Spinning Dolphin Stool by multidisciplinary artist Saghi Behfar is made from recycled aluminium cans. Photo: Elect Advertising
Spinning Dolphin Stool by multidisciplinary artist Saghi Behfar is made from recycled aluminium cans. Photo: Elect Advertising
Spinning Dolphin Stool by multidisciplinary artist Saghi Behfar is made from recycled aluminium cans. Photo: Elect Advertising
Spinning Dolphin Stool by multidisciplinary artist Saghi Behfar is made from recycled aluminium cans. Photo: Elect Advertising

Acrobatic spinner dolphin found in Arabian Gulf waters inspires sculpture on show at Christie’s Dubai


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Zahra Ebrahimi Behfar, who goes by Saghi, spent her days walking along the shores and swimming among the mangroves of Qeshm, an Iran-governed island in the northern Gulf.

“I would encounter aluminium cans scattered across the sand or floating in the sea,” she tells The National. This is what inspired her latest work, Spinning Dolphin Stool, a sculptural seat made from recycled cans, which will be on show from Wednesday at Christie’s Dubai.

“The process began long before the physical work took shape,” says Behfar, who is an interior designer and creative partner at Element Curations, an art consultancy with services in Italy and the UAE, where she now lives. She started by collecting the cans herself while out on her walks and swims, but soon the community joined in. “People began saving cans for me,” she says. “I knew from the beginning I wanted to create a collection inspired by the anatomy, movement and spirit of marine creatures.”

The act of collecting was her way of turning passive observation into active engagement. She saw each dive, each piece of trash removed from the ocean, as a “small act of reciprocity in the greater cycle of the ecosystem”. A reminder that each of us has agency to protect the world around us.

Saghir Behfar hopes to develop the collection further and display all six pieces to the public in the UAE. Photo: Elect Advertising
Saghir Behfar hopes to develop the collection further and display all six pieces to the public in the UAE. Photo: Elect Advertising

Spinning Dolphin Stool is inspired by the spinner dolphin, a species known for its acrobatic spins above the water. Behfar created it by 3D-printing the form using recycled plastic to design a prototype. She then made a mould from that model, which was used to cast the final version in recycled aluminium.

“Every step was intentionally chosen to reduce environmental impact while honouring the material’s origin – waste transformed into a vessel of awareness,” says Behfar.

It is one of six pieces in a collection inspired by the Gulf’s native marine life, including the hammerhead and blacktip sharks, and the humpback whale.

“Each creature represents a part of our shared ecosystem and our forgotten connection to it,” she says. This desire to emphasise our link to our environment, as well as our collective human responsibility to preserve it, underpins the pieces.

While the series is not yet fully realised, Behfar is hoping to bring the pieces in conversation with each other in a gallery or public space soon. “The Gulf, in particular, has always been a platform for life. People would sail to trade goods like spices, dates and fabrics. They dived for pearls. They went fishing to feed their families. These waters connected distant cultures and economies – they were a lifeline. The spinner dolphins are part of that same ecosystem.”

The artist says it's important to protect and respect our water bodies and the species, including Gulf-native spinner dolphins, that live in them. Photo: Jackson Kowalski / Pacific Whale Foundation / AFP
The artist says it's important to protect and respect our water bodies and the species, including Gulf-native spinner dolphins, that live in them. Photo: Jackson Kowalski / Pacific Whale Foundation / AFP

It's a step away from the artist’s usual oeuvre, which has always been steeped in community research, but was less personal and transformative. Her work is informed by the layers of culture, nature and history, inspired by “unheard voices and forgotten stories that have quietly shaped our present”. Yet this latest project emerged not only from research, but also her own lived experience. “The connection I formed with the sea and the mangrove forests during the quiet of the pandemic was not just inspiring, it was transformative,” she says. “Every morning I woke up thinking: ‘How can I give something back?’”

In-depth research into each species and the marine environment at large was still integral to her creative process. Now she hopes to take this further as she develops the collection by working with UAE organisations that focus on the country’s environmental, cultural and ecological landscapes. “What I feel most urgently is the need to slow down and go deeper,” she adds. “To research more about our environmental and cultural heritage, to listen to the stories that live in the landscape, in the sea, and in the people who’ve been shaped by both.”

Ultimately, Spinning Dolphin Stool is not about a dolphin or a stool, adds Behfar. “It’s about the sea that has always carried our stories, our food, our dreams and our futures. The Gulf has long been a living bridge between people, languages and histories, and I want viewers to feel how much we owe to it, and how fragile that connection has become.”

Other pieces include Humpback Whale, which has been designed as bench. Behfar envisions it will sit along the UAE coastline, allowing people to take a seat as they look out at the Arabian Gulf, “not only to offer a place of rest, but also to carry the weight of the story”.

The blacktip shark is among the largest shark species commonly found in Arabian Gulf waters. Photo: ARCOF Schneider
The blacktip shark is among the largest shark species commonly found in Arabian Gulf waters. Photo: ARCOF Schneider

Blacktip Shark, meanwhile, is a public light sculpture that blends form and function. “Inspired by the shores of the Gulf, it’s designed to live in harmony with the land that shaped it, serving as a reminder of how deeply our urban lives are connected to nature, even in the most everyday things.”

In this way, all artists should start to see their individual practices as part of a larger ecosystem, she believes. “We are now at a critical threshold. If we don’t act, if we don’t tell these stories, protect these spaces or offer something back to the future, there may not be much left to pass on.”

The Bio

Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959

Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.

He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses

Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas

His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s

Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business

He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery 

Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all

Zidane's managerial achievements

La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

While you're here
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Brief scores

Barcelona 2

Pique 36', Alena 87'

Villarreal 0

How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai

Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:

• Dubai Marina

The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739 
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960 
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104

• Downtown

Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure.  “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154

• City Walk

The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena.  “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809 
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052 
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210 

• Jumeirah Lake Towers

Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629 
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818 
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941

• Palm Jumeirah

Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.

Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770 
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002 
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152 

Afghanistan squad

Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

UAE Falcons

Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.

 
Dunki
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rajkumar%20Hirani%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Taapsee%20Pannu%2C%20Vikram%20Kochhar%20and%20Anil%20Grover%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare

Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.

The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Price, base: Dh1,731,672

Engine: 6.5-litre V12

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm

Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm

Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km

THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

Updated: June 11, 2025, 4:56 AM`