'Elysian Awakening' celebrates feminine power through art in Dubai
Fusion ceviche, classic cinema, and J.Lo’s only Middle East stop.
Welcome back to Al-Monitor Dubai.
This week, we spotlight a group show of female artists exploring the state of womanhood and female empowerment through art; the restoration of the Sharjah Art Foundation’s popular Rain Room, an immersive art installation by Random International; a program of film classes at Cinema Akil spanning the last 100 years; and Jennifer Lopez’s tour stop in Abu Dhabi.
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Happy reading,
Rebecca
P.S. Have feedback or tips on Dubai's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.
1. Leading the week: “Elysian Awakening of Powerful Spring”
“Folded Memory" by Asma Al-Ahmed. (Courtesy of the artist and RARARES Gallery)
“Elysian Awakening of Powerful Spring,” an exhibition at the RARARES Gallery celebrating womanhood and female empowerment as a state of being, showcases the work of seven female artists. Fatma Lootah and Barbara Duran explore identity and transformation through texture, light and abstract form, and Sara Alkhayyal and Zeina Abdullah reappropriate cultural heritage through art that bridges the past and present. Natalie Katwal’s art takes the form of immersive installations that transform spaces into unique sanctuaries inviting contemplation and tranquility. Similarly, Asma Al-Ahmed focuses on evoking qualities of meditative stillness through minimal and organic abstract forms, and Tatiana Chursina merges the figurative with the abstract to create powerful poetic dialogues.
These works on display reflect the evolving role of women in art, culture and history, crafting a rich and mesmerizing tapestry of contemporary interpretations of the quiet forces of resilience and stillness reflecting feminine strength and power.
Dates: Through Aug. 31
Location: RARARES Gallery, Zone C, Gate Avenue, Dubai International Financial Center
Find more information here.
2. Word on the street: Fusion Ceviche
A zesty seafood dish at Fusion Ceviche in Dubai. (Courtesy of Fusion Ceviche)
Peruvian food is all the rage these days, and if you’re craving some zesty dishes, head over to Fusion Ceviche, an unassuming eatery in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, for some mouth-watering ceviche dishes alongside hot plates. Founder and chef Penelope Diaz’s restaurant is considered a destination by residents across Dubai.
Be sure to try such popular dishes as clásico ceviche and the tuna nikkei. For mains, consider the pulpo anticuchero (octopus with Peruvian spices), the seco norteño (lamb shank with yucca), or, if you’re a vegetarian, the lomo saltado (Peruvian stir-fry). There are also tangy and spicy causa dishes, Peruvian potato dishes that incorporate, among other ingredients, crabmeat, octopus and avocado.
Fusion Ceviche only has a few tables, so be sure to arrive early. Seating is also available at the counter.
Location: Cluster Q, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Find more information here.
3. Dubai diary
Random International, Rain Room, 2012, at the Sharjah Art Foundation, 2018. (Courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation)
• Sharjah Art Foundation’s immersive Rain Room artwork
For a fun and cool summertime cultural activity, visit the Sharjah Art Foundation’s Rain Room, an immersive installation by Random International, an art group based in London and Berlin. The installation, mesmerizing for people of all ages, invites visitors to walk through a constant downpour — but without getting wet.
The immersive artwork uses 2,500 liters of self-cleaning recycled water and advanced 3D tracking cameras that respond to a bodily presence. As people move through the darkened space, the rain follows from above, providing a unique sensory experience reflecting an individual’s relationship to nature and technology. After visiting the Rain Room, you can dine at the Fen Café and Restaurant inside the foundation.
Dates: Ongoing
Location: Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah
Find more information here.
• Summer of classics: 100 years of all-time favorites at Cinema Akil
Movie-going has become another cool activity for the summer months in the Gulf. Cinema Akil, Dubai’s leading independent cinema platform, this summer presents Summer of Classics, showcasing some of the best films from the past 100 years. The series, which kicked off July 11, presents two silent-era films — The Gold Rush (1925), starring Charlie Chaplin, who confronts hunger and hardship with humor and hope, and Phantom of the Opera (1925), which introduced audiences to the cinematic power of gothic horror. Other films include The Money Order (Mandabi) (1968), taking viewers to the streets of Dakar, Senegal, where a man simply trying to cash a money order runs into postcolonial bureaucratic challenges, and Rebel Without a Cause (1955), spotlighting James Dean’s stellar performance and the longing for connection in the post–World War II period.
Dates: Through Sept. 25
Location: Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue, Warehouse 68
Find more information here.
• Jennifer Lopez UP ALL NIGHT
Catch American entertainer Jennifer Lopez live in Abu Dhabi as part of her ongoing fifth concert tour, “Up All Night,” her first tour in six years. Yes, baby, she’s back. The global icon will perform at the Etihad Arena, in Abu Dhabi, on July 29. Lopez first performed in the UAE at Dubai Media City Amphitheater in 2012, during her “Dance Again” tour, and in November 2017 returned to Dubai to perform at the Autism Rocks Arena. Earlier this year, she took the stage for the Saadiyat Island Nights concert series in Abu Dhabi, her first performance in the UAE capital. Abu Dhabi is the only Middle East stop for the current world tour. Get ready for the glittery spectacle of nonstop, pulsating entertainment by the one and only J.Lo.
Dates: July 29
Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Find more information here.
4. Book of the week: “From Trucial States to the United Arab Emirates”
For history buffs or anyone else seeking to better understand the making of the UAE, this work of nonfiction whisks the reader back in time to the trucial states, a group of sheikhdoms on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Gulf that would become the United Arab Emirates in 1971. “From Trucial States to the United Arab Emirates: A Society in Transition” takes a comprehensive look at the cultural, political, social and economic history of the Emirates from ancient times to the late 20th century. Originally published in 1982, a second edition hit bookshelves in 1996.
5. View from Dubai
A street scene in Deira, Dubai. (Photograph by Ali Khaleel)
The Dubai-based street photographer Ali Khaleel offers poetic glimpses of everyday life in Deira, one of Dubai’s oldest neighborhoods but one not often visited by tourists or even residents. Deira has a predominantly South Asian demographic and is located along Dubai Creek, a saltwater passage and natural port.
6. By the numbers
- The UAE braced this year for a long, hot summer, with temperatures expected to reach up to 49 degrees Celsius, that is, 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- This year, the UAE experienced its hottest May on record, with temperatures reaching 51.6 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) in Sweihan, near the emirate of Al Ain, according to the Emirati National Center of Meteorology.
- Daytime temperatures in the desert areas often exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) during the summer months.