Alexandra Munroe will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin to Abu Dhabi Art. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Art
Alexandra Munroe will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin to Abu Dhabi Art. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Art
Alexandra Munroe will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin to Abu Dhabi Art. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Art
Alexandra Munroe will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin to Abu Dhabi Art. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Art

Guggenheim Museum’s Alexandra Munroe leads curator announcement for Abu Dhabi Art

Alexandra Munroe will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin for a new section of the capital’s art fair called Gateway.

Anna Seaman

July 14, 2016

  • English
  • Arabic

One of the senior curators from New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation is on board for a new project as part of Abu Dhabi Art.

Alexandra Munroe, a specialist in contemporary art from Asia and well known for organising the first American retrospectives for leading artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Lee Ufan, will bring the work of pioneering Beijing-based artist Gu Dexin for a new section of the capital’s art fair called Gateway.

Gu’s installations often use organic material left to deform over time and ask the audience to consider the aspect of decay in our life. Munroe will curate the exhibition of his work and is one of five curators brought in to oversee different sections of the fair under the new banner.

“The curated series of exhibitions and programme will bring diverse perspectives on global trends to an inspiring schedule of cultural engagement,” says Rita Aoun-Abdo, executive director of the culture sector at Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. “This edition [of the fair] will present a unique curatorial programme, transforming the concept of Abu Dhabi Art to a place of discovery and discourse, reflecting the exceptional calibre of contemporary cultural practice for which [the fair] is renowned for.”

From the Abu Dhabi Project of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Reem Fadda, who specialises in Middle Eastern Art will curate a newly formulated initiative called Majlis Fann, which will take the form of a cultural salon, where over 100 international and regional artists, curators, gallerists, collectors, museum directors, writers, and various cultural practitioners will be invited to participate through live interviews that will be streamed to the rest of the world.

Long-term Abu Dhabi Art collaborator Fabrice Bousteau is back this year to organise the public art programme and installing large scale works across the fair and Tarek Abou El Fetouh will also return to curate the performance art programme called Durub Al Tawaya.

Catherine David, a prominent French curator and deputy director of the National Museum of Modern Art (Musée National d’Art Moderne) at Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou and who has worked with TCA Abu Dhabi for many years has been brought in to oversee an exhibition of modern Arab art from the second half of the twentieth century.

• Abu Dhabi Art will take place from November 16-19 on Manarat Al Saadiyat. For more info visit www.abudhabiart.ae

aseaman@thenational.ae

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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

You might also like
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

War and the virus
More from Con Coughlin
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
%3Cp%3ECreated%20by%3A%20Darren%20Star%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Lily%20Collins%2C%20Philippine%20Leroy-Beaulieu%2C%20Ashley%20Park%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%202.75%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Abu DhabiArtAbu Dhabi Art