Graffiti on a temporary construction site in Dubai, penned by the artist Arcadia Blank. Courtesy Arcadia Blank
Graffiti on a temporary construction site in Dubai, penned by the artist Arcadia Blank. Courtesy Arcadia Blank
Graffiti on a temporary construction site in Dubai, penned by the artist Arcadia Blank. Courtesy Arcadia Blank
Graffiti on a temporary construction site in Dubai, penned by the artist Arcadia Blank. Courtesy Arcadia Blank

One artist is altering the Dubai street scene


  • English
  • Arabic

It started in Al Barsha: the appearance of quippy one-liners written in black pen on corrugated iron, security guard huts and concrete blocks.

"Metatron is bored", "Quarantine that dream" and "Modernity is melting" are just some of the cryptic musings that have begun springing up around town.

The author of these textual tags, identifiable by the little chunky triangle drawn beneath, has become more daring, steadily swapping the quiet streets around Barsha for more exposed areas. Construction site gangways on Sheikh Zayed Road and wooden boards shielding in-development buildings are being emblazoned with writings that each share a sardonic, semi-didactic tone. Commuters heading to Dubai Media City pass six huge concrete slabs that have the letters EVOLVE written on them in shaky pen.

Take this one, spotted on the more quiet villa-lined streets in Umm Suqeim: "The world's gone from blue and green to black and yellow." It is written on to boards that hide a large, new concrete building. We have to assume this is not a reference to the US rapper Wiz Khalifa's song Black and Yellow, but instead a rebuke for the colours of construction encroaching on pristine landscapes everywhere.

These tags may cerebrally be a cut above "Mahmood woz 'ere", but any graffiti is very much frowned upon under UAE law. In this case, the writer has been targeting temporary architecture around town, meaning that his or her work is likely to be removed. But Major Saeed Abdullah of the Dubai Police explains that it's still not allowed: "I think he will need to get permission both from the construction company and the municipality."

Until now, the prolific writer has kept well under the radar, but a blog did appear a few weeks ago showing some of the work. From there, TheNational managed to track down an email address.

"Art here is pretty much limited to designated places, fairs and galleries and there still aren't really that many bridges that connect the public to that art world," said the artist "Arcadia Blank" in response to our email. "Street art can be one of those bridges. Although the art scene here is growing, it still focuses most of its attention (and money) on the international art circuit instead of investing in its own artistic development at a local community level.

"I think as long as street art in Dubai does not disrespect or insult the local culture or the authorities, it can take things to an exciting new level. I also think it's a natural part of any city's growth."

Arcadia Blank's work is far removed from the colourful, mural-esque style of graffiti that has proliferated internationally over the past 30 years. Its scratchy, bold simplicity is more akin to the Netherlands-based artist Laser 3.14, who also makes use of temporary construction sites around Amsterdam to scrawl cryptic, semi-didactic texts.

Asked why she/he writes solely on walls and surfaces that will one day be removed, Arcadia Blank says: "Mainly because I have absolutely no intention of breaking the law."

But the artist continues: "Since the mid-1990s, construction sites have become an undeniable part of the new Dubai landscape. Following the global credit crisis in 2008, many projects got cancelled and the city became full of these abandoned plots and half-built buildings that are just lifeless. With that in mind, temporary construction elements seem a much more appropriate canvas than someone's finished private property.

"I need and want to see signs of humanity around me - I think it's only natural. The open environment in Dubai is so commercial and corporatised that some people actually thought what I was doing was some kind of viral [advertising] campaign. That goes to show what the environment can do to your thought processes."

Adam Hardy is the curator at Cuadro Fine Art Gallery in DIFC, and has brought a number of street artists to Dubai for exhibitions. "Arcadia Blank's work is ultimately out of context in Dubai society - this is what gives it such a spotlight and can make it interesting.

"If we were to see this in New York, London or Berlin, it would melt into the environment of that particular city and we wouldn't see this as such a 'new' style or stop to read it, as this would be not as novel and would probably be covered over with the next 'throw up' in no time."

But Hardy does acknowledge the spirit of the work. "I guess the works are interfering with a society that has been lulling us to sleep with its purring machines - a sort of Barbara Kruger meets Banksy meets Jenny Holzer idea.

"Some of these quotes were specifically made for mass-audience films, but taken out of context and thrown up on the wall, they appear more aggressive."

To see more, visit arcadiaon.tumblr.com

Western Clubs Champions League:

  • Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
  • Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
  • Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Griselda
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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

La Mer lowdown

La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
 

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Power: 295bhp

Torque: 353Nm

Price: Dh155,000

On sale: now 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”

November 26:  ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’

SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Brief scoreline:

Al Wahda 2

Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'

Al Nassr 3

Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'

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

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A