If you haven’t seen it yet, you really should. I have to admit I was a bit late in catching this show but when I finally made it to the Maraya Centre recently, I was really impressed by this exhibition. In my opinion it is one of the strongest yet.
In the opening statement, curators Khalid Shafar and Giuseppe Moscatello explain that the show “puts forward a proposed conversation between Islam and design” and its title comes from the merger of the words Islam and cosmopolitan.
Featuring designers from the UAE, the Gulf and beyond, the show begins with a wood installation from French artist Benjamin Testa. Walking through the piece - an examination of the 45 degree rotation of a square entitled Rub El Hizb - is a fitting entrance because it calls to mind the Ka'aba, Islam's most holy place and also a design-centric building.
Then, the exhibition is divided into three sections — Practise, Construction and Etiquette. There are 25 pieces by 23 designers from 12 countries and more than half of the exhibits were created specifically for the show. They are all design pieces but they vary from chairs, chandeliers, ceramic tiles, wall hangings and jewellery.
Some stand out pieces for me are the juxtaposition of Amal's Chair, a rocking chair to aid the ritual of prayer designed by Emirati Sara Al Agroobi and the photographic work Inta Omry by Egyptian Hazem Mahdy, that features him in a bent-over position similar to that of an Islamic prayer.
I also really enjoyed the dark rooms showing light pieces by Abdulaziz Al Harbi and Mahwsih Ehsan. Ehsan, a Pakistani devised a triangular grid system to explore the core of humanity called Unity in Diversity.
The floor piece, Flocking Mosque by Azra Aksamija from the USA is a personal favourite. Composed of slippers and modular prayer rugs, the piece is laid out in an Islamic geometric pattern and aims to "contribute to an architectural interpretation of Islam" to understand its dynamic qualities.
I honestly could have stayed a lot longer than I did in this exhibition as I feel there is so much more to explore in each of the works but as a closing note I have to mention Zahed Sultan, the Kuwaiti who composed the soundtrack for the show - Sout. It's description in the catalogue for me sums up the whole show: "an exploration of sonic landscapes that encapsulate the ever growing perceptions of Islam in modern societies"
* Islamopolitan runs until Saturday at the Maraya Art Centre in Sharjah. For more info visit maraya.ae
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
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The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
