The pandemic has raised new questions for various professions and industries, including the arts. How can artists produce and exhibit their works in a socially distanced world? What type of support do creative individuals and institutions need to keep going? How can art help process grief and crisis?
In the ongoing Art Amid Covid video series, 10 artists share their responses through interviews, discussing the pandemic and its impact on their practices.
Part of Abu Dhabi Festival’s Riwaq Al Fikr talks programme, Art Amid Covid consists of five episodes with artists such as Najat Makki, Michael Rice, Mattar Bin Lahej, Obaid AlBudoor and Azza Al Qubaisi, among others, who have been interviewed by curator Jalal Luqman.
The series was developed by Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (Admaf) and artistic director of Abu Dhabi Festival, along with the team behind the annual cultural event.
She established the foundation in 1996 before creating the festival eight years later. Since then, Abu Dhabi Festival has grown into a large cultural celebration that brings together musical performances and visual artists from the region.
Now Alkhamis-Kanoo talks about why the Art Amid Covid series is an important part of the festival and how it can amplify the voices of artists as they navigate a new reality in the art and culture sector.
What is the aim of the Art Amid Covid series?
Featuring interviews from Emirati and non-Emirati artists based in the UAE, the series captures how they have been affected by Covid-19 and how the importance of art to society may have changed in the context of the pandemic. The interviews explore how Covid-19 has affected the way artists work and how their art is experienced, discussing how the pandemic may have forever impacted the art industry.
Our ultimate aim is to keep the art and culture conversation alive and create a forum for artists to convey their experiences, showing that the arts will prevail in spite of the pandemic's impact.
Our ultimate aim is to keep the art and culture conversation alive and create a forum for artists to convey their experiences, showing that the arts will prevail in spite of the pandemic’s impact.
What audiences are you trying to reach with the series?
We hope the series resonates not only with artists and people working in the arts, but with all people. The benefits of art are vital to the well-being of everyone in a society, and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation's work is based on the value of art as an essential part of our human existence. The pandemic has only reinforced this, as art and culture content became essential to helping us all through lockdowns and isolation.
Why is it important to give the artists a voice through this series?
These conversations are vital to the arts and culture community in the UAE, and everywhere in the world, as we begin to understand what artists are going through and how we can best support them. It is important for the world to know how resilient artists have been in these difficult times. In the UAE, we have noticed strong support from our nation’s wise leadership, and from our people. We all have a responsibility to sustain the culture and creative industries now to ensure a progressive future.
Why is it important for events such as Abu Dhabi Festival to continue despite the pandemic?
Festivals and other cultural events are essential income for artists and are vital revenue for the economies of every nation. They are the cultural heart of strong communities, offering a place for both artists and the public to come together in celebration and support of the arts.
Art Amid Covid’s final episode will be released on Tuesday, February 23. Previous episodes can be found on Abu Dhabi Festival’s YouTube page and website. More information is available at abudhabifestival.ae
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: M'A Yaromoon, Jesus Rosales (jockey), Khalifa Al Neydai (trainer)
5.30pm: Khor Al Baghal – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: No Riesgo Al Maury, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Khor Faridah – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Mahmouda, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AS Jezan, George Buckell, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm: Khor Laffam – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Dolman, Antonio Fresu, Bhupath Seemar
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Wednesday's results
Finland 3-0 Armenia
Faroes Islands 1-0 Malta
Sweden 1-1 Spain
Gibraltar 2-3 Georgia
Romania 1-1 Norway
Greece 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Liechtenstein 0-5 Italy
Switzerland 2-0 Rep of Ireland
Israel 3-1 Latvia
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
