• 'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary at Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary at Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • The work includes 1,000 handmade clay sculptures of architectural and imagined objects. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    The work includes 1,000 handmade clay sculptures of architectural and imagined objects. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • 'Metropolis' explores the notion of 'horror vacui', or a fear of empty space, hence the objects are arranged in close formation to one another. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' explores the notion of 'horror vacui', or a fear of empty space, hence the objects are arranged in close formation to one another. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • 'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary is on view at Jameel Arts Centre until October. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary is on view at Jameel Arts Centre until October. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • Artist Lubna Chowdhary took 28 years to complete the work, starting in 1991 and finishing in 2019. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    Artist Lubna Chowdhary took 28 years to complete the work, starting in 1991 and finishing in 2019. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • 'Metropolis' was first shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in 2017. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' was first shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in 2017. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • The work includes various objects that are abstract in their design, some resembling towers and buildings, others like household items. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    The work includes various objects that are abstract in their design, some resembling towers and buildings, others like household items. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • 'Metropolis' mirrors much of Chowdhary's previous work, which plays with materials such as clay and ceramics. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' mirrors much of Chowdhary's previous work, which plays with materials such as clay and ceramics. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • 'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary is displayed at the lobby of Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary is displayed at the lobby of Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
  • The work was also shown at the Kochi Muziris Biennale last year. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
    The work was also shown at the Kochi Muziris Biennale last year. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai

A ‘Metropolis’ 28 years in the making: 1,000 handmade clay objects make up piece on display at Jameel Arts Centre


Alexandra Chaves
  • English
  • Arabic

A sea of objects stretches towards the horizon. Plotted across the expanse of the display case are small and vibrantly coloured items – 1,000 of them, in fact – handmade by artist Lubna Chowdhary.

Entitled Metropolis, the work has taken her 28 years to complete, beginning in 1991 and building over time until its completion in 2019. It is currently on view in the lobby of Jameel Arts Centre, which reopened this month after being closed for weeks due to the pandemic.

The clay sculptures draw inspiration from the idea of ‘horror vacui’, or fear of empty space, hence the dense arrangement of one object next to another. It borrows the concept from Middle Eastern and South Asian art and design, but is also reflected in ornamental elements found in the Victorian era.

'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary at Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai
'Metropolis' by Lubna Chowdhary at Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai. Courtesy the artist and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai

From a distance, Metropolis could be mistaken for a model of a cramped city, with buildings, towers and houses barely separated by breathing space. Look closer, however, and one can see how Chowdhary has moulded the objects according to various references, some imagined and others influenced by the urban landscape and everyday objects. Though some objects may resemble one another, each piece is unique, as intended by the artist.

That’s what makes them easy to marvel at – there are mushroom-shaped forms, computer monitors, satellite dishes, arches, facades with ancient designs, along with other bulbous, curled and rounded seemingly alien objects.

Each exemplifies a feat of imagination and fantasy. Together, they mirror much of the world around us. In this way, the artist pushes us to reflect on our built environments and the structures we encounter in everyday life.

Born in Tanzania to Indian parents, Chowdhary was raised in England. She studied ceramic art at the Royal College of Art in London, and has been working with materials such as clay and tiles in her practice. Her preference for glaze gives the sculptures in Metropolis a sheen that still allows the textures of the underlying material to shine through.

Metropolis was first exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2017, and was presented at the Kochi Muziris Biennale in March of last year.

It is on view at Jameel Arts Centre until October. Visitors are requested to book two-hour slots before arrival to ensure that the centre is within capacity. Measures against Covid-19, such as donning face masks and social distancing guidelines, are in place.

More information can be found on jameelartscentre.org

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Wonka
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How to register as a donor

1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention

2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants

3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register. 

4) The campaign uses the hashtag  #donate_hope

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')

Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
THE%20SPECS
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Ferrari
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French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Drishyam 2

Directed by: Jeethu Joseph

Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy

Rating: 4 stars

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl

Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Price: Dh99,000

On sale: now

Other IPL batting records

Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle

Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir

Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)

Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell

Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)

Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar

Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle

Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir

Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)

Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)

 

Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Results

5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Power: 295bhp

Torque: 353Nm

Price: Dh155,000

On sale: now 

Rashid & Rajab

Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib

Stars: Shadi Alfons,  Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab 

Two stars out of five 

Ad Astra

Director: James Gray

Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones

Five out of five stars 

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

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