not a play a traditional play, but a series of themes presented by fictional characters inspired by Jules Verne’s book, blurring the lines between a performance and a presentation.

The playing space becomes a platform for learning, sharing ideas, and reconnecting with other human beings. The cast has several surprises in store including live feeds, audience interaction, and a possibly different ending to this gathering depending on spectator vote.
 

The idea is that performers are characters holding a covert meeting with the audience, maybe the last of its kind. And it might not be far from the truth. Ironically, much like what Verne predicted, and proving that even the classics can disappear, his novel must not have sold enough and, after consulting the Societé Jules Verne in France, it is now out of print.

Are You There trailer
 

 

Here's a look at the past STAR TOO shows. 

Event details
Date and timings: Friday, 17th at 8.30pm and Saturday, 18th May at 5.30pm and 8.30pm

Venue: The Fridge Dubai, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz (location map)
Tickets: AED 75 

www.startoodubai.com

www.startooworkshops.wordpress.com 
www.thefridgedubai.com 

Pecha Kucha Dubai - Unlucky Volume 13

 

Pecha Kucha Dubai has been going on since 2007 and over the years it's had some an interesting and memorable line up of presenters. I was fortunate to present at the second volume and was amongst some good presenters. 

If you are not familiar with Pecha Kucha (pronounced peh-chak-cha and is Japanese for “chatter”), it originated in Tokyo, Japan 10 years ago, devised and shared by Klein Dytham architecture. It follows a 20x20 format which allows each of presenter to showcase 20 images – each shown for exactly 20 seconds. This gives the presenter 6 minutes and 40 seconds to present their latest creative project, idea or hobby. 

I've not attended all of the Pecha Kucha Dubai sessions (and heard the standards have been slipping over the past couple of years), but out of ones I've been to, these are the ones I recall and remember as my favourites (there are more, but I can't list them all): 

• Mohamed Somji's presentation about his photography at the very first Pecha Kucha Dubai on 6th December 2007

• Katrin Greilling's designs and James Clar's light sculptures at the second volume of Pecha Kucha Dubai on 10th April 2008   

• Denie Pasion's presentation about the word Blow and Mahmoud Kaabour's and Denise Holloway's ode to Satwa called Satwa Stories at the third volume on 26th June 2008   

• John Hollingsworth's photography of workers sleeping outdoors during their afternoon break and Omran Al Owais' Minaret project and his mission to bring the mosque into the 21st century at the fourth volume on 7th November 2008 (and if I had to list my number 1 favourite talk out of all the Pecha Kucha Dubai, I'd name Omran Al Owais' Minaret Project as my favourite)  
  
  
• Evan Collison's presentation about skating in the region at the fifth volume on 28th May 2009   

• Omar Jaramillo Traverso's presentation about Urban Sketchers; Hattie Bowering's presentation about the Monobloc Chair; a musical performance and presentation by Gayathri Krishnan and Reiner Erlings about Movement, a creative collaboration - all at the ninth edition on 19th January 2011   

Yes, there are hits and misses in every Pecha Kucha night, but all of the above stood out for me because I saw good work, original ideas and none of it felt self promotional. 

Pecha Kucha Dubai - Volume no. 13 took place on 23rd February at The Archive Dubai. I attended it with high expectations and left feeling very disappointed. I was wondering how involved were the organisers (Traffic, s*uce, The Third Line and The Pavilion Downtown Dubai) in putting together this edition and why such a poor edition compared to some very good ones in the early days of Pecha Kucha Dubai. 

The night felt like a walking/talking advertorial. I was waiting to see the word 'sponsored by' come on the screen any time. The word 'inspiring' was thrown around a lot, but the whole event left me feeling anything but inspired.

Filmmaker Mahmoud Kaabour who presented Satwa Stories at the third Pecha Kucha Dubai said it best when he posted the following on his Facebook page (he was kind enough to give me permission to add his words here):

"Last night's Pecha Kucha was simply troubling. A couple of inspiring and quirky presentations on intellect and sustainable living, and then a lot of self-congratulatory oration by businesses. 

The partners on PK might wanna look back at the glorious editions that featured photographers, architects, and fresh ideas that were new to Dubai before they cede this event to self-promotion. It felt like a commercial break on local TV many times." 

A handful of presenters shared some new and creative ideas, but overall, the night felt quite commercialised and non of the presenters challenged the format of presenting. Most were just reading off a sheet of paper, (a big no-no when it comes to presenting and personally a pet peeve when it comes to presentations).

 

Here's a recap of the 10 presenters, their topics and my thoughts:

 

The Moving Museum by Aya Mousawi
Described as a non-profit organisation that will travel around making Dubai its first stop on 18th March at DIFC, the Moving Museum and will bring us a 'groundbreaking show of international contemporary art'.  

There's something very presumptous when organisations use the word 'museum' for something that is really not a museum. The Moving Museum is really just a pop up gallery and Aya Mousawi's presentation made it sound like it was doing the Dubai audience a favour by bringing us contemporary art via this 'moving museum' because there are no museums here. 

After Dubai, the Moving Museum will go to Venice during the Venice Biennale and then to London for Frieze, so the tour just feels like it's latching itself on to big events for publicity and not out of the kindness of their hearts to educate us about contemporary art. I read an article a few weeks ago about the Moving Museum and I am slightly skeptical about it, but I hope to be proven wrong, so might report back later this month. But the Pecha Kucha Dubai presentation was just a pat on the back about how the Moving Museum is bring contemproary art to Dubai. 

Also this was one of the images that was part of the presentation. I'm sorry, but I cannot take anyone seriously if they present this as art. 

MOJE SABZ, 2009, Soheila Sokhanvari. Taxidermy Horse, jesmonite, fiberglass, car paint, and mixed media.

The Fridge and Music Culture by Shelley Frost
The program described the talk would ask us 'are we ready to challenge our perception of the performing arts'. I didn't get that from the presentation, instead, it felt like Shelley Frost, the director of The Fridge, was sharing with us a prepared mission statement about The Fridge and it's role in Dubai. I am a fan of The Fridge but was quite disappointed with this presentation.  

Shelley Frost could have really played with the 20x20 format and have performers from The Fridge be part of the presentation to illustrate and challenge our perceptions of performance art. We've had musicians, singers and dancers performing using the 20x20 format in previous Pecha Kucha nights and it just makes things less predictable. Of all the presenters that night, Shelley Frost could've been the one with a very different and entertaining presentaton.   

 

Image via The Fridge's Facebook page

Jones the Grocer by James Wamae  
This was the worst offender of the night. Jones the Grocer is a restaurant described as a high end deli and the presentation was basically a 101 marketing session. James Wamae started off by saying he read about Jones the Grocer in Singapore in Wallpaper magazine and he got in touch with the owner and asked if he can open one in Abu Duabi. He then went on talking about branding and customer experience and their expansion plans. How this presentation slipped into the Pecha Kuca Dubai line up is beyond me. 

 

The Dinner Club 57 by Noor and Buthaina 
Noor and Buthaina organise 'an underground supperclub' which isn't really that underground because it's been getting a lot of press coverage lately. It was interesting to see how they convert some unsual spots like construction sites, an empty swimming pool and an old school bus into beautifully decorated spaces to host their dinners. But they never really made it clear how they go about inviting people to these dinners. Noor and Buthaina also talked about a new restaurant/cafe they want to open in Abu Dhabi, so I suspect the Dinner Club is their way of advertising their upcoming restaurant in Abu Dhabi.  

 

Image via The Dinner Club 57 Facebook page

Wild Guanabana by Omar Samra and Marwa Fayed
Omar Samra started Wild Guanabana, a company that organises adventure holidays and he met his wife Marwa Fayed at one of the mountain climbing trips organised by his company. They both talked about inspiration, quitting their high paying day jobs, purusing their dreams and how to live a successful and fulfilled life. I respect and admire anyone that follows their dreams, but this presentation was a bit on the cheesy side and we could've settled for a few slides about it.  


 

Everest Cancer Climb by Fayrouz Zghoul

Another presentation about mountain climbing, inspiration and making a change. Fayrouz Zghoul also talked about creating awareness and raising money for the King Hussein Cancer Foundation. I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the audience that was thinking not another presentation about climbers and inspiration and I actually think Pecha Kucha did Fayrouz Zghoul a disservice by having two presentations about climbing, inspiration and life changing experiences in one night.   



Two separate presenters that didn't have anything to sell were by artist Deniz Ulster's Metaphysics who gave us a "short peek into the history of metaphyiscs and different opinions on what the world is made out of"; and Majid Al Qassemi's Secret Life of Vets who gave us an insight into what it takes to become veterinarian. No products or company names were mentioned, they just talked about subjects they were passionate about. I personally didn't love the topics, but at least theirs felt like it fit the spirit of Pecha Kucha.  

Permaculture by Gaina Dunsire

This was an educational session, Gaina Dunsire explained what is permaculture and her aim to transform an open-air amphitheatre in the school she works for into a food forest, and to have a space for the students to enjoy in the shade and learn about the environment. She shared an artist impression of what the food forest will look like and wish I had something like that in my school. Hope Gaina Dunsire succeeds and gets this food forest built. 

Image via synergygardens.com 

IngeniousED by Alison Schofield and Francesca McGeary
Alison and Francesoca are educational consultants who are trying to change the education system. They were the last presenters and by then I really did switch off, so I am not sure what changes they are proposing, but I remember seeing a slide on the screen that said they want to raise USD 1,000,000 in 30 days!

 

 

Pecha Kucha encourages everyone to submit, but there really should be a line drawn on what can/cannot be presented, and the responsibility lies in the selection process by the organisers. They need to tighten up the process, find people with new creative and fresh ideas, and more importantly, people that can present well. Not someone that says how nervous they are to present in front of the audience (as it happened with a few speakers during the night), if you don't like presenting, then don' apply for things like this).

The following is taken from Pecha Kucha's FAQ section: 

What makes a good PechaKucha?

Good PechaKucha presentations are the ones that uncover the unexpected -- unexpected talent, unexpected ideas. Some PechaKuchas tell great stories about a project or a trip.

Some are incredibly personal, some are incredibly funny, but all are very different, and they turn each PechaKucha Night into “a box of chocolates.” 

That's the spirit of Pecha Kucha and hope the Pecha Kucha Dubai organisers can bring back this spirit when they select speakers for the next edition. 

Pecha Kucha Dubai has been going on for six years and anything that goes on for that long in this city is a feat on its own, so the quality needs improve over time and not the other way around.   

www.pechakucha.org/cities/dubai 
www.pecha-kucha.org/night/dubai 

Review: QUOZ

On 10th November, all the galleries situated in Al Quoz (an industrial part of Dubai) took part in QUOZ, an all day event that invited art enthusiasts to explore the 30 creative spaces within the area.  It's the first of hopefully an annual/bi-annual event. 

Al Quoz isn't the most attractive part of Dubai and apart from the usual art crowd that turn up at gallery openings and events, the place isn't busy with people checking out the latest exhibitions. So it was good to see there was a bit of buzz in the area on the day and hope it attracts more people on a regular basis. Since it was an all day event, there was a constant flow of people throughout the day, but at no point did it feel packed 

Overall, I enjoyed my day which consisted of checking out the exhibitions in the galleries. But I do hope the next QUOZ will have a varied programme including more performances and talks.  

Here are my impressions and photos I took on the day.

Learning by Heart by Arwa Abouon at The Thirdline

Extimacy by Hayv Kahraman at The Third Line

I spent my time in and around Alserkal Avenue  because it was the place with the most galleries that were close to each other. Although there were buses to transport you around Al Quoz, I wasn't in the mood to hop on and off the bus.

It was nice to gallery hop within Al Serkal Avenue but I really wish cars weren't allowed to drive inside. It would be much better and safer to make the whole area inside Alserkal Avenue a pedestrian area, especially on days like QUOZ.

Collision by Moataz at Lawrie Shabibi

Most of the galleries had guided tours, some had a fixed schedule and some were on demand depending if you asked for it or not. Some gallerists were good at giving a guided tour, whilst others weren't really into it (my friend and I were brushed off half way through one of the guided tours because a VIP walked into the gallery).

I also felt most of the galleries lacked proper written content about their shows (apart from always having a price list on hand). Almost all the galleries in Alserkal Avenue don't even have names/titles displayed on the walls near the artwork, which I find odd. If museums and art institutions label the art work on display, I'm not sure why these galleries can't do it. 

Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental. by Zoulikha Bouabdellah at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde

Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental. by Zoulikha Bouabdellah at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde

Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental. by Zoulikha Bouabdellah at Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde

My favourite piece was from The House of Cards exhibition at Grey Noise, a photography installation called "The Future in Their Hands (the visible hands)" by Danilo Correale (pictured below). Correale assigned one of India's most famous palm readers to interpret the personalities of six men, without revealing the origin of the images. The images of the hands of six chairmen on trail during the recent worldwide financial crisis were taken from the internet. Next to each image was the palm reader's interpretation of the individual pictured. I thought it was both a clever and very funny piece. 

...speculating on the impossibility to determine the true nature and shifty personality of some influential representatives of the political/financial world, tries to decipher the “ invisible hand of the market”. In collaboration with a famous Indian fortune-teller the palms of six influential men were read and for each one of them a personality profile was traced, creating an ideal ambiguity between the human aspect and public image of the leaders charge of regulating and handling the present and future of our society.  (via moussemagazine.it)

House of Cards at Grey Noise - The Future in Their Hands (The visible hands) by Danilo Correale

House of Cards at Grey Noise - Walking Tables by Judith Hopf in collaboration with Florian Zeyfang

I really liked the pop-up bookshop in Shelter that was put together by Art Dubai and Jashanmal Bookstores, It had a good selection of art publications including books, monographs and magazines. One funny moment was when a woman asked me if the books were for sale or if she could just pick anything she wants. I wish I said I she could pick whatever she wants, just to see what would happen, but the sensible part of me decided to tell her she has to pay for the books.

Shelter was also the place where they served food, coffee and tea from Lime Tree Cafe, which was all very good - but it would have been great if they also served a variety of fresh juices and oh how I wish there was an ice-cream van. 

Shelter - pop-up bookshop

I was quite mesmerised by "One minute dreamstate (1.40 AM)" by James Clar (pictured below) from Iris was a Pupil exhibition at Carbon 12. Made of fluorescent lights and filters, and 220 cm in diameter, it's the first piece that grabs your attention when you walk into the gallery.

A brainwave sensor was used to record the artist's brain activity during one night of sleep. At 1:40am REM occured, his brainwave activity increased, and he entered dreamstate.

One minute of brainwave data from the transition into dream sleep is selected and mapped onto light filters. These lights are then arranged into a large circle which represents the face of a clock, with the red lines representing the time. (via jamesclar.com) 

Iris was a Pupil by James Clar at Carbon 12 - One minute dreamstate (1.40 AM)

The talk I was looking forward to the most turned out to be the most disappointing. Salsali Private Museum hosted a book launch and talk for IRAN: RPM Vol. I by Ali Bahktiari. The book is about vinyl covers that were designed for Iranian movie soundtracks between 1965-1974 and the gallery had a great display of the artwork, along wth movie posters and old Iranian films projected on several walls.

The 'talk', however, just ended up being more of a speech thanking everyone involved in publishing the book and there were lots of clapping. Like I said, it was the most disappointing moment of the evening, which was such a shame because it could have been so much more. 

Salsali Private Museum - vinyl artworks IRAN: RPM Vol. I

Salsali Private Museum - vinyl artworks IRAN: RPM Vol. I with Ali Bahktiari

Salsali Private Museum - Iranian film projected on the wall

Beyond Rhythm by Francesca Galliani at Showcase Gallery

My evening ended at The Fridge where I watched an experimental live electro musical performance by Tacit. We don't often get performaces like this in Dubai, so will be interesting to see if The Fridge will host more performances like this. I hope they do. We need more experimental and less conventional. 

Tacit at The Fridge

Before ending my review, I'd like to mention the benches that were scattered around Al Quoz. Turns out the organisers read my plea in my previous post about QUOZ where I said "I just hope there will public seating areas to rest between all the gallery hopping". I was told it made them realise it was a good idea and they went ahead and got some benches. I'm so glad they did this as it was very much needed throughout the day by all the gallery hoppers. 

So there you have it, a little glimpse of what the first QUOZ was like. Looking forward to the next one. 

www.facebook.com/QUOZhappens
www.twitter.com/quozhappens
www.alserkalavenue.com

Film Screening with Live Music: The Adventures of Prince Ahmed

Fairy Tale Weeks at the Goethe-Institut in the United Arab Emirates invites you to rediscover some of the fairy tale classics of the Brothers Grimm. Over the next few months, they will be screening fairy tale movies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. You can see the full line-up here (although as I am writing this, I can't see an actual schedule on their site). 

To launch Fairy Tale Weeks, the Goethe-Institut will be screening The Adventures of Prince Ahmed by Lotte Reiniger, a German animated silent film from 1926 which will be accompanied with live music by KlangEssenz. The original film music has been rearranged for the ensemble so that the five musicians invite you to experience a unique combination of classic cinema and live music.

The screenings will happen over two days, on 19th November in Dubai at The Fridge and on 20th November in Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi Theatre. The film will be shown with English subtitles.

About The Adventures of Prince Ahmed

Lotte Reiniger created the first full-length feature animated film in the history of the cinema. The film is based on stories of "Thousand and One Nights" and tells the story of the young prince Ahmed who has to overcome various difficulties before he can marry his princess. Prince Ahmed meets evil sorcerers and amazing magic horses, powerful witches and beautiful princesses, jinni’s and demons on his adventurous search for love and freedom. 

The technical and aesthetic aspects of this film genre had already been developed to cinematic perfection in the 1920s. Her style is similar to traditional Chinese shadow plays in combination with the technical filming techniques. It took three years to finish the movie, "as for such a movie 24 pictures have to be recorded for every second" (Lotte Reiniger, 1972). 

In 1989 restoration work on The Adventures of Prince Ahmed was completed by the German Film Museum in Frankfurt with the support of the London film producer Louis Hagen of Primrose Productions, whose father had founded the Comenius-Film company in the 20s and had financed the three-year film project. For the 16 mm print, the lost German titles inserted in the film were reconstructed in contemporary script, and a new color version was made according to the instructions received from Lotte Reiniger.

This looks like it's going to be quite special. So block your calendar and go to this.

Event details:

Dubai
Date: Monday, 19th November at 8.00pm
Venue: The Fridge, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai (location map)
Phone: +971 4 3477793
Entrance fee: 50 AED

Abu Dhabi
Date: Tuesday, 20 November at 8.00pm
Venue: Abu Dhabi Theatre on Breakwater Island, Abu Dhabi
Contact: info@abudhabi.goethe.org
Free admission

www.goethe.de/gulfregion/fairytaleweeks
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotte_Reiniger
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Prince_Achmed

QUOZ on 10th November 2012

On Saturday, 10th November, all the galleries situated in Al Quoz (an industrial part of Dubai) will take part in a one day event called QUOZ which invites anyone interested in arts and culture to explore the 30 creative spaces within the area.  

There will be a wide range of free events and activities including talks, panel discussions, guided tours, workshops for adults and children, film screenings and performances. It will take place from 10am till 10pm (galleries will close at 8pm) and everybody is welcome. 

It's an opportunity for the community to meet gallerists, some of their artists and learn about the process behind the art creation and curating.

Al Quoz is a bit of a mystery to people that aren't familiar with the art and culture community in Dubai. I know people who always get lost trying to find their way there, or who think it's full of pretentious art crowd (which on some nights it is). But I hope QUOZ will attract new visitors and dispell the mystery of the place. 

The complete list of galleries, line up of events and map can be found on QUOZ's Facebook page. Don't be fooled by the map though, some of the venues are not within walking distance. There will be an ArtBus doing regular rounds, so you can hop on/off whenever you want. Just make sure you read the details on QUOZ's Facebook page. 

I am really looking forward to this event and here's my list of galleries and events I recommed you don't miss. I just hope there will public seating areas to rest between all the gallery hopping. 

Galleries within Al Serkal Avenue: 

CARBON 12 
Iris was a Pupil - James Clar  

Waves by James Clar
James Clar is a media artist who used to be based in Dubai. He is now living in New York, but he will be in Dubai for his solo exhibition in Carbon 12. Between 3-6pm he will be in the gallery to meet visitors to talk about his work in Iris was a Pupil which is about 'the sensation of visual stimuli, the constant challenge of finding new viewpoints, and the demand to keep seeing things from fresh perspectives'. Read more about the exhibition here. 

GALLERY ISABELLE VAN DEN EYNDE 
Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental - Zoulikha Bouabdellah 

Zoulikha Bouabdellah's work explores the rift between public and private, the visible and the unspoken. For this show, she reflects on reality through the guise of fiction, with film, works on paper, installation and sculpture. The show is named after the illuminated billboard work that welcomes, warns and appeases the audience upon entry with the words ‘Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental.’ Between 3-6pm, Gallery director Tessa de Caters will walk you through the exhibition and explain the work. Read more about the exhibition here. 

GREEN ART GALLERY 
A Permanent Record For Future Investigation - Nazgol Ansarinia, Talia Chetrit, ImanIssa, Mehreen Murtaza and Hajra Waheed 

Mehreen Murtaza, The Ethopian Emperor arrives in Jerusalem Taken either by the American Colony Photo Department or its successor, the Matson Photo Service, 2012, Hahnemühle Matte Cotton Smooth Inkjet Paper, 15.24 x 20.32 cm

The artists included in this exhibition take on the history of image-making and the notion of the image as historical document. They challenge our understanding of the image as truth through an investigation of form and a conjuring of a variety of historical references. For these artists, the meaning of objects and spaces are dependent on the context in which they exist.

The idea of truth or reality in an image is assumed to be subjective and malleable. The lines between documentation and fiction are blurred; narratives are not linear and archives do not follow rules of logic. Read more about the exhibition here. 

Between 3-6 pm, there will be a guided tour with gallery director Yasmin Atassi. 

GREY NOISE 
House of Cards – Danilo Correale, Julian Göthe, Niklas Goldbach and Judith Hopf 

The idiomatic phrase 'house of cards' can be traced back to its first use by poet John Milton in 1641, already reflecting on the structural defects within systems built on a shaky foundation and held together only in an insubstantial and fragile manner.

Little has changed in today’s meaning of the metaphor, though within the neoliberal era the complex global interdependence of systems and their balances of power have taken on a new dimension of inherent instability. For what applies to the card game applies even more to the structural and socio-political levels within systems: The taller the house of cards, the bigger the fall.

The exhibition House of Cards aims to explore heterogeneous artistic examinations and gestures towards this given fragility. The selected works by Danilo Correale, Julian Göthe, Niklas Goldbach and Judith Hopf decidedly reflect on current political, economic, cultural or gender-related conditions using various mediums such as sculpture, print, video or photography. 

Read more about the exhibition here. 

GULF PHOTO PLUS 
Vivid Dreams and Fragile Machines  - Brooke Shaden 

Each photo in this series of photographs by Brooke Shaden expresses its own narrative, describing a curious world where dreams and nightmares merge.  Each image peers into the lives of characters that the viewer will find both intriguing and bizarre.  

Taking advantage of your imagination, Shaden leads you down a rabbit hole where vast landscapes and rich hues barely contain larger than life protagonists who appear to be both troubled and freed.  

Read more about the exhibition here. 

LAWRIE SHABIBI 
Collision - Moataz Nasr  

Moataz Nasr - Merge and Emerge, 2011 Three Video channels 6'25'' ciascuno, loop
Moataz Nasr's work explores the fragility and complexity of current social, economic and political conditions. Taking as his starting point the surroundings of his native Egypt, he translates his observations into the universal language of human despair and suffering - but also of love and hope.

His art is, on the one hand, lyrical and playful and on the other a daring account of the debilitating suffering of everyday life. Read more about this exhibition here.  

SALSALI PRIVATE MUSEUM 
IRAN: RPM Vol. 1  - Ali Bahktiari   

I am looking forward to this the most. There will be talk about IRAN: RPM Vol. I, a book that rescues from obscurity a selection of vinyl covers from the soundtracks of Iranian films, 1965-1974.

The book is compiled by Ali Bakhtiari and focuses on specific vinyl covers that were designed for Iranian movie soundtracks. The talk will take place from 4.30-5.30pm and you could get a signed copy of the book after the talk. I really hope we get to hear some of the music as well. More information about the book can be found here.  

SATELLITE  
Build Re-Build - Hazem Harb 

Hazem Harb's work deals with a number of core themes including war, loss, trauma, human vulnerability and global instability. 

He continues to explore his own brand of multi-media, conceptual art using all the tools at his disposal. 

Between 3-6pm, you can meet the artist Hazem Harb who will discuss his post-residency exhibition ‘Build Re-Build'.

www.satellitespace.org/2012-11-5-10-Build-Re-Build

SHELTER 
INKBLOT EXHIBITION, FILM SCREENING AND POP UP BOOK STORE

3 Act CircusAmal   

Dubai International Film Festival will be hosting an exhibition called Inkblot at Shelter and between 5-7pm film, they will screen two films:  

• Three Act Circus by Noush Like Sploosh - a playful melodrama told in the format of an illustrated song
• Amal by Nujomm Al Ghanem - a documented story of a Syrian artist’s experience in the UAE

Additionally, there will be a pop up bookshop by Art Dubai and Jashanmal Bookstores featuring a selection of art publications including artist's books, monographs and magazines. 

SHOWCASE GALLERY 
Beyond Rhythm - Francesca Galliani  

Artist Francesca Galliani will be signing copies of her book ‘The Inside of Angola’ between 2-4pm alongside her exhibition ‘Beyond Rhythm’.  

Here's an interview with the artist about the exhibition. 

www.showcaseuae.com

THE FRIDGE
TACIT - LIVE PERFORMANCE 

 

At 7.30pm, The Fridge will host a live musical performance by Tacit, Dubai’s new electronic duo Aeron Kin and Yasser Anderson who will 'break down the conventions of traditional sonic boundaries'.

Galleries around Al Quoz:

THE THIRD LINE 
Extimacy -  Hayv Kahraman 
Learning by Heart – Arwa Abouon  

Hayv Kahraman, Disembodied 6, 2012, Oil on panel with rawhide inlay and polycarbonate, 244 x 117 cm

Hayv Kahraman's latest exhibition at The Third Line tackles the complex relationships between gender and identity constructs; geopolitical and physiological boundaries; and, the perception of self vis-à-vis the demands of conformity within society. Read more about the exhibition here.

A second exhibition in the same gallery, Learning by Heart by Awra Abouon explores the artist’s own private journey in matters of spirituality, personal dynamics and human nature’s quest towards understanding faith. Read more about the exhibition here.

There will be a guided tour between 3-6 pm for both exhibitions. Hayv Kahraman is one of my favourite artists, so I strongly recommend you check out her latest exhibition.

Arwa Abouon, I'm Sorry / I Forgive You (Diptych), Digital prints and Graphically Ornamented frame, 101.6 x 76.2 inches each 

THE CARTOON ART GALLERY 
Graffiti Art from the Streets of San Francisco 

'From the Streets of San Francisco: Graffiti art of the City' is an exhibition depicting the culture of street art. 

The Cartoon Art Gallery will also be hosting a lecture and a workshop from 12-2 pm. Visual FX and Animation instructor Morris Mozingo will present a lecture on the ‘History of Animation’ followed by an animation technique workshop.

THEJAMJAR 
pre-titled  - Walid Al Wawi 

Walid Al Wawi is thejamjar's latest artist in residence. He has embraced the space with words, creating an ephemeral experience. Read more about this exhibition here. 

Additionally, between 10-2 pm, people of all ages are invited to drop by thejamjar and contribute to the creation of ‘Looking Through’, a public art mural.

www.thejamjardubai.com

J+A GALLERY 
Carrara and more - Bertram Kober 

J+A Design Gallery will be hosting Bertram Kober's Carrara and more and the photographer, who is also a 2011 Venice Biennial winner will be present between 12-2pm to meet visitors and to talk about his work.

The Courtyard

The Courtyard is the first gallery/community space that opened in Al Quoz in 1998. It's a lovely complex which gets overlooked. Do step inside, and enjoy this quirky pastel coloured building. In addition to a few galleries that can be found there, you can also enjoy the weekly farmer's market between 11am and 1pm organised by Ripe. 

So there you have it, that's my list. To keep up to date with the latest updates and news, do follow QUOZ on Facebook (Facebook.com/QUOZhappens) and Twitter (@QUOZhappens). I must say the Twitter account just keeps tweeting the dates and posting images of the map and the programme and not really engaging effectively with its followers. That might change closer to the date, but for now, I find the Facebook account more useful. 

Spread the word and hope to see you at QUOZ. 

www.facebook.com/QUOZhappens
www.twitter.com/quozhappens
www.alserkalavenue.com

[Images and exhibition information via the various gallery websites.]

STAR TOO - Is It Real?

STAR TOO is an experimental theatre project based in Dubai. They will be performing their latest production this weekend on 25th and 26th May at The Fridge . Their titles of their past four productions have been questions, like Who Did It? and Where is Home? Their latest production continues to ask questions - Is It Real?

The STAR TOO performers will be stretching their imagination, using only cloth and sticks to transform the environment and answer this question for themselves. 

 Is It Real? 

Combining a giant projector box, shadow puppet theatre and a 360 degree experience for the audience - this experimental theatre troupe is asking you to get ready to be boxed in to think out of it for their 5th production at The Fridge.

I've missed out on STAR TOO's last four productions, so hoping not to miss this one. Sounds like it will be an interesting experience. 

Event Details
Dates: Friday, 25th and Saturday 26th May at 8.30pm 
Ticket: Dhs 50
Location: The Fridge Dubai, Al Quoz (location map)
Phone: +971 4 347 7793


www.startoodubai.com
www.thefridgedubai.com

The Fridge Concert Series - Michael Love Rexen

Michael Love Rexen is the lead singer from the Danish indie folk band A Key Is A Key. I saw this band play at The Fridge last January and it was one of my favourite concerts I've been to in Dubai. So I'm glad to hear Michael Love Rexen is back in Dubai and will be performing with a sextet of Dubai based musicians, playing a selection of unreleased songs and personal favorites.

Click to read more ...

Quint at The Fridge Film Screenings - No One Knows About Persian Cats

After a successful inaugural launch of Quint @ The Fridge film screening last week (I heard the place was packed), the second week sees the screening of the brilliant Iranian film No One Knows About Persian Cats. I only saw it a few weeks ago on TV and posted some of the music from the film in my Music Monday section.

One of the things I love about the film are the scenes of Tehran that you see during the songs. It shows a very human side of the city and the daily lives of people. 

If you live in Dubai and have not yet watched this film, don't miss it this Saturday. I cannot recommend it highly enough. 

No One Knows About Persian Cats is the fifth feature by award-winning director Bahman Ghobadi (A Time for Drunken Horses, Turtles Can Fly), winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival. Co-written by imprisoned Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, the film is an indictment of cultural repression in Iran’s exciting underground music scene, a powerful cinematic foreshadowing of current protest movements, and a celebration of an entire generation of Iranians striving towards personal and creative freedom.

Shot in secret and featuring extraordinary performances by real underground bands, No One Knows About Persian Cats follows a pair of young musicians, recently released from prison, on a mission to take their rock band to Europe. Forbidden by the authorities to play in Iran, they plan their escape abroad with a fast-talking music promoter. Vowing to play one last show before leaving Tehran, their dangerous mission takes them on a free-wheeling journey through the City’s vibrant and diverse underground scene, home to an estimated 2,000 illegal independent bands.

Event details
Date and time: 13th August 2011 at 8.30pm
Venue: The Fridge, Warehouse #5, 26 Street, (location map)
Free entry.

www.ifcfilms.com/films/no-one-knows-about-persian-cats 
www.quintdubai.com
www.thefridgedubai.com 

Quint At The Fridge Film Screenings - The Fall

A new collaboration between design studio Quint and music agency The Frdige called Quint @ The Fridge starts this month showcasing some of the finest art house, film noir, world and independent cinema. The screenings will take place at The Fridge in Dubai. They start this Saturday, 6th August with the screening of The Fall by Tarsem Singh.

The film is a visual feast shot (see more photos added after the trailer) in 18 countries over a period of four years. There are no digital effects in this film, what you see exists in the real world.

There are no computer effects. It’s just the kind of visual stuff like what I was doing all the time with commercials, where it looks like more than it is. In all these places I had filmed over at least 17 years, I told the people, this is a paid job, its a commercial, but I’ll come back one day and make this place look magical.  From an interview with with Roger Ebert.

Award-winning music video,commercial and film director Tarsem Singh (The Cell) creates a moving and seamless blending of mundane life in a 1915 Los Angeles hospital with a visually sumptuous fantasy world of exotic bandits, evil tyrants, dream-like palaces and breathtaking landscapes.

Shot on location in 18 countries around the world, The Fall stars Golden Globe nominated actor Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies, Infamous, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) and Justine Waddell (Mansfield Park, Chaos) and features a breakthrough performance by first-time Romanian child actress Catinca Untaru.

Tarsem Singh interview with Roger Ebert.
Tarsem Singh interview with The New York Times.

Event details
Date and timi: 6th August 2011 at 8.30pm
Venue: The Fridge, Warehouse #5, 26 Street, (location map)
Free entry.

www.thefallthemovie.com
www.quintdubai.com
www.thefridgedubai.com

STAR TOO - Who Did It

STAR TOO is an experimental theatre project based in Dubai. Following the success of their two previous productions "Where Is Home" and "What's The Time", they will be presenting their third production, "Who Did It" featuring a cabaret setting, a magic table and aerial art at The Fridge on 28th and 29th May.

According to The Fridge, "Don't be pulled back by the word experimental. STAR TOO productions are accessible and very entertaining!"

About STAR TOO
STAR TOO is Dubai’s first experimental theatre project that includes an elite group of performers creating original productions in the UAE and mastering their skills by working with a wide variety of artists in the local community. It is breaking ground at every possible turn, ultimately working towards a meaningful contribution to the present cultural landscape.

The aim of the project is to forge a legacy, tirelessly setting high standards of theatre practice in this region, fostering purity and articulation and highlights that acting is not about pretending but about convincing. STAR TOO bridges the gap between the arts in the community, inviting vocal specialists, movement experts, and published authors who live here and now. The group’s work offers local audiences innovative live shows  incorporating multi-media, created by talented actors dedicated to the art of theatre.

Event details
Dates: 27th and 28th May 2011 at 8.30pm
Ticket: AED 50
Venue: The Fridge, Al Quoz, Warehouse No. 5, 26 Street (location map)
Phone: +971 4 347 7793

www.startoodubai.com
www.thefridgedubai.com