We took our places in the line, later realising the guys in front of us carried the same piece of paper. Turns out it was a contract we had to sign (and obtain from a table across the photobooth), allowing the organisers to use our portraits for any future purposes.
Our turn came and Chris and I suddenly argued about who should go first. "You do it," I told him, hiding my eagerness and excitement. "You were the one who dragged me here in the first place."
"But I hate having my photo taken," he said.
The guy manning the booth laughed at us, but also looked annoyed. I handed him my contract and went inside the booth that was unexpectedly so tiny, like half the size of those regular instant photo thingamajigs.
"Ready?" the guy says. "Five seconds, look straight to the screen."
Just like that. Seconds later, a portrait of my gigantic half-surprised half-smirking face was falling from the sky, like a present from heaven. It came out from a thin horizontal opening at the top part of the photobooth, the sheets of paper churned out by what I assume to be a massive printer (or the artist JR himself!?) installed inside.
Chris got his and we spent the next few minutes mocking each other's faces and unsuccessfully rolling our sheets (one family of four came prepared with rubber bands - something tells me this is a second trip; they also had the same goofy expression on their portraits - something tells me they will be framed and hung at home).
We then headed to check out the other pieces on exhibit - you know, to make ourselves believe we didn't go all the way there just for a portrait.
"I think I want another photo," I told Chris, disturbing his contemplative viewing of a video art piece. "This time I want to look fun, like that family back there."
He obliged and we went back to the foyer, where behold, two dozen people snaked around the cube.
We headed to Chris's flat instead and hung his portrait on the front door.
* Want your own massive portrait? Head on over to Emirati Expressions, which closes its doors today at 8pm. Free and open to the public. (Oh, and apple crumble fans, Fanr restaurant closes at midnight. They also serve a mean fatouche halloumi salad. And a chorizo pasta dish. And a mouthwatering lamb tagine. Sigh.)
