For Hannan Arshad, the journey towards the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award has been a rediscovery of her heritage.
It was a 2021 visit to her family's hometown in Rampur in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh that shaped Safekeeping Stories, Arshad's winning installation that will be revealed at Abu Dhabi Art in November.
The installation will be assembled like a library, with each brick etched with the artist’s take of miniature Mughal paintings. Viewers will be able to extract the bricks much like they would a book from a shelf.
“It started off by referencing original miniatures from the Mughal era,” Arshad tells The National. “They were basically biographies of the rulers and they’d have images. But now I’m making my own.”
Growing up, Arshad says her exposure to her hometown was limited. She had heard of its princely reputation and of its illustrious Mughal history, but for years, that legacy was represented merely by various objects in her home in the UAE – particularly the copper-tin-coated cups that are an example of the Rampur tradition of qalai.
That changed in 2021 when, right before enrolling in the graphic design programme at American University of Sharjah, Arshad travelled to Rampur, her visit culminating with in-depth access to the town’s famous Raza Library.
The institution was established in the 18th century by Nawab Faizullah Khan and later expanded by the successive nawabs of Rampur. Architecturally, the library is a striking fusion of Mughal, Indo-Islamic and colonial styles – with grand arches, domes, as well as intricate carvings and latticework. What’s inside is even more awe-inspiring. The library houses one of the world’s richest collections of Indo-Islamic manuscripts, books, miniatures and calligraphy.
“I got to see all of it – the Mughal manuscripts, the Nawab’s archives and the way they preserved paper,” Arshad says. “That piqued my interest. It stayed with me, it helped see what my culture is.”
Raza Library may be a spiritual springboard for Safekeeping Stories, but Arshad cites another important structure as the inspiration for its construction. It is also, perhaps, where the “safekeeping” aspect of the project stems from.
“In 2024, I got to see Bara Imambara,” Arshad says of the mosque complex in Lucknow, also in Uttar Pradesh state. The complex was built in the late 18th century and is a stunning example of Mughal engineering and architecture. The Imambara’s design mixes Mughal and Persian aesthetics, with arched doorways, high ceilings and detailed ornamentation. It comprises Asfi Mosque, a maze known as the Bhul-bhulaiya, and a stepwell or baoli.
The complex, Arshad says, took her “breath away”, but it was the actual building materials that captivated her most and laid the seeds for her project.
“When the tour guide started explaining how it was built, he mentioned edible materials,” Arshad says. “They used white lentils to make the mortar in the walls, as well as a fruit used as a natural glue, as well as jaggery and lime.”
Arshad employs a similar approach in Safekeeping Stories. The installation will be made up of flat, thin, red-clay Lakhori bricks that were a mainstay in Mughal architecture. “I use natural clay from Fujairah for the bricks,” Arshad says. “Lakhori bricks are made with fired clay. They’re only 1.9 centimetres thick, and 10 by 15 centimetres in dimension. They’re tiny, like a book or diary.”
The bricks, however, will be bound by a mortar similar to that used at Bara Imambara. The mortar will also be made out of “edible” materials: “I’m using lime, bael fruit and jaggery,” Arshad says.
The use of these materials is not merely out of nostalgic appreciation for Mughal-era construction.
Lakhori bricks have been deemed obsolete, except in the case of restoration and preservation projects. They were used up to the 20th century, until the British colonisation of India and the widespread use of concrete. However, the bricks are worth protecting and reconsidering in the modern era – especially as we begin exploring more sustainable forms of construction.
“The focus is on safekeeping the Mughal ways by archiving Lakhori bricks,” Arshad says. “Our older ways were far more sustainable. Today, we’re using modern concrete that releases harmful gases, as opposed to clay bricks and their sustainable properties.”
Arshad developed an earlier version of Safekeeping Stories as part of her senior project at AUS with assistant professor Amparo Baquerizas. It has since expanded to include larger references to Mughal architecture and history, while also reimagining the installation as an interactive and participatory work. Arshad is working to develop the project under the mentorship of Christianna Bonin, assistant professor at the university’s College of Architecture, Art and Design.
“We're using newer references, new research to make the current structure,” Arshad says. “[Bonin] has so much experience with art history, and her research expertise is very valuable.”
The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award ceremony has been held annually since 2013 in honour of the eponymous late art couple. The award is open to UAE students and recent graduates, and serves as a launchpad for artists across the country.
It was established under the patronage of Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan. It is presented by NYU Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf), and produced in collaboration with NYUAD Art Gallery.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
