Openskies | March 2014

D R E A M I N G O F

VICTORY SPANISH RACING DRIVER CARMEN JORDÁ HAS HER SIGHTS SET ON THE F1 STARTING GRID

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SAVOUR THE FLAVOURS Welcome to the inaugural Dubai Food Festival. From February 21st to March 15th, savour a 23 day sense awakening experience, with hundreds of participating outlets, unique events and unforgettable culinary discoveries, special packages and menus drawn from the cuisines of more than 200 nationalities. A citywide culinary celebration that brings together the region’s most popular business and consumer food events.

It’s time to SAVOUR THE FLAVOURS. Find your new favourite taste at www.dubaifoodfestival.com @DubaiFoodFestival

@dxbfoodfest

@dxbfoodfest

contents / March 2014

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Words with author Joanne Harris ahead of her appearance at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Amir Amor from UK drum ‘n’ bass quartet Rudimental shares his favourite tracks

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A unique boutique hotel in Hamburg’s HafenCity

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Meeting the owner of independent Dublin record store Elastic Witch

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Hong Kong chef Joeseph Tse reveals where he eats his breakfast, lunch and dinner

Open skies / March 2014

Our comprehensive guide to Düsseldorf

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The remarkable woman behind one of Dubai’s most interesting cultural enterprises

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Creative Community

Front (25) Calendar The Grid The Question The Street Skypod

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The Room Consume BLD Mapped Local Knowledge

Main (71) Future Champion?

Creative Community

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brieFing (95) 72 82

News Comfort Visas & UAE Smart Gate Route Map The Fleet Last Look

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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Gareth Rees, Editor

“A MAN ENJOYING HIS FOURTH DECADE ON THIS TARMAC STREWN PLANET WHO CAN’T DRIVE – IT’S UNHEARD OF”

NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUR IPAD AND IPHONE!

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K, I have a confession to make: I am 31 years old (no, that’s not it) and I can’t drive. Not a car, nor a motorcycle, not even a motorscooter. I know, gasp, panic, sit down for a moment and get your breath back. A man enjoying his fourth decade on this tarmac strewn planet who can’t drive – it’s unheard of. It simply cannot be. “You mean you haven’t got your UAE licence?” is the most common response to this news. No, that’s not what I mean. I haven’t got a licence at all. I’ve never had a single lesson. I have never knowingly been within five miles of a driving test centre. I cannot drive. Full stop. I can offer up an excuse: I have always lived in a city – Cardiff, London and now Dubai – and they all had pretty good public transport networks.

But the truth is that I just haven’t got around to it yet. I’m still young(ish), and I will, one day, I promise. At least that’s what I tell my long-suffering wife – as comfortable behind the wheel as Jenson Button. As a non-driver, I have never had much interest in cars, sports or otherwise. I like the design of classic motors, especially the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud 1, or the Aston Martin DB2 that I ogled during an out of character visit to Jordan’s Royal Automobile Museum a couple of years ago, and I have harboured a desire to learn to ride a motorbike for most of my adult life. But I am not a car nut, and when other people talk about engine capacity and miles to the gallon, I switch off. So, until very recently, I had absolutely no interest in motor racing.

Then I watched Senna, Asif Kapadia’s documentary about the rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, and Rush, Ron Howard’s thrilling look at the relationship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, and I began to think that F1 might be a little bit more interesting than a few cars driving very fast around a large roundabout. Then, F1 journalist Stewart Bell approached me about writing a story on Spain’s Carmen Jorda and the other female racing drivers

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ON THE COVER / When it came to choosing which of this month’s features should adorn the cover, choosing between a carrot and Carmen Jordá was not difficult. Photographer Mariluz Vidal, who travelled to Carmen’s hometown, Velencia, for the shoot, has managed to capture Carmen’s determination to reach the top and become the first women in almost four decades to start a Formula One race.

dreaming of making their way to F1 – a feat no woman has managed since 1976 – and I was suddenly very interested indeed. I’m sure you will be, too.

From the whiff of burning rubber and the roar of high-powered engines and screaming crowds to the bright, spiritual calm and hushed chatter of the art gallery. As Art Dubai brings the global artistic community to the UAE for Dubai’s annual art extravaganza, we celebrate Dubai’s art scene, landing a rare chat with Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, the man behind the city’s most well known arts hub, Alserkal Avenue, and visiting eight of the galleries fuelling the growth of Dubai’s art scene. Anybody who hasn’t visited the city’s many impressive galleries, or who has bought the accusation that Dubai is in some way lagging behind London, New York et al in the culture stakes, take note. Dubai’s art scene is alive and well and ready to take on the world.

Also, before I go, I am very excited indeed to tell you that this issue can now be enjoyed on your iPad. You can download our new app on the App Store.

Enjoy the issue.

CONTRIBUTORS

SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED CREATE THIS MAGAZINE

GEMMA CORRELL

DANNA LORCH

“I like to experiment, so this month I was thinking about how to combine the drawn image with photography,” she says. “I gave myself a theme of mischievous children, or rather kittens, and went from there.”

“Interviewing Mr Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, developer of Alserkal Avenue, the city’s arts district, on site in a loud construction zone was incredible,” she says.

“I could literally see the foundation being laid to support the next major stage in Dubai’s cultural history.”

Gemma has bad eyesight. Thanks to spectacle technology, however, she manages to work as a freelance illustrator and bumps into things only occasionally. She is the author of several books, including A Pug’s Guide To Etiquette and A Cat’s Life, and has worked for clients such as Hallmark, Chronicle Books and Knock Knock.

For this issue, as she does every month, Gemma produced our Skycats cartoon.

Danna is a freelance writer based in Dubai. She holds a graduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University and covers art and pop culture in the region on her blog, dannawrites. com. For this issue, she visited one construction site and eight galleries to interview the personalities who have built Dubai’s art scene.

MARILUZ VIDAL

Mariluz is a freelance photographer based in Barcelona. She set up Openhouse Project, opening wher home as a photography gallery and a space for different events, where she also collaborates with Kinfolk magazine.

For this issue she photographed GP3 racing driver Carmen Jordá.

“Most Sundays I go to my aunt and uncle’s house for lunch, and we must be finished before the Formula 1 starts,” she says.

“When I was asked to photograph Carmen, I spent a week listening to my aunt and uncle begging to go with me to meet her.”

STEWART BELL

JAMIE KNIGHTS

“The stories of these top female racing drivers are so inspiring!” he says. “I hope we see one of them (I’m backing Carmen Jorda, of course) break through to the F1 grid very soon.”

“Hong Kong is packed with places to eat, but to get an expert’s take is invaluable,” he says. “Chef Tse is interested in quality, authentic food, and I will certainly be taking his advice when I next visit the city.”

Stewart fell in love with Formula 1 at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit. He is now a leading F1 journalist, and has covered races throughout the world for news outlets such as Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. He currently co-hosts the official podcast of the Australian Grand Prix, Keeping Track.

For this issue, he interviewed GP3 racing driver Carmen Jordá.

Following a career in hospitality journalism in the UAE, Jamie returned to Cornwall, England, to become director of hospitality consultancy company Delicate Trade. With a passion for great food and service, he loves getting the inside track on the best places to eat directly from chefs. For this issue he talked to Hotel Icon’s Joseph Tse about Hong Kong’s culinary hotspots.

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Joanne Harris The best-selling author is set to appear at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

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front Stockholm: Exploring the Swedish capital’s hippest street dublin: Paying a visit to an independent record store in Ireland dubAi: A gallery, café and hotel in the city’s Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood

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w w w. e d u c a t i o n m a l a y s i a . g o v. m y

march

CALENDAR

march 3 to 12, Prague

One WOrld Film Festival 2014 March 7, Malta

Composer Conducts Held in the Teatru Manoel, Valletta, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra resident composer Joseph Vella’s latest orchestral work is dedicated to the late Maria Ghirlando. The work for piano and orchestra features Maltese pianist Natasha Chircop, and complementing the piece is Bottesini’s virtuoso concerto for double bass featuring MPO principal double bassist Gjorgji Cincievski.

One World is an annual international human rights film festival, which features thought-provoking documentaries created by lesser known directors and producers. While One World film festivals take place globally, the Prague edition takes its turn this month, hosting films in Lucerna Cinema and other smaller venues across the city.

OneWOrLd.Cz/festivaL

March 12, Mexico

Aztec New Year The celebrations of the Aztec New Year can be witnessed across Mexico, and major events are held in Huauchinango, Naupan, Mexico City, Zongolica and Xicotepec. Visitors can expect plenty of ocote (pitch-pine) candles along with fireworks, drumming and singing.

Another long-held tradition is to eat 12 grapes the moment the countdown begins to welcome in the New Year. azteCCaLendar.COM

march 17, ireland

saint Patrick’s day

saint Patrick’s day, or ‘Paddy’s day’, is an annual feast in honour of the patron saint of ireland. Celebrated around the world, wherever there is an irish contingent, the main parade in ireland is held in dublin, although Cork, Belfast, derry, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford have their own. typical celebrations include dressing in green and wearing shamrocks. st-PatriCKs-day.COM

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MARCH

CALENDAR

March 7 to 16, Sochi, Russia

WINTER PARALYMPIC GAMES

The XI Paralympic Winter Games will take place over 10 days in Sochi, a beach resort on the Black Sea coast. It is the first time the Winter Olympics and Paralympics have come to Russia, although the Summer Games were staged in Moscow in 1980. In conjunction with the games, the Russian government has approved a new barrier-free law in an effort to improve the lives of people with impairments.

SOCHI2014.COM/EN/PARALYMPIC

March 2 to 4, Ivrea, Italy

Battle Of The Oranges Battaglia delle arrance is part of the Carnival Of Ivrea and stems from an act of defiance against the city’s tyrannical leader in the 12th century. A team of ‘Aranceri’ (orange handlers) on foot throws oranges at Aranceri riding in carts (representing tyrant ranks). It involves thousands of townspeople divided into nine combat teams and is Italy’s largest food fight.

STORICOCARNEVALEIVREA.IT/ENGLISH

March 24 to 30, Saitama, Japan

ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 March 4, New Orleans, USA

Mardi Gras

The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced to medieval Europe, but it was in 1699 that French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans, naming it Pointe du Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras has gone through many phases to become the festival of music, parades and floats that it is known for today, what New Orleanians call the ‘Greatest Free Show On Earth’.

Held at Saitama Super Arena, figure skaters from around the world will be looking for glory as well as helping to increase their respective countries’ entries for the 2015 World Championships. The four categories are the men’s, ladies, pairs and ice dance, and the opening ceremony takes place on March 26.

WFC2014.JP/ENGLISH

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Skypod

Rudimental page 46 28

OPEN SKIES / MARCH 2014

march

CALENDAR

march 1 to 31, moorabool, australia

March 7 to 9, Tokyo, Japan

moorabool Shire’S FeaSt

Art Fair Tokyo

Victoria’s moorabool Shire plays host to a variety of farmers’ markets, festivals and family days throughout march. feast of march 2014 events include Bacchus marsh Harvest festival, the Garden of St erth Diggers club Harvest festival and Seasonal feast, Ballan autumn festival and farmers’ market and the World’s Longest Lunch at myrniong.

Art Fair Tokyo has established itself as the leading art show in Japan, showcasing everything from antiques and traditional crafts to modern and contemporary art across various forms of media. Held in the Tokyo International Forum, Art Fair Tokyo presents works from more than 140 galleries from Japan and abroad. arTfairTokyo.com/en

ViSiTmooraBooL.com.au

march 15 to april 27, Houston, uSa

FotoFeSt 2014 biennial

March 28 to May 3, London, uk

Objects Of Our Time The Alan Cristea Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition of new work by Michael Craig-Martin. The exhibition at 34 Cork Street, London will include his series of 12 screen prints, Objects Of Our Time. Utilising different media, Craig-Martin focuses on everyday items and iconic objects from art and design. The gallery is also presenting Wish List, an exhibition curated by Craig-Martin, which brings together iconic 20th and 21st century prints.

Bringing together 50 leading contemporary artists from 14 countries in the middle east and north africa, fotofest 2014 Biennial’s View From The Inside exhibition will feature contemporary video, photography and mixed-media art. With more than 100 venues across Houston, the exhibitions will also boast six weeks of related forums, roundtables, films, poetry readings and tours. fotofest has commissioned karin von roques as lead curator for the arab exhibitions. foTofeST.orG/2014BienniaL

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kuala Lumpur page 57 30

Open skies / March 2014

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SILVER SCREEN / Juliette Binoche in the film version of Chocolat

March 4 to 8, Dubai, UAE

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature: Joanne Harris Author Joanne Harris, best-known for her popular novel Chocolat, makes her debut at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature this month

You are taking part in five events at the festival, but the themes running through most of them are fantasy and creating new worlds. What is it that attracts you to writing fantasy?

I think fantasy is often more real than what we think of as real life.

It is a direct link to the human subconscious – its desires, its anxieties, its dreams. If art is about making a connection with other people and different cultures, then how better to do it than through dreams?

You have written in a number of genres, from historical fiction and fantasy to a thriller (Gentlemen & Players) and a black comedy (Blue Eyed Boy).

What attracts you to writing in different genres?

I don’t see them as different genres.

I see it as exploring similar themes from different perspectives. Some of

my stories are dark, some light. But the central ideas – the theme of the outsider, the small community under pressure, the importance of family, the way we define ourselves to others, the past, the themes of perception and concealment – remain.

Chocolat, Blackberry Wine and Five Quarters Of The Orange focus on the emotional power of food and drink. You have also worked on cookbooks.

What inspired your love of food and drink?

Food is a powerful emotional indicator as well as being a deeply important aspect of culture, celebration and family life. I’ve used it in some of my books as a metaphor for various things: tolerance, need, affection and the desire for control.

Not all attitudes to food are positive; I’ve also tried to explore some of the more challenging aspects and attitudes, with a view to casting

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some light on my characters and their motivations. I find it’s a universal area of experience, and one with which all readers can connect. And of course, food is a recurring motif in aspects of folklore around the world, which makes it interesting to explore when writing about areas of belief and culture.

Your latest work, The Gospel Of Loki, is your third novel inspired

by Norse myths, and you are also studying Old Norse. What draws you to the Norse language and literature?

I’m studying the language partly because it provides insight into the culture and history of the region, and also to be able to read some of the ancient texts in the original.

These texts are all that remains of a remarkably sophisticated and intriguing series of stories, passed down via the oral tradition over many hundreds of years. They represent the voice of a vanished culture – one that has shaped the language and literature of Europe in so many different ways, and remain fresh and relevant even now, 1,000 years later.

One of your sessions at the Festival Of Literature is a Q&A with readers. Why is it so important to interact with your readers?

I appreciate the feedback as well as the human stimulus. Readers have no ulterior agenda, and their reactions are personal and spontaneous. That’s very refreshing.

You are a prolific tweeter. What attracts you to Twitter?

Twitter is about communication. I like it because it puts me in touch with all kinds of people from around the world, as well as allowing me to connect with friends and colleagues I wish I had more time to meet with in real life.

What have you got planned for the rest of 2014?

I’m doing a lot of touring for my current book, as well as working on some new projects. It’s a busy time. emirateslitfest.com

ImAgEs: TAkAzUmI UEmUrA

Calendar

THE GRID March 19 to 22 Art Dubai Dubai, UAE

THE THREE BIGGEST EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE UAE THIS MONTH...

The highlight of Art Week (March 13 to 23), which includes Design Days Dubai, the Sikka art fair and exhibitions at galleries across the city, the eighth edition of Art Dubai, held at Madinat Jumeirah, will feature 80 galleries from 36 countries, as well as a range of events such as Global Art Forum, Sheikha Manal Little Artists Programme and an exhibition of works by the winners of The Abraaj Group Art Prize. artdubai.ae

March 29 Dubai World Cup Dubai, UAE With total prize money of US$27.25 million, Dubai World Cup (DWC) is the richest day of thoroughbred racing in the world. Held at Meydan Racecourse, DWC features nine races, including the US$10 million Dubai World Cup race sponsored by Emirates airline. dubaiworldcup.com

March 17 to 21 Design Days Dubai Dubai, UAE

Cyril Zammit, Design Days Dubai fair director, explains the annual design festival What is Design Days Dubai?

The fair, in its third edition, will showcase works from 35 galleries from 21 countries, each bringing their own unique style of design – they are all highly collectible pieces, which are acquirable over the course of the fair.

When and why did Design Days Dubai launch?

The inaugural Design Days

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OPEN SKIES / MARCH 2014

Dubai was in 2012. Ben Floyd, one of the co-founders of Art Dubai [also taking place this month], approached me about developing a contemporary design fair that would be at a global standard. We wanted to capitalise on the growing interest for design in the region and the melting pot of creativity that’s found in Dubai.

Why should people visit Design Days Dubai?

The highlights this year will include the first Discover, an annual focus on the contemporary design scene of a country. We start this year with France. Finally, the extended programme will enable design enthusiasts to learn techniques from professionals during three daily workshops, and renowned designers, including India Mahdavi and Arik Lévy, will share their passion during keynote lectures. designdaysdubai.ae

It’s more than just a city. It’s intriguing Abu Dhabi.

SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE

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EXPLORE OUR WATERS

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TripAdvisor has named our iconic mosque ‘one of the world’s most talked about attractions.’

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Explore our clear, warm Arabian Gulf waters and discover exciting watersports, marine life and tranquil seas home to schools of beautiful dolphins.

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With a diverse golf offering you can play a different course every day of the week.

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Enjoy the Blue-flagged beaches of our waterfront capital.

Futuristic waterpark with 43 rides and attractions. Splash into fun with the world’s largest tornado waterslide and the 3 metre waves of Bubbles Barrel.

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Abu Dhabi. Travellers welcome.

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the question

HOW IS AN OCTOPUS LIKE A HUMAN? It is unlikely that you have eight long arms, covered with thousands of suckers, are able to squirt ink or would taste delicious cooked in an acidic marinade, but a number of scientists believe that you, a human being, have more in common with an octopus than you might think.

An octopus is an invertebrate, typically included in the mollusk family, and has a brain no bigger than a walnut, with a fraction of the number of neurons that your brain has – many of which are in its arms. But scientists have believed for some time now that octopuses are far more intelligent than was once thought. Yes they are shapeshifting sea creatures who can change colour at will. But scientific studies have shown that octopuses have individual personalities (some are relaxed

with humans, some less so), they form opinions of humans (some they like, some they don’t); one octopus has been observed cleaning its den and then placing rocks in front of the entrance before going to sleep to keep out intruders, other octopuses have been observed playing awith lego and opening screw top jars and bolted boxes.

An octopus even has eyelids, and its two eyes work in a very similar way to ours. But don’t be too quick to make friends; they are extremely anti-social creatures (they have a tendency to eat each other).

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Open skies / March 2014

TWITTER Q&A

Dubai’s Gulf Photo Plus explains itself in 140 characters or less @OpenSkiesMag: Let’s start with the basics. What is Gulf Photo Plus? @OpenSkiesMag: Hello, did you receive our first question? @gulfphotoplus: Oops, sorry, back online now. Getting to your question. @gulfphotoplus: GPP is all things photography in the ME. Through education, exhibitions & events we aim to elevate photography as an art form. @gulfphotoplus: And help nurture local and regional talent to represent the Middle East through their photography. @OpenSkiesMag: You have a big exhibition of work by #GregoryHeisler coming up. Who is Heisler? @gulfphotoplus: Heisler is one the best portraitists of our generation. He is often described as having the eye of an artist… @gulfphotoplus: A mind of a scientist and a heart of a journalist.

He’s photographed over 70 covers for Time magazine. @OpenSkiesMag: He is famous for his portrait of president George Bush. Who else has he photographed? @gulfphotoplus: Too many to name, but our favourites include Muhammad Ali, Yasser Arafat, Al Pacino, Greg Louganis, Tim Burton, Rudy Giuliani… @OpenSkiesMag: Will any of those portraits be on display at GPP? How many portraits will visitors be able to see? @gulfphotoplus: Yes, we’ve designed our show in a way to showcase all 50 portraits that are featured in his best-selling book! @OpenSkiesMag: We’re very much looking forward to it. Final questions, when does the exhibition open, and how long will it run for? @gulfphotoplus: Thanks. Us too!

Exhibition opens on March 6 – it will be a fun night with live music and Heisler in attendance. Ends April 19. @OpenSkiesMag: Thank you very much for your time.

the street

Skånegatan, Stockholm Words by Brittany Shoot / Images by Simon Bajada

In Swedish crime author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, protagonist Lisbeth Salander lives in Stockholm’s hip, happening Södermalm district.

Placing his heroine in the middle of such a diverse, constantly gentrifying neighbourhood was a wisely intentional choice on Larsson’s part, one that gives anyone familiar with the Swedish capital an easy-to-understand stereotype of a young, disaffected computer-literate bohemian with aspirations of upward mobility.

For all its clichés, Södermalm is more than a sinister storybook backdrop, as evidenced by its preponderance of diverse, colourful street style and savvy shopkeepers. One particular stretch of Skånegatan street is the opposite of eerie: an epicentre of cool, a cluster of culture and commerce. At one end, popular public park Nytorget offers locals and tourists alike a place to lunch and lounge in the sunshine. On the opposite end, right after the Dr Martens shop, the street becomes Katarina Bangata. You can’t miss the iconic combat boots Salander would surely wear to stomp around the district.

Skånegatan is a short block, but one filled with activities, snacks and shops to fill an entire day. Veering onto a few of the side streets offers an additional (and sometimes literal) dose of local flavour. Just be sure to call ahead if you plan to shop on a Sunday. Most of the street’s merchants take the day off – even the most resilient young women with the most spectacular dragon tattoos.

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Open skies / March 2014

Pet Sounds Named for the iconic Beach Boys album, rumour has it this independent record shop was the first to book new wave pioneers New Order back in 1980. Times have changed, but the laidback boutique still specialises in the classic rock, folk and reggae it’s stocked since opening 35 years ago.

The second-hand vinyl section ensures there are always a few crate-digging DJs hanging about. Pay close attention and

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Open skies / March 2014

you might see the same artists performing across the street at sister establishment the Pet Sounds Bar. The pub pairs live sets and rock shows with strong cocktails and a few dinner specials.

SkĂĽnegatan 53, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 702 97 98 petsounds.se

the street

Urban Deli Step into this cute awardwinning café, market, and juice and smoothie bar for a smoked fish sandwich, steaming latte or a loaf of freshly baked bread (sourdough or otherwise).

Breakfast is US$13 and includes fresh juice, coffee and a buffet of cold cuts. At lunchtime, try the seafood salad. In the grocery aisles, you can pick up beer, yoghurt, ice cream, cheese and charcuterie – perfect for a picnic in the park across the street.

Nytorget 4, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 599 091 80 urbandeli.org

Grandpa For the past decade, the flagship store of this unisex clothing and housewares boutique has made its name offering contemporary Swedish styles with vintage flair. If you aren’t in the market for a cable knit cardigan or a tweed blazer, be sure to browse the housewares and accessories. Choose from board games designed in-house by the Grandpa team, letterpress stationery, a Petromax percolator, antique wall maps,

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Open skies / March 2014

Sandqvist leather wallets and bags and toiletries including Mason Pearson hairbrushes and Izola bamboo toothbrushes.

Don your skinny jeans if you stop by in the evenings, and expect to be handed a glass of wine while a DJ spins records in the corner.

Södermannagatan 21, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 643 60 80 grandpa.se

the street

Kunigunda Slip into Kunigunda and you’ll fall right into contemporary Scandinavian women’s fashions with a vaguely 1980s feel. Among this season’s favourites: suede bomber jackets, silk tunics, woollen tights and Swedish Hasbeens sandals. Strap on one of the many vintagestyle wristwatches and bracelets that look like they were sourced

straight from estate sales. Not everything in the shop must be worn.

Feel as good as you look by purchasing a Klinta & Co candle. Its fruity scents can freshen any stale room, and the dualpurpose candle melts into soothing massage oil.

Skånegatan 76, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 743 00 70 kunigunda.se

Nordlings Antik Third-generation family-owned antiques dealer Nordling’s has been in the same location for more than 40 years. Alexander Nordling began managing the shop eight years ago, further refining the eclectic collection to focus on impeccably crafted furnishings and accessories from the 1920s through the 1970s. Chairs by Swedish designers, including Axel Larsson and 1950s-style Asea floor lamps, are hallmarks of the thoughtfully curated gallery-like showroom and are artfully accented by Nordling’s impressive array of teak sculptures from Danish designer Kay Bojesen and 1930s-era silver candlesticks by Swedish design house Guldsmedsaktiebolaget (or GAB). And don’t neglect fashion in favour of a lovely home. The shop also specialises in silver and bronze pendants, cufflinks and vintage chronographs.

Skånegatan 86, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 643 01 61 nordlingsantik.com

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Open skies / March 2014

the street

Marimekko Established in 1951, Finnish design house Marimekko is known for its bold, colourful striped designs and floral prints that brighten many Scandinavian homes. In its Södermalm boutique, there are plenty of seasonal items from the brand’s beautiful clothing line, including women’s shift dresses, children’s rain gear and ultra-light umbrellas. The remaining space is filled

with a rainbow of various and sundry necessities: bedroom and kitchen linens, thermoses, notebooks, tote bags and a variety of porcelain mugs, vases and assorted dinnerware. You’ll have to settle for browsing online Sundays and Mondays, when the store is closed.

Skånegatan 71, Stockholm Tel: +46 70 413 90 02 marimekko.com

Sardin This cosy Spanish-French fusion restaurant doesn’t serve sardines, but it is small enough inside that you might joke about feeling like a fish crammed into a tin. Arrive early in the evening and snag a sidewalk table for two. Or bring a date, have a glass of French, Spanish or Argentinian wine and, despite the cramped space, you’ll find you want to stay all night. Small plate selections

Good Store Patronise this small grocery store in the midst of such shopping splendour for one primary reason: the fair trade chocolate bars. Good Store lives up to its name as a truly good shop, an award-winning, family-owned and operated market specialising in delicious organic, vegetarian and vegan goodies. The selection of produce, packaged foods and bottled beverages is so popular with locals that Good Store recently opened a second location across town.

Skånegatan 92, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 641 40 36 goodstore.se

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Open skies / March 2014

range from traditional olives and charcuteries to more exotic dishes like ox cheeks with Jerusalem artichokes. Save room for dessert: a Russianstyle meringue pavlova with strawberries and a passion fruit purée. Open for dinner Monday to Saturday.

Skånegatan 79, Stockholm Tel: +46 8 644 97 00 restaurangsardin.se

skypod

RUDIMENTAL Genre: Drum ‘n’ bass AGe: 28 VILLAGe: London

Drum ‘n’ bass quartet Rudimental topped both the UK album and singles charts in 2013. Ahead of their performance at the Future Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur (March 13 to 15), the band’s Amir Amor shares his favourite tracks

01.

02. 03. 04.

Erick Serman feat.

Marvin Gaye Turn On Some Music

Marvin Gaye Third World Girl

Kleer Tonight

Funkadelic Knee Deep

I believe this song actually never really got completed. After Marvin Gaye’s death, they decided to release it. The track has so much emotion, and you can tell it’s actually not finished – the ideas are not fully realised. It’s just nice to get an idea of his mentality.

I’m a funk and soul boy at heart, which is why I love this track, which was made around 1979.

However, if you listen to it, it sounds like it was released only recently on a really cool label such as Blackbutter. We still play it in our DJ sets and get great reviews from it.

We listen to a lot of Funkadelic from the 1970s.

Knee Deep really gets us going and ready to party on stage. We actually met [Funkadelic’s] George Clinton last week and we are going to work on two records, which we could not be more happy with.

For us it’s like working with Prince.

This came out around 2000, but it feels like it it’s from the 1990s and really does make you feel hopeful about hip-hop again. Not just that, but he is using a sample from one of my favourite artists of all time, Marvin Gaye.

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Open skies / March 2014

05. 06. 07.

08.

George Clinton Atomic Dog

Feist Limit to Your Love

Rudimental Powerless

Again, I’m such a fan, and he’s so inspiring.

He’s been touring for years, and when we were playing this, he was explaining how to keep our feet on the ground when on tour and to stay strong. Not to mention this is one of the funkiest tracks ever.

Such a beautiful track.

Obviously everyone will have heard the James Blake version, which is also great, but I do prefer listening to this version. I think it’s from their third album, The Reminder. It sounds like it could be made back in the 1970s as the vocal is so amazing.

Queens Of The Stone Age No One Knows We actually got to meet Queens Of The Stone Age at a festival not so long ago, which was amazing.

I went through a phase of listening to them constantly. They are such a great live band, and this track really stands out from the bunch.

This is my favourite song from our record and the last one we released on the first album. I listen to this a lot. It’s really emotional and always gets me. We actually recorded an orchestra in a church as well – we really wanted to go all out with the production. futuremusicfestival.asia

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OPEN SKIES / MARCH 2014

the Room

TExT: GARETH REES IMAGES: 25HOURS HOTEL HAFENCITY

ROOM 516

25HOURS HOTEL HAFENCITY

Hamburg’s most talked about neighbourhood is the dockland area of HafenCity. The former warehouse district currently being ambitiously transformed into a mixed-use development – the biggest in Europe this century – features offices, hotels, shops, public and residential buildings, symbolised by Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall.

25Hours Hotel HafenCity – a short walk from Herzog & de Meuron’s impressive glass and brick construction, and a brief constitutional from the city centre – with its perfect balance of creative cool and contemporary comfort, fits right in. Its 170 ‘cabins’, with their subtle nautical theme, are bright and cosy, with Room 516 offering a superb view of the dockland area.

The Mare kiosk in the lobby stocks a selection of independent magazines, books and “carefully selected” bric-a-brac; the Heimat Kitchen + Bar serves a fine burger, washed down with a full-flavoured local beer; the Club Floor, with its Vinyl Room, table football and Atari videogame console, is an inspiring communal hangout; while a rooftop sauna can be topped off with a few minutes drying off on the balcony overlooking the harbour. The hotel also has four function rooms, free bicycle hire and, amazingly, free Mini hire.

25hours-hotels.com

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INTERNET SPEED: Free Wi-Fi PILLOWS: 5 BEDSIZE: 160cm x 210cm STEAK SANDWICH DELIVERY TIME: Room service is not available COMPLEMENTARY SNACKS: Free tea station on the first floor TOILETRY BRAND: Kolle Rebbe EXTRAS: iPod dock, free bicycle rental, free Mini rental TV channels: 69 VIEW: 3/5 RATE: From US$150

OPEN SKIES MAR 2014 ENG.pdf 1 2/10/2014 10:32:44 AM

THREE NEW HOTEL OPENINGS

THE BROOME HOTEL New York, USA

Located on Broome Street in Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood, The Broome Hotel’s 14 rooms are spread over five storeys of a Federal-style building dating from 1825. The rooms boast soundproof windows, Samsung Smart TVs and Tivoli sound systems. The hotel also has an impressive art collection, including works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, a café with table football, coffee bar and courtyard and The Treehouse boutique.

Ceramic Tiles Porcelain Tiles Sanitarywares

broomestreethotel.com

Electric Water Heaters

INNSIDE MADRID SUECIA

Bathroom Accessories

Madrid, Spain

Located in the former Madrid home of writer Ernest Hemingway, Melia Hotels International’s Innside Madrid Suecia has 120 rooms and seven suites.

The property also has a rooftop pool and bar, a separate lounge bar, the Dado Restaurant and a gym. melia.com

THE PIERRE New York, USA

Recently reopened after a US$100 million renovation, Taj Hotels’ The Pierre, located on Central Park, has 189 rooms, including 49 suites. The renovation has seen the addition of 11 Grand Suites, lounge bar Two E and the first Le Caprice restaurant outside London. tajhotels.com

consume albums

FIlms

THE TAKE OFF AND LANDING OF EVERYTHING Elbow

Indie The sixth album from British indie band Elbow is their first since 2011’s critically acclaimed Build A Rocket Boys! The first single from the album, New York Morning, was released in January.

SUPERMODEL Foster The People

Indie-pop The long-awaited follow-up to California band Foster The People’s much-talked about 2011 debut album, Torches.

KISS ME ONCE Kylie Minogue

Pop Having joined Jay Z’s Roc Nation management company last year, Kylie releases her 12th album, and her first since 2010’s Aphrodite.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL Wes Anderson

Comedy Wes Anderson’s latest screwball comedy centres on hotel concierge Gustave H and his struggle to avoid arrest after one of his guests dies and bequeaths him a painting. The all-star cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jude law, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody, among others.

NOAH Darren Aronofsky

MUPPETS MOST WANTED James Bobin

Darren aronofsky’s retelling of the story of Noah’s ark stars Russell Crowe as Noah alongside Jennifer Connelly as his wife, Naameh, Emma Watson as his adopted daughter, Ila, and Ray Winston as Noah’s nemesis, Tubal-cain.

The sequel to 2011’s The Muppets follows the muppets as they embark on a world tour during which they become embroiled in a jewel heist. The film stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and modern Family’s Ty burrell.

action

musical comedy

books

THE NEWS: A USER’S MANUAL Alain de Botton

Philosophy Pop philosopher Alain de Botton analyses 25 typical news stories, including disaster stories and celebrity gossip, and assesses our reactions to each of them.

DECODED Mia Jia

LITTLE FAILURE Gary Shteyngart

Fiction

memoir After producing three well-received novels, American author Gary Shteyngart has turned his hand to writing this memoir of his life so far.

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Open skies / March 2014

In the English translation of best-selling Chinese author Mia Jia’s Decoded, semi-autistic mathematical whizz, Jinzhen, is tasked with breaking a code for the secret services.

consume THE RECORD SHOP

Elastic Witch

collective creativity / Elastic Witch is located in collective creative space twister Pepper

Elastic Witch is a great name. Where did it come from?

Thanks. It’s an amalgamation of two song titles by the British post-punk band The Fall – How I Wrote Elastic Man and Live At The Witch Trials. It doesn’t mean anything, but it sounds good.

You worked at the legendary Road Records and witnessed its death throes. After that, what on earth made you want to start another record shop?

The folks at music venue [and shared creative space] Twisted Pepper were looking for somebody to open a record shop. We had a chat, more out of curiosity than anything else. The more I thought about it, the more I reckoned it might just work. Trev [Trevor O’Shea] at Twisted Pepper is an ideas man and does stuff for all the right reasons. I’m still here nearly three years later, so hopefully I’m doing something right.

Things have been economically dire in Ireland for the past few years. How has Elastic Witch fared through all that?

Things have been rough, for sure, but the interesting thing is that I wouldn’t have started this project if it hadn’t been for the recession. Due to the economic collapse more and more small businesses started sharing premises. Along with us, there’s a coffee shop, a vintage clothes shop, a barbershop and even a vintage video game stall.

Tell us about Twisted Pepper. How does the collective approach work?

They’re fantastic to work with. The daytime social aspect of Twisted Pepper is really important to them. Obviously their bar, gigs and clubs are the main thing, but they really work hard on getting things right the whole time – day and night.

People love vinyl and talk of albums and 45s as close friends.

Why the mystique?

Vinyl packaging and the quality of the pressings has never been better. I guess they’re objects of desire and things of beauty. Sales of vinyl are on a steady increase, while CD sales are plummeting. A lot of labels aren’t even releasing music on CD anymore. Just vinyl and digital. It’s important to remember, though, that records are non-essential ‘luxury’ objects. You still can’t eat an LP. OK, so what’s your favourite record of all time and why?

If I had to narrow it down to just one album, I guess it would be The Velvet Underground & Nico – the first Velvet Underground album. I know it’s a cliché, but everything really did change after that.

If visiting Dublin, why should somebody drop by Elastic Witch?

Primarily to buy some music. Also to discover some Irish music. The coffee in the adjoining café is the finest in the city, too. They’re good enough reasons.

A couple of years ago you said, “There’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity.” So, with hindsight, which is it?

Come back to me 15 years from now when I’m making the Elastic Witch feature length documentary. I’ll know then. elasticwitch.com

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Open skies / March 2014

ImAGEs: ElAstIC WItCh

Dublin, Ireland Questions: Andrew Birbeck / Answers: Founder of Elastic Witch, Gib Cassidy

BLD

Hong Kong

Images: ICON

Joseph Tse, executive chef at Hotel ICON, shares his favourite places to eat in Hong Kong

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Open skies / March 2014

B

l

d

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

I’m a creature of habit, and on my off days I often like to visit the same places. Sheung Wan has some of the oldest eateries in town, and one of my favourites is Sang Kee Congee Shop. I like to go early in the morning, before the restaurant starts getting too busy. It’s not a fancy place, and they don’t take reservations, so be sure to get there early to avoid disappointment. Congee is a classic Cantonese breakfast dish, and I usually go for the fresh fish bone congee – it’s full of flavour and the texture is very silky.

For a taste of the past, go to the oldest dim sum joint in the city, Lin Heung Tea House, which has been around for more than 90 years. You’ll find some of the most authentic and traditional dishes in Hong Kong, such as the wonderful steamed buns or the incredible steamed dumplings topped with liver. And while the art of dim sum is revered, as you might expect, the drinking of tea is equally as important at Lin Heung Tea House, and they boast an incredible selection of teas for you to explore.

Especially during the winter months, nothing keeps you warm like a pot of hearty bo chai fan (otherwise known as claypot rice). And few places come close to Kwan Kee for delivering exceptional food. The fragrant charcoal from the stove, the crispy rice crust, the preserved sausage and chicken topping, along with their secret soya sauce recipe, combine to create an incredible dish – they’ve really got the recipe down to a tee. This place is a claypot rice institution in Hong Kong, and it’s a must-visit on any visitor’s to do list.

Sang Kee Congee Shop Ground Floor, 7 to 9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2541 1099

Lin Heung Tea House 160 to 164 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2544 4556

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Open skies / March 2014

Kwan Kee 243-245 Des Voeux Road West, Western District, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2803 7209

mapped SEDAWATTA

Düsseldorf-Pempelfort

14 Feldmühleplatz

Hofgarten

12 13 15

09

01

Düsseldorf

05

07 16 Düsseldorf-Carlstadt

03 11

Apollo-Platz

04

02

06 06

08 Düsseldorf-Friedrichstadt

10 Düsseldorf-unterbilk

Düsseldorf

Hotels: 1) Steigenberger Parkhotel (51.226665, 6.778339)

Restaurants: 5) Victorian (51.224194, 6.78025)

Bars: 9) Brauerei Kürzer (51.226999, 6.773341)

Galleries: 13) Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (51.228100, 6.7755)

and one of Germany’s cities, Düsseldorf means 2) Stage 47As the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia 6) Gehry’s 10) Barwealthiest Alexander 14) Museum Kunstpalast (51.218652,serious 6.78454) business. This thriving (51.216434, 6.757995) is an international (51.212425, 6.769626)for banking, fashion, (51.234988, 6.77312) metropolis trade centre advertising and telecommunications. isn’t all work and no play in Düsseldorf.

3) InterContinental Düsseldorf 7) Zum SchiffchenBut don’t be fooled – it11) Nachtresidenz Düsseldorf 15) Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (51.227617, (51.220819,Renowned 6.778259) (51.223728, 6.772064) (51.219653, 6.780606) for its modern urban architecture, vibrant arts culture and the pioneering music scene that6.775863) produced synth-pop band 8)Kraftwerk, there’s plenty to do in12) Düsseldorf that doesn’t involve a16) suit tie.

4) Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf Lido Beuys Bar Siesand + Höke (51.216404, 6.75266) (51.215460, 6.753698) (51.229084, 6.77496) (51.222858, 6.771709)

HOteLs

restaurants

bars

GaLLerIes

01. steigenberger Parkhotel 02. stage 47 03. InterContinental Düsseldorf 04. Hyatt regency Düsseldorf

05. Victorian 06. Gehry’s 07. Zum schiffchen 08. Lido

09. brauerei Kürzer 10. bar alexander 11. nachtresidenz Düsseldorf 12. beuys bar

13. Kunstsammlung nordrhein-Westfalen 14.Museum Kunstpalast 15.Kunsthalle Düsseldorf 16. sies + Höke

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mapped

HOteLs 01 Steigenberger Parkhotel Otherwise known as The Ritz of Düsseldorf, Steigenberger Parkhotel does oldfashioned luxury like no other. Located along the famous Königsallee, next to the Hofgarten, the rooms and suites here are decadently furnished and offer views of the city or the opera house. de.steigenberger.com 02 Stage 47 Boutique design hotel Stage 47 benefits from a great location, just metres from Düsseldorf ’s King Avenue and Central Station. Popular among artistic types, the 27 rooms and suites are each named after a famous artist and feature striking contemporary design. stage47.de 03 InterContinental Düsseldorf With all the luxury we’ve come to expect of the InterContinental brand, Intercontinental Düsseldorf does not disappoint.

Consistent, modern design and exceptional comfort are the strong suits here, along with a premier position on Königsallee. duesseldorf.intercontinental.com 04 Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf The Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf is located in a show-stopping 19-storey building at the tip of a peninsula facing Media Harbour.

In addition to its 303 elegant rooms and suites, the hotel features a decadent Rive Spa & Fitness centre, with spectacular views across the Rhine. dusseldorf.regency.hyatt.com

MODERN ARCHITECTURE / Düsseldorf boasts a number of architectural gems , including William Alsop’s Colorium (pictured)

restaurants 05 Victorian The Michelin-starred Victorian restaurant tastes as good as it looks, from the chic black leather banquettes and bright white tablecloths to the elegant fusion of old and new cuisines. Treat yourself to zucchini flowers stuffed with lobster mousse, drizzled with champagne sauce. restaurant-victorian.de 06 Gehry’s If steakhouses are your thing, then don’t miss Gehry’s. This iconic restaurant and bar is located in the former offices of architect Frank

03

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Open skies / March 2014

O Gehry, where you can gorge on prime juicy steaks with a signature caramel steak crust. gehrys.de 07 Brauerie Zum Schiffchen Brauerie Zum Schiffchen is an institution, and one of the oldest restaurants in Düsseldorf. Serving up traditional German fare since 1628, this is the best place to sample local specialities such as homemade liver dumplings. brauerei-zum-schiffchen.de 08 Lido Experience a meal with a view at Lido, as you dine on small portions of beautifully presented haute cuisine overlooking Media Harbour.

Head chef Florian Ohlmann has created a winning menu of authentic, regional dishes with a French-inspired twist. lido1960.de

05

mapped GaLLErIEs 13 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Home to the expansive federal state art collection of North Rhine-Westphalia, Kunstsammlung NordrheinWestfalen comprises three architecturally unique locations: K20 Grabbeplatz, K21 Ständehaus and Schmela. The gallery produces varied and demanding exhibitions, while the permanent exhibition includes major works

by Picasso and Matisse. kunstsammlung.de

bars 09 Brauerei Kürzer Brauerei Kürzer is the place to go for Altbier: a short, amber-coloured regional beer that’s brewed using the finest malt and hops from German cultivation. This dimly lit, rustic establishment is rumoured to produce the best in all Düsseldorf. brauerei-kuerzer.de 10 Bar Alexander An intimate bar hidden away in a sophisticated neighbourhood, Bar Alexander offers up an extensive list of cocktails for the seasoned drinker. A little short on the short drinks, and big on the long, specialities here include fruity concoctions and creamy liqueurs. bar-alexander.com 11 Nachtresidenz Düsseldorf Nachtresidenz – or night residence, literally translated – is a vibrant Düsseldorf nightclub located in a striking 100-yearold theatre. At the heart of this architectural gem is the domed hall, where a chic loft bar overlooks crowds enjoying an eclectic mix of music. nachtresidenz.de

12 Beuys Bar Named after the famous local artist and pride of Düsseldorf, Joseph Beuys, Beuys Bar does innovative mixology very well. Offering a selection of top quality rum, whiskey and gin – as well as some intriguing bespoke cocktails, from Dear Cinderella to Mom’s Marmalade – Beuys Bar is a cocktail connoisseur’s dream. beuys-bar.de

14 Museum Kunstpalast Located within the impressive façade of the 1925 Ehrenhof building, Museum Kunstpalast is home to more than 100,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, art and craft exhibits, and glass objects, with items dating from classical antiquity to the modern era. smkp.de 15 Kunsthalle Düsseldorf Kunsthalle Düsseldorf must be understood as an experimental approach to art through the senses. Situated on Grabbeplatz and housed within a precast concrete shell of Brutalist architecture, this unconventional gallery provides a blank canvas for local and international artists exhibiting their work. kunsthalle-düsseldorf.de 16 Sies + Höke Located between the creative hub of Media Harbour and upmarket Königsallee, Sies + Höke is a contemporary art gallery presented with minimalist refinement. Previous avant-garde exhibitors have included Kris Martin, Florian Slotawa and Damien Roach. sieshoeke.com

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Words:hG2.com imaGes: corbis

PoP PioNeerS / düsseldorf’s music scene produced electronic music visionaries Kraftwerk (pictured)

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THEY ARE BACK. THE DUBAI WORLD CUP MARCH 29, 2014

D BA WORU LD CIU P Prepare for one of the best events of the year with high class thoroughbred horse racing, fashion, glamour and world class entertainment.

Hospitality gates open at 2.00pm, first race starts at 4.30pm.

Book your tickets at meydan.ae or call +971 4 327 2110

Like us on facebook/dubairacingclub

LOCAL KNOwLEDGE

XVA Gallery, Art Hotel & Café

After a stint in Dubai International Financial Centre, Mona Hauser is back at XVA in Dubai’s Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (formerly Bastikiya), which she opened more than 10 years ago

I

n 1992, art major Mona Hauser, originally from northeast Arkansas, had never heard of Dubai.

She lived in America with her husband and infant daughter; the family divided their time between New York and Florida, where she was considering

Words by Gareth Rees / Images by REM

opening a gallery. But in 1993 HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum invited Hauser’s husband (now ex-husband), Dr Michael Hauser, to Dubai to help set up his Godolphin Racing stable.

Like so many Dubai expats, Hauser and her husband planned to stay for three years.

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Today, 21 years later, it’s a bright winter morning in Dubai, and Hauser, now director of XVA Gallery, Art Hotel & Cafe, is still in the UAE, sitting behind her desk in her small, cosy office, just off XVA’s main courtyard.

“My first morning in Dubai, I said, ‘Take me to the oldest area of

LOCAL KNOwLEDGE

creative space / XVA is a home away from home to many artists and creatives, both local and international

the city,’ which was Bastikiya,” she says, her voice just loud enough to be heard over the uplifting classical music emanating from the courtyard café, where several guests are enjoying their breakfast in the sunshine. “Even though there were goats walking around and it was rubble in parts, I said, ‘This is where I want to have my gallery, I want to

take one of these houses and turn it into a gallery.’”

Six years later, in 1999, HH Sheikh Mohammed gave Hauser special permission to do just that, and she returned to Bastikiya in search of the perfect house to transform into her gallery. The house she chose, originally built by the Siddiqui family, was in such a state

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of disrepair that it took the Dubai Architectural Heritage Department four years to painstakingly restore it and the houses surrounding it.

Hauser received the key in May 2003; the hotel rooms opened in September and the first exhibition was in October.

“I was really a one person show [at the start],” she explains. “I was

LOCAL KNOwLEDGE HH SHeikH MoHaMMed caMe Here and told Me tHat He uSed to viSit aS a cHild and tie HiS HorSe to tHe tree in tHe courtyard sweeping the courtyard myself, I was making the breakfasts for the hotel guests myself. It wasn’t until the following January that I hired a chef.”

Over the years, Hauser hired more staff and XVA became a magnet for creatives, both Dubai residents and international visitors.

Having crouched down to enter through the small door into the shadowy reception area, and soon after emerged into the sun-filled courtyard, there is a palpable sense of calm, and it’s easy to understand what draws artists to XVA.

The staff has started referring to XVA as the “Monasphere”, but Hauser is quick to dismiss the tribute, putting the serene atmosphere down to the house itself, which she describes as “special” and “magical”, and the contrast between the peacefulness of XVA and the typical perception of Dubai as a city full of cranes and “brand spanking new towers”.

“This place in contrast was built with people’s bare hands,” Hauser says. “No cranes were involved.

It somehow gives [off ] more of a human feeling. The feeling you get when you walk into a courtyard – people respond to that.”

“I think the staff has the feeling that they are part of a family working here, and I have people who come here year after year to stay, because they feel like it’s their home away from home, and I love that,” says Hauser. “That was my intention, to create a place where people wanted to come and be inspired.”

And many people do. Local poet Laurel Arnold comes to write poetry

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in the courtyard; Eames Demetrious, grandson of iconic American designers Charles and Ray Eames, visited XVA and incorporated it into his ongoing Kcymaerxthaere project, decorating it with a bronze plaque, which can be viewed in the courtyard; during our visit, two artists from the Delfina Foundation, a non-profit that promotes cross-cultural art projects, are in residence; and Hauser regularly welcomes local visitors eager to share their memories of visiting the house 30 or 40 years ago.

“HH Sheikh Mohammed came here and told me that he used to visit as a child and tie his horse to the tree in the courtyard,” says Hauser. “I’ve had kings, presidents and celebrities come through the door.”

Not all of Hauser’s visitors leave. Iraqi artist Halim Al Karim arrived one day in 2005 (or perhaps 2004, Hauser isn’t sure) on the URBAN ESCAPE / XVA’s bright white walls, greenery and sun-drenched courtyard create a calming atmosphere

LOCAL KNOwLEDGE

cafE culturE / XVA’s courtyard café serves a number of locally inspired dishes, including this rose petal cheesecake

recommendation of a friend, and never left. He comes and goes, says Hauser, but he calls XVA home, and treats it almost as his own personal canvas.

“One morning I came in and he had bejewelled the leaves of a tree in the back courtyard,” says Hauser, smiling. “Another morning I came in and the entire courtyard was covered with toy camels. He uses the whole space at his whim, and I allow that. For me, this is a place for creativity. The intention from day one was to foster a community of creative people” Despite her love for XVA, in 2011, Hauser moved the gallery to Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in the belief that it would broaden the client base and raise XVA’s profile (the hotel and café stayed put). But, due to high rents, the enterprise had become unsustainable by November last

year, so she moved back to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

She moved home, and she is clearly very happy she did so.

During our visit XVA is preparing for the “madness” of Art Season, which will run from March 14 to April 15, packing in Art Week, Sikka Art Fair, Design Days Dubai and Art Dubai, as well as numerous other art-related events. Hauser interrupts our conversation on more than one occasion to answer the phone or speak to a potential client on their way to breakfast; it’s the busiest time of the year, and XVA is thriving.

The courtyard café, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner

This is a place for creaTiviTy. The inTenTion from day one was To fosTer a communiTy of creaTive people 68

Open skies / March 2014

and acts as a communal area for hotel guests and visitors, has started regular screenings of classic films, yoga classes, to be held by Iranian artist Arezu, are in the works, and Hauser recently increased the number of hotel rooms from 10 to 13 – each of the rooms is designed by a different local artist – and reconfigured the gallery space. There is also storage space for the gallery’s art collection – all works are for sale – which visitors are welcome to browse at their leisure.

“I am constantly trying to improve things, and I don’t know where that might take me,” says Hauser. “I would like to get more houses in Bastikiya. Now I have four. But I would like to expand the hotel, and as far as the gallery goes, I would like to participate in more international art fairs.”

So, in 2014, Mona Hauser certainly knows where Dubai is – it’s home.

Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood Bur Dubai, Dubai Tel: (04) 3535383 xvagallery.com

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2 main

Future Champion?: The female racing driver determined to make it to Formula One CreatiVe Community: A celebration of the galleries driving Dubai’s arts scene

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ou have heard of Stirling Moss. You know the story of Ayrton Senna’s brilliant career and tragic death.

Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are names that probably ring more than a few bells. But how about Maria Teresa de Filippis?

No, didn’t think so.

Maria Teresa de Filippis is an 87-year-old Italian woman who, believe it or not, has something in common with all of the F1 stars listed above. In 1958, Maria made her debut F1 start (one of three in

Grand Prix weekend – and only two have qualified to start a race. The other, and last, female driver to take a position on the F1 grid was another Italian, Lella Lombardi, who ended her racing career after the Austrian Grand Prix in 1976. Lombardi took part in a dozen F1 races, with her best result sixth in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. She is the most successful female F1 driver to date.

Since Lombardi’s retirement, no female drivers have started a Grand Prix race. But one driver, Carmen Jordá, from Velencia, Spain, might just have the momentum to make it happen.

The Spaniard, who has two seasons of GP3 – two rungs below F1 – under her belt, has hit the big-time with a switch this year to top-three GP3 squad Korainen GP. If she impresses, it’s not impossible for Jordá to be catapulted into F1 – as current Grand Prix young guns Daniil Kvyat and Valtteri Bottas have proved.

Jordá has racing in her veins, courtesy of ex-rally driving father José Miguel, and, like the majority of today’s racers, got into the sport via go-karting.

“It was quite natural to get into motorsport, because when I was 10 years old my father gave me his old kart – that’s when I got my first taste,” says Jordá, whose racing idols included F1 drivers Michael Schumacher and ex-Williams and Jordan driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

“He then got me my first proper

w h e n I wa s 1 0 y e a r s o l d m y fat h e r g av e m e h I s o l d k a r t – t h at ’ s w h e n I g o t m y f I r s t ta s t e total) in the Belgian Grand Prix – becoming the first woman to race in Formula One – and finished in tenth, and last, place. It was her only F1 finish.

In more than 60 years, just five women in total have taken part in a

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Open skies / March 2014

racing kart when I was 11, as a birthday present. I got on well with it, and that was it,” she adds. “The first time I got into the go-kart I never wanted to get out, so I wasn’t giving my sister much time with it – although she didn’t like it very much [anyway].”

The motorsport bug had well and truly bitten, but it was only when Jordá felt the power of Formula One that things fell into place.

“My dad took me to the Spanish Grand Prix when I was 11 years old,” she says. “It was a big shock to see that those cars were much faster than what I was used to with the go-kart. And then you just get that feeling in your stomach when you see something that you really like.”

Jordá moved up to cars via two full-seasons of Spanish Formula 3 (F3), and then another in the European F3 Open the following year.

However, her breakthrough involved a move to America in 2010 – and a chance to join

“The racing is incredibly tough, and 2013 was probably one of the most difficult seasons ever,” says Jordá. “It’s much like going up against the best in the world, in a similar way to the Fifa Under-20 World Cup. The level of competition is sometimes even higher than F1, because the cars are the same.”

The end result was two, ultimately disappointing, seasons and no points. But Jordá has learnt from the experience.

“It was a huge learning curve for me. Suddenly I had arrived at this professional level, and I then realised how much work I had to do, in terms of getting involved with the engineers

I h av e t o f I g h t m o r e , b e c a u s e m e n h av e t h I s v e r y b I g e g o t h at t e l l s t h e m t h at t h e y s h o u l d b e I n f r o n t o f m e at e v e r y t r a c k Indy Lights, the junior series of top American open-wheel championship IndyCar, with Anderson Racing.

“I was always attracted by America, because it really represented the American dream, where nothing is impossible,” she says.

The Spaniard competed in five races in Indy Lights, with a best finish of tenth at Long Beach, California – and this paved the way for her return to Europe.

“I came back from America and was invited by an F1 team (now-defunct HRT F1 Team) to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

“I met a lot of the GP3 teams, and the organisers, and they were very interested in me.

So they offered me a test. And then when I went to the test, everything went well and I managed to sign with a team.”

From there, things started to get serious – and not just with Jordá’s preparation. GP3 and GP2, the feeder championship for F1, closely mirror the professionalism and presentation of the top echelon.

“Suddenly, everything was much more professional – the drivers, the fitness, the technology involved in the car,” says Jordá. “In my first test that I did (with GP3 outfit Ocean Racing Technology), all of the team’s drivers were within one second of each other, so that is when you begin to feel the pressure.”

Jordá’s first two seasons in GP3 were a baptism of fire – with the challenge of a new team for each season, and lots to learn on each occasion.

and trying to work with my fitness,” she says.

“That was something that was completely new to me, but it was my first year and my biggest one so far. So it was a big shock during the winter. But, I’ve started to put everything in place for the future, like find a really good personal trainer and a nutritionist. I’ve learned what I want, and more importantly what I don’t want. [I’ve discovered] what is best for me. This year I am going to be with a top three team, so I have found the right people for me, and I think my condition will be much better.”

But in motor racing old traditions die hard.

The halcyon days when men were men are oft fondly regarded and aggression is rewarded.

Change is inevitable, but things aren’t quite there yet, as Jordá has found on her way up through the lower categories.

“I have to fight more, because men have this very big ego that tells them that they should be in front of me at every track,” she says. “Often you see drivers trying to crazily overtake where it is not possible, just because there is a girl in front.”

It’s only going to get tougher where Jordá is headed, as the most likely of all the females currently competing for their chance to land a ‘golden ticket’ drive in the most unforgiving forum of them all.

The pinnacle of international motorsport, F1 continues to stand as the highest test of a driver’s skill, speed and bravery – and, ontrack, the action is electrifying. Each year, just 22 of the world’s finest are presented with a

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chance to pursue motorsport’s Holy Grail, the F1 Drivers’ World Championship – and yet only a handful will have the good fortune and talent to consistently compete at the front. It’s a ruthless sport, but that’s how it’s been since the days of Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss.

Just reaching F1, to drive the beautifully sculpted 750bhp prototype cars and be on the same road as world champions such as Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton is an achievement in itself.

Of course, the vast majority of drivers just do not make it, and the history books are full of examples of those who, since the start of the F1 World Championship in 1950, have failed in their quest.

Although the female competitor record looks sparse, F1 has its fair share of female involvement away from the racing line. There are many women to be found throughout the sport in management, engineering, marketing, media and hospitality.

The highest profile examples are team principals Williams’ Claire Williams and Sauber’s Monisha Kaltenborn, both highly respected in the paddock.

“Negotiations in Formula One are tough, and being a woman doesn’t really make any difference,” says Kaltenborn of the sport’s inner workings.

tiana Calderón, who is hoping to again race in European F3 this year.

Powell, whose plans for this season are yet to be confirmed, says that the major challenge in moving forward is simply finding the budget to go racing.

“I do not come from a wealthy family, so I have to [go out and] work hard and find the sponsorship,” says Powell.

“I am not the only driver in this position.

I know many drivers who have won championships, yet cannot race due to lack of sponsorship.

“Many say to me, ‘Surely being a female in a male-dominated sport, you can find sponsorship easily?’ If only that was the case. It does not make much difference, and sometimes it is a hindrance as people say women can’t drive.”

However, if any aspiring female racing drivers need a role model, they need look no further than 31-year-old Susie Wolff.

Wolff, who for the past two years has been on the precipice of F1 as Williams F1 Team’s development driver, knows very well the rollercoaster that is a career in motorsport, especially someone who is also working hard for a seat on the F1 grid.

“The journey, like most journeys, has had lots of ups and downs – and obviously I’ve had some great ups,” says Wolff, who reached her current position via DTM (German Touring

m a n y s ay t o m e , ‘ s u r e ly b e i n g a f e m a l e i n a m a l e - d o m i n at e d s p o r t, y o u c a n f i n d s p o n s o r s h i p e a s i ly ? ’ i f o n ly t h at wa s t h e cas e . i t d o e s n ot m a k e m u c h d i f f e r e n c e , and sometimes it is a hindrance as people s ay w o m e n c a n ’ t d r i v e

tough competition / Jorda with fellow GP3 drivers Alice Powell (right) and Vicky Piria (left) at Monte Carlo in 2012

The sport is facing an almost four-decadelong drought of female competitors – but it could just as easily be all over tomorrow.

There are no rules or regulations that preclude females from joining the top flight. And there are a number of women who are already pushing for their shot at motorsport glory.

Carmen Jordá is not the only female racer out there. There are many others, including Britain’s Alice Powell, who raced in GP3 last year and won the 2010 Formula Renault BARC championship, and Columbian Ta-

76

Car Series), and before that, British F3 and Formula Renault 2.0 UK. “But I’ve also had some very tough moments. In 2005 I broke my ankle and I lost my Formula 3 drive, and it was very touch and go, you know, whether I was going to make it as a racing driver.”

The Scot, who is married to Mercedes AMG F1’s executive director Toto Wolff, has tasted the power of F1, and completed 90 laps of the British Silverstone circuit in a current-spec car at last year’s young driver test.

Open skies / March 2014

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Open skies / March 2014

“It was successful,” says Wolff, whose best time was 1.35.093: less than a second off then-Williams race driver Pastor Maldonado’s best time.

“You know, there was a lot riding on that day. Many people said that a woman couldn’t compete at Formula One level, that I wouldn’t be strong enough, that I wouldn’t be able to

Of course, the only way forward is to push – and Wolff, who has raced wheel-to-wheel with the best in the world, has plenty of experience doing just that.

“It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and it takes the ability to keep improving all the time,” she says. “There’s no stone that you can leave unturned. You just have to look at

I t ’ s v E R y E A s y f O R p E O p l E t O s Ay t H At A w O M A n CAn nEvER bE suCCEssful In fORMulA OnE, bECAusE tHERE nEvER HAs bEEn A suCCEssful wOMAn In fORMulA OnE

HOME RACE/ Carmen during Friday practice at Circuit de Catalunya , Barcelona, Spain in 2012

hang on for more than 10 laps, that I would be two seconds off the pace – and I didn’t know. It was very much an unknown.

“So I trained very hard and worked very hard to prepare for it. And it was really successful. And it really kind of helped me in my role at Williams, because it gave me a lot more credibility. People could see that I was on the right level and that I was quick enough, so it changed people’s perceptions of me, and I think I earned the respect of a lot of people in Formula One.” As you might expect for a female in a male-dominated sport, Wolff has also had to break down a myriad of popular misconceptions on the way up, such as the accusation that women are not strong enough to drive an F1 car.

“It’s very easy for people to say that a woman can never be successful in Formula One, because there never has been a successful woman in Formula One,” says Wolff.

“There have been some [female racing drivers] that have been close, and have done well, but never really been very successful. But I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if I didn’t believe it was possible. And that’s why it’s so important for me to prove that it is possible, because I do think Formula One needs females, on and off the track.

“They can’t stay as a male-dominated sport because they’re missing out on half the population. I think it’s possible, but I think the main reason all these people say that is because it’s never really been done successfully – and if people don’t see something being done they’re very quick to judge that it can’t be done.”

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every aspect and always look at ways to improve yourself and how you can get better and be better, and you also have to have a lot of mental strength to cope at that level, because there is a lot of pressure.”

At 31 years of age, though, Wolff’s chance at a full-time F1 seat looks increasingly unlikely. Kevin Magnussen, who is set to make his Grand Prix debut in Melbourne this month for top team McLaren, is 10 years her junior.

Despite her potential, logic says the momentum for an F1 seat is not with her.

So F1 is waiting for its next female young gun. Advantage: Carmen Jordá. But across the Atlantic in the USA, it’s nothing new in both top racing series IndyCar and Nascar.

Danica Patrick, who is a household name and now drives in Nascar, was really the first to be noticed by a global mainstream audience, and also to win an IndyCar race – with victory in Japan, in 2008.

In 2013, four females competed in IndyCar: British drivers Katherine Legge and Pippa Mann, Brazilian Ana Beatriz and Swiss racer Simona de Silvestro.

De Silvestro started her career in Europe, karting, and then moved up to cars via the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 championship – but she quickly decided that the USA and IndyCar were a much better option for her.

“I had done a year in Europe and we didn’t have the budget to stay there,” says de Silvestro, who was IndyCar’s top female point scorer in 2013.

“I found an American sponsor to go to the USA to go and drive in the Formula BMW USA Championship. So it was an opportunity that presented itself, and it was kind of a

Open skies / March 2014

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no-brainer, because someone wanted me over there [in America], and that was great.”

De Silvestro moved up to the top-US championship IndyCar in 2010, after three seasons in the junior Atlantic series. Her progress has been steady, with flashes of impressive results – including 14th in her debut Indy 500, a performance that led to her being named rookie of the year.

In 2013, de Silvestro joined a new team, KV Racing Technology, and scored her first podium in Houston, Texas, making her the first woman to do so on a street circuit – and only the third woman, along with Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher, to score a podium result in IndyCar history.

“I think Houston is a huge accomplishment,” says de Silvestro.

But, while there are certainly precedents for IndyCar drivers successfully racing in F1 – 1996 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya are two examples, though both were series champions and Indy 500 winners before they switched – whether De Silvestro can do the same will be proven this year during her training, with a proper test in an F1 car the make or break moment.

Back across the Atlantic, and Carmen Jordá is preparing for her 2014 assault on the GP3 Series championship.

“I have been training very hard,” she says. “I am really obsessive with my training. I want to be fit enough for the start of the season. So every day, when I wake up, the first thing I think about is, ‘Today I have

“It’s something big, because usually people say that women aren’t strong enough to drive on a road course – so it was good to show that it can be done.

Is America more supportive of female racing drivers, though?

“I don’t know if they [Americans] are more supportive, it’s kind of hard to say,” says de Silvestro. “I think IndyCar is just a different level.

Danica Patrick has done a lot of things, especially in IndyCar, because she’s shown she was pretty fast, so for sure that kind of opened the door a little bit. But the biggest thing, with myself or other females, is that getting the results is going to open doors in Europe, [and show] that we can be fast in a race car.”

Make no mistake: the doors in Europe have opened. In mid-February, De Silvestro was confirmed as an affiliated driver for Swiss squad Sauber F1 Team, led by team principal Monisha Kaltenborn. The former IndyCar driver is set to join Sauber’s in-house preparation programme, with a view to securing a seat on the F1 grid in 2015.

“This is a major step towards me achieving a life-long dream, and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take this step with such a great team,” says De Silverstro.

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to get even fitter than yesterday.’ I also [as I mentioned] have a personal trainer, who I see every day, and I have trained with him very hard since Christmas.”

Jordá’s target is to make it to F1 within three years, but she will have to immediately make an impact if she’s to continue moving up.

“Of course, I have to prove myself, every moment of every day with my training, with my racing, with the testing,” Jordá says.

The 25-year-old certainly seems to have the right mix of focus and aggression, but most importantly, she has the confidence to follow her own convictions.

It’s a trait that fellow Spanish openwheel racing driver Maria de Villota, who tragically passed away last year as a result of neurological injuries sustained during a horrific testing crash in 2012, would have been proud of.

“At the races I just try to stay focused, and not spend too much time thinking about what people have to say, because I know what my goals are and I try to protect myself,” Jordá says. “If you’re listening too much you can get destabilised. I know where I’m going.”

Hopefully, that is the F1 grid.

Open skies / March 2014

Images: maRILUZ VIDaL, gP3 meDIa seRVIces

At t h e r A c e s I j u s t t r y t o s tAy f o c u s e d , A n d n ot s p e n d to o m u c h t I m e t h I n k I n g A b o u t w h At p e o p l e h Av e t o s Ay, b e c A u s e I k n o w w h At m y g o A l s A r e

“We have an arts scene in Dubai that We shoulD be prouD of. it’s not a matter of comparing it to lonDon, neW York or emerging markets. We serve as a hub in the region anD that is a unique achievement.” abDelmonem bin eisa alserkal,

developer of AlserkAl Avenue And pAtron of the Arts

CREATIVE COMMUNITY Art DubAi, which tAkes plAce this month, AttrActs the Attention of the internAtionAl Art worlD for severAl DAys A yeAr. but the city’s Art scene is About more thAn just one AnnuAl festivAl. DubAi hAs A flourishing creAtive community, which hAs grown from humble beginnings into A force to be reckoneD with. we speAk to the people running eight of DubAi’s leADing gAlleries Words by Danna Lorch / Images by REM

T

here is a mood of carbonated excitement in the air, the feeling that history is being made here and now in Dubai.

Due to its geographic centrality, peaceful climate and highly efficient logistical operations, the city attracts artists, collectors and gallerists from all over the world.

The UAE artistic community’s roots were planted in Sharjah in the 1980s by the Emirates Fine Arts Society, a collective of local artists considered quite experimental at the time. Although there were only two galleries in Dubai, openings were already all the rage in the mid-1990s, but the scene didn’t continue to develop. It was the countrywide economic boom that followed transformed Dubai into an art market of note that is only eight years old yet growing exponentially by the year.

Alserkal Avenue, a former marble factory turned arts district in the industrial area of Al Quoz, is the brainchild of the Alserkal family and emerged organically in 2007, thanks in large part to the family’s generous patronage. The area is occupied by a number of sophisticated galleries, creative businesses and the occasional auto repair shop, all housed in industrial warehouses. Thanks to a private investment of US$13.8 million from the Alserkal family, the area is set to double in size to 500,000sqft by the end of the year, providing for 45 additional gallery and concept spaces, cafes and both indoor and outdoor events centres that will cater to public concerts, film screenings and other cultural initiatives.

Surveying the expansion site beneath humming construction cranes, and grinning as he remarks upon what is clearly his favourite project, Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal, developer of Alserkal Avenue and a patron of the arts, is humble about his family’s achievements.

“Our family had the idea of creating an arts area in an industrial district, but the galleries who moved in are responsible for much of the vision. We’re simply helping the creative community achieve its vision,” he says. “We have an arts scene in Dubai that we should be proud of. It’s not a matter of comparing it to London, New York or emerging markets. We serve as a hub in the region and that is a unique achievement.”

Across town in the sleek Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Christie’s Middle East headquarters and a second cluster of galleries are flourishing among banks and consultancies. The business suit set flocks to regular DIFC Art Nights to take in new exhibitions in a relaxed social atmosphere. Graffiti was traditionally banned, but in the past year has made a legal debut with big-time street artists given the green light to bring vibrant murals to public spaces sprinkled throughout the city.

So, while Art Dubai has helped put Dubai on the map for collectors, there is a vibrant domestic arts scene that continues to grow 365 days of the year.

Here we celebrate the UAE gallerists who have helped drive this growth and are determined to make the world sit up and take notice.

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Will Lawrie

Lawrie Shabibi

Ten years ago, Will Lawrie put together the catalogue for Christie’s first auction in Dubai, establishing the baseline for what would become regarded as the most critical modern and contemporary works in the region. Asmaa Shabibi was managing director of Art Dubai and was instrumental to establishing the fair’s reputation internationally.

They took the greatest risk of their careers when they launched Lawrie Shabibi on Alserkal Avenue in 2011. Lawrie still shakes his head when he speaks about that time.

“Choosing a show to open a gallery is difficult, because it sets a precedent for what to expect, he says. “We were lucky that [Lebanese artist] Nabil Nahas agreed to open for us.”

This month, the gallery will present early work from Nahas (circa the 1970s) certain to be a highlight of Art Dubai Modern, a new section at this year’s Art Dubai.

A boxy, stark space structurally, Lawrie Shabibi tends to be equal parts pretty and political and has recently curated strong shows by Jerusalem-born artist Larissa Sansour and LA-based artist Asad Faulwell. Regarding the gallery’s programme, Lawrie notes, “There are two of us and our tastes often overlap like a Venn diagram. We tend to prefer things with a social reference, works that have a high level of craftsmanship and sense of aesthetic. We also have a darker side and appreciate things that are slightly morbid!” awrieshabibi.com

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They Took The greaTesT risk of Their careers when They launched lawrie shabibi on alserkal avenue in 2011. lawrie sTill shakes his head when he speaks abouT ThaT Time

Kourosh Nouri and Nadine Knotzer

Carbon 12

Nadine Knotzer and Kourosh Nouri may have been the first in the region to set up a dedicated international programme, but that doesn’t mean they are unapproachable. As they work at their desks, Hello Kitty on copper primed canvas sprayed with acid by Berlin artist Michael Sailstorfer, gazes down like some sort of business place deity.

“We live in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and it should have international galleries,” says Nouri. “Today, if an artist doesn’t have international representation, he becomes a victim of his region and isn’t placed in the same pool as established artists. A [gallery’s] programme shouldn’t have a nationality.”

Most of the artists that Carbon 12 represents live seas away from the raw Alserkal Avenue warehouse. The duo is on a mission to introduce these names to this part of the world, and have also been among the first pioneers to bring performance art to the region.

“If you put on performance art in Paris, 80 per cent of the guests will be French, but in Dubai we’ll have 180 nationalities represented and you can see the surprise register on their faces,” says Knotzer.

Everyone’s still talking about the time Anahita Razmi provocatively commanded audience members to cut scraps of a Gucci dress off her body, a shock to the system for the couture-obsessed city.

This year Carbon 12’s booth at Art Dubai will include a never before seen flag by Sara Rahbar, who uses nationalist symbols and a collage of textiles to explore notions of belonging. carbon12dubai.com

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We live in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the World, and it should have international galleries

Barrak Al Zaid

Gallery Isabelle van den eynde

Imagine opening the heavy metal door to a gallery on Alserkal Avenue expecting a typical show of works on paper hung on sterile white walls, only to walk into someone’s living room. Is this the right place? Three guys in T-shirts are smoking at a wooden table. Strangely, they turn out to be the artists. They invite you to join them and suddenly art seems approachable and human. For I Put It There You Name It, Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian recreated their Dubai home studio in Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde (IVDE).

Director Barrak Al Zaid explains that IVDE, which was founded in 2006, is built on this kind of affinity between artists, gallerists and the environment.

“As a prodigious collector, the gallery’s founder, Isabelle van den Eynde, took frequent trips to Tehran where she discovered work that astounded her,” he says. “Because she loved the region, it was meaningful for her to tap into those artists who were creating around her and with whom she shared an affinity.”

Today IVDE is known for rigorous contemporary practice with an international scope. The gallery was the first in the UAE to be admitted to Art Brussels several years back.

“There’s a whole group of Dubai galleries assembled at Brussels now,” Al Zaid observes. “It’s clear to the art market that something is happening here and it is gaining momentum.”

Among other things, IVDE will present surprising work by Hassan Sharif and Mohammed Kazem – two founding members of the Emirates Fine Arts Society – at this year’s Art Dubai. ivde.net

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Today IVdE Is known for rIgorous conTEmporary pracTIcE wITh an InTErnaTIonal scopE. ThE gallEry was ThE fIrsT In ThE uaE To bE admITTEd To arT brussEls sEVEral yEars back

Umer Butt and Hetal Pawani

Grey Noise

This is not a conventional gallery. You’d sooner find a unicorn than a generic oil painting inside the warehouse on Alserkal Avenue that is home to Grey Noise. This is where you go to stand, half-blinded by the 18 white tube lights that make up Iqra Tanveer’s sculpture Doubt In The Definite, rubbing your hands together, philosophically considering how light fills space.

Co-directors Hetal Pawani and Umer Butt are influenced by the conceptual art movement, which places priority on the artist’s ideas and the process behind a work of art over the final result. From behind his black-rimmed spectacles, Umer defines the gallery’s focus.

“We are interested in things that are ephemeral and poetic, not things that are huge political statements,” he says. “Good poetry is layered and artwork for us is also successful when it is layered.”

Butt originally launched the gallery in Lahore, but then relocated to Dubai – the city he grew up in – and partnered with Pawani to re-open Grey Noise on Alserkal Avenue in 2008 as a platform for formally educated artists (many of them with South Asian ties) who don’t shy away from risk-taking.

Pawani has been pleased to see the public’s appreciation of contemporary art grow rapidly over the five years that the gallery has been in existence. Fresh off participation at Frieze in London and Liste in Basel, this year at Art Dubai, Grey Noise will redefine geometry in a fresh, visual way with a group presentation including work by Irish artist Michael John Whelan. greynoise.org

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We are interested in things that are ephemeral and poetic,

Open skies / March 2014

not things that are huge political statements. good poetry is layered and artWork for us is also successful When it is layered

Hisham Samawi

AyyAm GAllery

Lounging on a stool in his trainers on a foggy Dubai morning, Hisham Samawi gets right to the point.

“People who say that there is no culture in Dubai haven’t been to DIFC Art Nights or visited Alserkal Avenue.”

He would know. He has seen the city’s art scene grow organically and exponentially over the past eight years.

Ayyam, a small empire of galleries in Damascus, Beirut, Jeddah, London and Dubai, owned and operated by the Samawi family, is recognised for incubating the next generation of young collectors and contemporary artists in the region. Ayyam was actually the first gallery to open on Alserkal Avenue, at a time when the high ceilings, concrete floors and broad warehouse walls in Al Quoz were still a big novelty. A second, more intimate, space in DIFC soon followed.

Held semi-annually, Ayyam’s Young Collectors Auctions at Alserkal Avenue pack in hundreds of trendy professionals eager to flex their buying muscles to invest in relatively affordable work from the region.

Hisham serves as auctioneer.

“When I look out into the crowd, I remember people nervously bidding for the first time, and now I see them back at all our auctions, at exhibition openings and being profiled in magazines,” he says.

Works by boundary-testing Shurooq Amin, Riyadh street artist Shaweesh and the abstract painter Samia Halaby (whose museumquality solo show in the gallery’s Alserkal space will coincide with this year’s Art Dubai) find homes rapidly. ayyamgallery.com

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AyyAm wAs ActuAlly the first gAllery to open on AlserkAl Avenue, At A time when the high ceilings, concrete floors And broAd wArehouse wAlls in Al Quoz were still A big novelty

Roberto Lopardo

Cuadro

Cuadro is the result of the dedication of Bahraini founders Bashar and Fatima Al Shroogi, who in 2008 invested in launching a stable art scene in DIFC. Director Roberto Lopardo hopes that “the gallery feels more like a cultural institution than a commercial space”. Set in Gate Village, the arts and fine dining playground of DIFC movers and shakers, the notfor-profit gallery and its neighbours add soul to an otherwise functional neighbourhood that is generally focused on numbers.

From his glass-panelled office near the main door, Lopardo observes it all. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a businessman or woman walk in. They are beleaguered, dealing with the stress of being in finance, and they come here to spend some quiet moments with exhibitions that are often quite beautiful,” he says.

Lopardo thinks of this love affair between art and finance as “the perfect symbiotic relationship; they feed off each other in a very positive and healthy way”.

It is challenging to pigeonhole what identifies Cuadro’s dynamic artists, who come from all over the globe and are at various stages in their careers. The gallery represents Mohammed Ibrahim, who has been sculpting for decades with materials he harvests in his garden in Khorfakkan, a picturesque UAE port town. It has also recently signed on emerging photographer Farah Al Qasimi, who relentlessly dissects the notion of home. cuadroart.com

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It Is challengIng to pIgeonhole what IdentIfIes cuadro’s dynamIc artIsts, who come from all over the globe and are at varIous stages In theIr careers

Claudia Cellini and Sunny Rahbar

The Third Line

When The Third line opened in 2006, there was a misperception that the Gulf had nothing to offer artistically beyond funding. Sunny Rahbar, who founded the gallery with Claudia Cellini and Omar Ghobash, recalls, “People still looked to the West for culture, and so we opened the gallery as a platform to highlight the artists in this region, and took an educational approach to introducing people here to their work.” Because it was a novelty for a gallery to be based in the dusty industrial zone of Al Quoz at that time, well-known artists such as Egyptian photographer Youssef Nabil took a chance and agreed to be represented.

Cellini even met her husband at the gallery. Sunny spotted him first.

“Claudia, there’s your future husband!” she blurted a little too loudly, making them both blush. Cellini went and spoke to the stranger anyway, and Cupid struck hard and fast.

Pre-2008, when the city was booming economically and institutions like Christie’s and Art Dubai set up shop, The Third Line began to gain real attention.

“Suddenly international curators I’d only read about were walking through the door. It was a real Dubai moment,” recalls Cellini.

The gallery expanded and today represents a number of significant artists with ties to the region, including Amir H Fallah, Ebtisam Abdulaziz and Tarek Al Ghoussein. Be sure to visit the Project Space upstairs, which presents work by emerging artists whose careers are on the way up. Also of note is Marker, a section of this year’s Art Dubai focused on Central Asia and the Caucuses and created by Slavs And Tatars, who are represented by The Third Line. thethirdline.com

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PeoPle still looked to the West for culture, and so We oPened the gallery as a Platform to highlight the artists in this region, and took an educational aPProach to introducing PeoPle here to their Work

Yasmin Atassi

Green Art GAllery

Yasmin Atassi’s worst fear as director of Green Art Gallery is growing bored. So far she has managed to escape that trap.

“I like to represent serious contemporary artists who make me think,” she says. “I want to avoid having a predictable programme, which is why I inject it from time to time with shows by foreign artists.”

She has dead-on taste in art. Perhaps her sharp curatorial instincts are hereditary. Her aunt ran a gallery in Syria and her forward thinking mother founded Green Art Gallery in 1995, which was then located beside the Dubai Zoo on Beach Road in Jumeirah.

“When you see photographs of the gallery’s first openings, they were packed,” Yasmin reminisces across her cluttered desk. “It was the place to be in town. People nowadays don’t know that there was already an arts scene in Dubai decades ago.”

After her mother passed away, Yasmin took charge of Green Art in 2008, relocated it to Alserkal Avenue and revamped the programme.

“I knew that I wanted to work with a younger generation who were more contemporary, though I was keen on maintaining a historic link to the modern masters (such as Fateh Moudarres) whom the gallery once represented,” she says. “I don’t believe that one should disregard history.”

Artists represented today include Palestine’s Shadi Habib Allah, whose practice transverses mediums, and Seher Shah, who is known for her architectural investigations. Green Art Gallery is a fixture on the global art fair circuit, including Basel, Brussels, Art Dubai and others. Look out for the Kamrooz Aram solo show and launch of Palimpsest: Unstable Paintings for Anxious Interiors, a related monograph to coincide with his Abraaj Group Art Prize at this year’s Art Dubai. gagallery.com

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She haS dead-on taSte in art. PerhaPS her SharP curatorial inStinctS are hereditary. her aunt ran a gallery in Syria

Open skies / March 2014

and her forward thinking mother founded green art gallery in 1995

Dubai World Cup The richest day in racing at Meydan Racecourse

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briefing FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature celebrates historical literature CITY GUIDE: Our guide to exploring the region surrounding the city of Boston ROUTEmAp: Discover the world as connected by Emirates

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news

HORSE RACING FANS ARE GEARING UP for the richest race day in

the world, with the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse set to take place this month.

With prize money for the day totalling US$27.25 million – the highlight being the US$10 million Dubai World Cup race – the UAE’s biggest sporting and social event of the year is the spectacular culmination of the three-month long Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Ticket holders gain exclusive admission to the opening ceremony as well as the post-race Dubai World Cup concert featuring world-renowned recording artists.

But it’s not just the horses that are competing as The Jaguar Style Stakes awards give the best-dressed attendees a chance to win a Jaguar F-Type for a year.

Gates open at 2pm on March 29th. dubairacingclub.com

What is Thanks A Million?

It is a fundraising activity initiated by Emirates Skywards frequent flyer programme in 2001. The event is held on an annual basis in conjunction with the Dubai World Cup and consists of a raffle draw for which tickets are sold through a number of channels, both before and during the Dubai World Cup race day. The raffle has four main prizes, each consisting of Skywards Miles. The fourth prize of 250,000 Miles is awarded to an individual winner at Breakfast With The Stars, a prerace day event where select participants can observe the horses training. The remaining three prizes of 250,000 Miles, 500,000 Miles and a grand prize of 1,000,000 Miles are all awarded during the main race day. The draw is open to everyone and is not limited to members of the Emirates Skywards frequent flyer programme.

What is the objective of the event?

All money raised through ticket sales has been donated to a number of preselected local and international charities over the years. In 2014, donations will be given to Emirates Airline Foundation to support its projects around the world. Since Thanks A Million began, more than US$865,000 has been donated to a number of charities.

UAE GREEN FESTIVAL THE UAE IS HOSTING A GREEN FESTIVAL AS PART OF A CELEBRATION

of sustainable living in the emirates.

Held from March 16 to April 16, a programme of events, initiatives and conferences will showcase how being green can be fun and rewarding.

Participants will be given a

first-hand experience of many aspects of green living, including green shopping, green tours, green menus, eco-art, eco-fashion and a green auto show.

The festival will also provide government bodies and private entities with a platform to exchange knowledge and discuss issues

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related to sustainable development.

More information on the festival, and the conferences taking place during it, which include the International Sustainable Transportation Conference, the GCC Ecotourism Conference and Greenovation, is available online. uaegreenfestival.com

Images: NevIlle Hopwood

ENTER THE THANKS A MILLION RAFFLE

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Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O Box 116957, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 323 0000 Fax: +971 4 323 0003 reservation@emiratesgrandhotel.com www.emiratesgrandhotel.com

briefing

news EMIRATES WOLGAN VALLEY NAMEd TOP HOTEL IN AUSTRALIA

EMIRATES WOLGAN VALLEY RESORT & SPA has been named the Top

Hotel in Australia in TripAdvisor’s 2014 Travellers’ Choice Awards.

The resort, located in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area of New South Wales, headed the list of Australian hotels compiled for the 12th year of the awards in which the world’s most outstanding properties compete.

Joost Heymeijer, general manager of Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, said the team behind the property were thrilled to receive “this highly sought after accolade for the second

year running”, as well as being “honoured to be recognised by our guests who took the time to share their feedback on TripAdvisor”.

“Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is a very special place where we combine absolute luxury with an equally strong focus on sustainability,” he said.

“Our commitment to operating as a carbon-neutral resort and our ongoing conservation efforts, together with our unique blend of native Australian wildlife, dramatic natural beauty, seclusion, heritage, and outstanding local food and wine has clearly resonated with

Australian and international visitors alike.”

Heymeijer added he looked forward to welcoming guests in 2014, which is shaping up to be a big year for the resort with numerous special events taking place.

Travellers’ Choice award winners were determined based on the reviews and opinions of millions of TripAdvisor travellers around the globe.

Travellers can also follow the conversation on Twitter at #travellerschoice. wolganvalley.com

Perfect timing Don’t miss your next Emirates flight. Make sure you get to your boarding gate on time.

Boarding starts 45 minutes before your flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If you report late we will not be able to accept you for travel.

Thank you for your cooperation.

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Bold.pdf

BRIEFING

NEWS HISTORIANS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT LIT FEST

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THE SIXTH EMIRATES AIRLINE FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE IS SET TO showcase some of the world’s leading historians,

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who will share their views in talks and panel discussions.

The programme includes sessions with former BBC chief news correspondent Kate Adie, UK politician Lord Paddy Ashdown and British broadcast journalist Jeremy Paxman.

The festival, to be held from March 4th to 8th at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, will also host local authors Ali Alsaloom, David Heard and Frauke Heard-Bey. Lord Ashdown will discuss his book A Brilliant Little Operation: The Cockleshell Heroes, which outlines the daring Cockleshell raid of 1942. He gives an impartial assessment of the operation while describing the heroics of the soldiers and underscoring the more faulty aspects of the operation.

Paxman will talk about "getting beneath the skin" of politicians and celebrities, and challenging modern assumptions about the First World War in his book Great Britain’s Great War. Other highlights include Alsaloom, Heard and Heard-Bey discussing what has facilitated the vast changes in the UAE, while award-winning Irish writer John Boyne and romantic novelist Rachel Hore consider the draw of history in fiction-writing.

As a celebration of International Women’s Day, festival favourite Adie, Georgina Howell and Christina Lamb will review the changes that have occurred in women’s lives in the past 100 years and ponder what remains to be done to allow half the world’s population the chance to achieve their full potential.

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emirateslitfest.com

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City Guide Boston and Beyond Emirates' new Boston route begins operation this month.

Enjoy our guide to the city and surrounding area endangered North Atlantic whale are almost guaranteed. There is also a vibrant arts community in Provincetown, which is home to many of the Cape's most popular art museums. And with almost 900 miles of coastline, beach lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to public and private beaches.

nantUCKet WHILe tHe Many deLIgHts oF Boston WILL KeeP vIsItoRs enteRtaIned and oCCUPIed, there

are numerous destinations nearby that are well worth a visit. Whether it’s sampling the sweet maple syrup of Vermont or whale watching in Cape Cod, Boston remains an ideal base for a wider tour of America’s spectacular northeast.

CaPe Cod Known for its shellfish and lobsters, Cape Cod, in the state of Massachusetts, is a foodie’s dream, but there is far more to explore besides fresh sea fare. Whale hunting fleets are now whale watching fleets, and sightings of humpback whale, fin whale, minke whale, sei whale or the critically

This island 50 miles south of Cape Cod is a tourist hotspot and during the summer months the population more than quadruples.

As a National Historic Landmark District, Nantucket boasts some of the finest surviving architectural examples of late 18th- and early 19th-century New England seaport towns.

And while it is certainly a playground for the rich and famous, it also provides accommodation and activities to suit all budgets.

veRMont Famed for its maple syrup, the state of Vermont is also a winter sport enthusiast’s paradise, as well as a popular destination for the famed American summer camps. Fishing

is a major pastime, and whether it’s trout, lake or ice fishing on your to-do list, there will be an expert on hand to get you started. Recently there has been a rise in the number of quality boutique hotels and spas in Vermont, and these serve as ideal bases for visitors looking to enjoy the historic sites, museums, golf courses and shops.

MoUnt WasHIngton The highest peak in northeast America, Mount Washington, in the state of New Hampshire, is famed for its incredibly erratic weather (until 2010, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust measured at the Earth's surface, with a reading of 270kph).

Located in the Presidential Range, visitors can still experience the world’s first mountain-climbing railroad, which opened in 1869.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway carries passengers up a three-mile-long trestle to the 1,900m summit. Winter sports dominate the activities, but there are plenty of opportunities for golf, tennis and more in the surrounding area.

Starting March 10th, Emirates flies non-stop daily to Boston.

PoPULatIon: Approximately 636,000 as of 2012 HIstoRICaL FaCt: European settlers first called Boston Trimountaine, due to three prominent mountains in the area, but later renamed it Boston after Boston in England where prominent colonists had originated Most FaMoUs CItIZen: President John F Kennedy, who lived in Brookline on the western edge of Boston for the first 10 years of his life WHat Is Boston FaMoUs FoR? Many regard Boston as the birthplace of the American Revolution, citing events such as the Boston Tea Party dId yoU KnoW? Boston was the first city in the US to have a subway system WHat to eat: Head to the Union Oyster House, the oldest operating restaurant in the US, to sample oysters on the half-shell or the famous New England clam chowder

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• • • • • • • •

Contract Drafting & Review Business Setup , Offshore & Free Zone Companies Corporate & Commercial Legal Services Litigation & Arbitration Debt Collection Banking, Insurance & Maritime Cases Real Estate, Construction & Labor Cases Trademarks, Patents & Copyrights

‫ﺻﻴﺎﻏﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻮﺩ ﻭﻣﺮﺍﺟﻌﺘﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺗﺄﺳﻴﺲ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻷﻭﻓﺸﻮﺭ ﻭﺍﳌﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺍﳊﺮﺓ‬ ‫ﺍﳋﺪﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﻓﺮﺍﺩ ﻭﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻘﺎﺿﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻜﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﲢﺼﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻮﻙ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺄﻣﲔ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﺔ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﳌﻘﺎﻭﻻﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻘﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺎﺭﻳﺔ ﻭﺑﺮﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﺮﺍﻉ ﻭﺣﻘﻮﻕ ﺍﳌﺆﻟﻒ‬

• • • • • • • •

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DIFC Tel: +971 4 4019562 difc@emiratesadvocates.com

WITH AFFILIATE OFFICES IN SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT AND OMAN

FOR 24 HOUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL +971 (50) 328 99 99

briefing

Comfort

Wellness in the air

To help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips. Regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you enjoy your journey and time on board with Emirates today.

smart traveller

Drink plentY of Water Rehydrate with water or juices frequently.

Drink tea and coffee in moderation.

travel lightlY Carry only the essential items that you will need during your flight.

Before Your JourneY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or if you suffer from a respiratory or cardiovascular condition.

Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications?

Get a good night’s rest before the flight.

Eat lightly and sensibly.

Wear glasses Cabin air is drier than normal, therefore swap your contact lenses for glasses.

at the airport Allow yourself plenty of time for check-in.

Avoid carrying heavy bags through the airport and onto the flight as this can place the body under considerable stress.

Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.

use skin moisturiser Apply a good quality moisturiser to ensure your skin doesn’t dry out.

keep moving Exercise your lower legs and calf muscles.

This encourages blood flow.

During the flight Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent.

Babies and young passengers may suffer more acutely with popping ears, therefore consider providing a dummy.

Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently.

Avoid sleeping for long periods in the same position.

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make Yourself comfortaBle Loosen clothing, remove jacket and avoid anything pressing against your body.

When You arrive Try some light exercise, or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.

briefing

Visas & UaE smart GatE Guide to us customs & immiGration Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs form will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.

CUSTomS DEClArATIon Form

electronic system for travel authorisation (esta) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure.

esta facts:

All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs Declaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only.

The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.

Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending.

A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport.

apply online at www.cbp.Gov/esta nationalities eliGible for the visa waiver*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, latvia, liechtenstein, lithuania, luxemburg, malta, monaco, The netherlands, new Zealand, norway, Portugal, San marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom**

* subject to chanGe ** only british citizens qualify under the visa waiver proGramme.

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BE SMART!

NATIONALITIES THAT CAN USE UAE SMART GATES

USE UAE SMART GATE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN SECONDS AND GET YOUR VISIT TO DUBAI OFF TO A FLYING START Citizens of the countries listed to the right and UAE residents can speed through Dubai International Airport by using UAE Smart Gate.

If you hold a machine readable passport, UAE Emirates ID card or E-Gate card you can check in and out of the airport within seconds.

Just look out for signs that will direct you to the many UAE Smart Gates found on either side of the Immigration Hall at Dubai International Airport.

USING UAE SMART GATE IS EASY

1

Have your UAE Emirates ID card, E-Gate card or machine-readable passport ready to be scanned

Place your passport photo page on the scanner. If you are a UAE resident, you can scan your UAE Emirates ID card.

If you have an E-Gate card place it into the E-Gate slot

2 3

OK!

Go through the open gate, stand in the blue footprint guide on the floor, face the camera straight-on and remain still for your iris scan. When finished, the next set of gates will open and you can proceed to baggage claim

UAE

ANDORRA

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRIA

BAHRAIN

BELGIUM

BRUNEI

CANADA

DENMARK

FINLAND

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

ICELAND

IRELAND

ITALY

JAPAN

KUWAIT

LICHTENSTEIN

LUXEMBOURG

MALAYSIA

MONACO

NETHERLANDS

NEW ZEALAND

NORWAY

OMAN

PORTUGAL

QATAR

SAN MARINO

SAUDI ARABIA

SINGAPORE

SOUTH KOREA

SPAIN

SWEDEN

SWITZERLAND

*UK

USA

*UK citizens only (UK overseas citizens still require a visa)

REGISTERING FOR UAE SMART GATE IS EASY

To register, just follow the above process and then spend a few moments having your details validated by an Immigration officer. That’s it! Every time you fly to Dubai in future, you will be out of the airport and on your way just minutes after you landed.

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UAE SMART GATE CAN BE USED BY:

Machine readable passports from the above countries UAE Emirates ID cards E-Gate cards

ROUTE MAP

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NEW ROUTES:

Boston: from March 10, 2014 Kano/Abuja: from August 1, 2014

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ROUTE MAP

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After you touch down, let the journey continue with Europcar.

Discover the ultimate car rental experience with Europcar. To begin with, we have an extensive fleet of the latest cars. Our car rental locations are spread across the UAE, ensuring easy access to world-class services.

Our team of well-trained, professional chauffeurs makes your experience doubly delightful. Our Chauffeur Service caters to all airport and business travel requirements of executive travellers like you – no matter whether it is a transfer, day trip or travel for several days. Go ahead, celebrate every ride with Europcar.

• 24 hours Chauffeur Service • Well-maintained vehicles to ensure safety • Airport transfer services • Short and long-term rental • International car hire booking • ISO certified company For booking please call 00971 4 3381600 or reservations@europcar.ae For all other inquiries mkt@europcar.ae

ROUTE MAP

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the FLeet

Our fleet contains 217 aircraft made up of 205 passenger aircraft and 12 cargo aircraft

Boeing 777-300eR

Number of Aircraft: 93 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m

Boeing 777-300

Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m

Boeing 777-200LR

Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m

Boeing 777-200

Number of Aircraft: 9 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m

Boeing 777F

Number of Aircraft: 10 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m For more information: emirates.com/ourfleet

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Airbus A380-800

Number of Aircraft: 47 Capacity: 489-517 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m

Airbus A340-500

Number of Aircraft: 9 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m

Airbus A340-300

Number of Aircraft: 4 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m

Airbus A330-200

Number of Aircraft: 21 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m

boeing 747-400erF

Number of Aircraft: 2 Range:9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m Aircraft numbers as of March 2014

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last look

Taipei SUN HAO WIE 27, BUSINESSMAN, CHONg CHENg, TAIpEI

IMAGE: MELODIE JENG, THENYCSTREETS.COM

I don’t live in central Taipei. I live in Hsin Dian, in New Taipei City.

But I work for a pharmaceutical company in Hsin Chu, and I’m here on Chong Ching Road, in the Chong Cheng district, on business – visiting my clients.

I was born here in Taipei, and I have stayed here because the Taiwanese are lovely, friendly people. I don’t mind this district, but my favourite area of Taipei is Tien Mu. Taipei is very crowded, especially this area, which is near the Presidential Palace. Tien Mu is much more easy-going and laid-back, and not as crowded. I work, I am a businessman, so I have to dress more formally, but I also don’t want people to look at me as a very formal type, so I also choose semi-casual. I read fashion magazines, and I just pick out what I like.

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