DUBAI // When Susan Hefuna started work on a drawing for her new show, she not only had no idea how it would end up looking - she did not even know what it was going to be about.
Hefuna, whose works are in the collections of some of the world's great museums, is showing both drawings and sculptures in an exhibition called Cairo Dreams 2011 at Dubai's Third Line gallery. Some are huge - up to 4.5m by almost a metre and a half - a departure for an artist who until now has produced smaller works.
"For these drawings it's important that I don't have any image in mind of what the drawing will look like," she said.
"I just started by drawing a dot and a line, I didn't think about anything, so I ended up with something that I didn't think about before.
"Sometimes I start in the middle or whatever and then it unfolds, but I don't have an idea of what it is about. But then later I look at the work and I see it's related to, for example, buildings and some other structure, or maps and so on."
The large drawings consist of two layers - a drawing on paper and a second, on tracing paper, laid on top. Both are visible, creating what Hefuna describes as a three-dimensional effect.
She regards the aluminium sculptures in the show as 3D drawings, too. She produces a shape in clay and coats it in a layer of wax, then cuts shapes out of the wax to create the design for the sculpture.
The work is then sent to a foundry, where the wax pattern is cast in aluminium and the inner shape removed.
"They are made in the same spirit - I don't have a pre-sketch. I do the inner forms and then I start to cut out a piece and then the next one and the next one, but I don't have the structure in mind.
"It needs a lot of concentration but it's not intellectual.
"I'm capturing something that is there already, it's like mapping my mind or something, but I'm not aware before of what it will look like.
"It would limit me if I made a sketch and then made it bigger, it would be no surprise for me, it would not be exciting."
Also on show are a selection of small drawings inspired by wooden mashrabiya screens, a feature of traditional Arab architecture, and a bronze inspired by the phrase "patience is beautiful", a common Egyptian saying.
Hefuna's works have been acquired by the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the CU Art Museum at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.
"The British Museum has two of my works, including one that's on permanent display in the African art section. It was great when I sold the first piece to them, it's a great museum and to see the work there is an honour."
Hefuna, 48, is half-German and half-Egyptian, dividing her time between the two countries.
The exhibition continues at the gallery in Al Quoz until June 16. The price range for the small drawings is Dh27,000 to Dh29,000, while the large drawings cost from Dh122,000 to Dh125,000.
The bronze is priced at between Dh198,000 and Dh200,000 while the aluminium sculptures cost between Dh98,000 and Dh190,000.
csimpson@thenational.ae
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
The Scale for Clinical Actionability of Molecular Targets
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Match info:
Leicester City 1
Ghezzal (63')
Liverpool 2
Mane (10'), Firmino (45')
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
Results:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
8.15pm: Meydan Trophy Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m
Winner: Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Poetic Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Lava Spin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
