KEITH HARING. Elvis Presley. Courtesy of Keith Haring Foundation
KEITH HARING. Elvis Presley. Courtesy of Keith Haring Foundation

Our top international exhibitions this week: a feast of art in London and much more



Explore how new media has changed photography

Today, with digital cameras and social media sites such as Instagram, photography has become one of the most accessible media in art. This development is at the centre of an engaging exhibition in Singapore. Divided into three sections, it looks at how artists explore cultural, political and social landscapes. The exhibition features work from Liana Yang, Yaya Sung and Gary-Ross Pastrana. Still Moving: A Triple Bill on the Image runs at the Singapore Art Museum until February 8. For more information visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg.

Round off the month with a feast of art in London

Featuring 128 galleries from across the world, the London Art Fair is the perfect way to round off the month. From art to photography to talks, organisers say the fair provides a supportive environment for collectors of all levels. Talks this year include one on effective art collecting. Along with the main fair, there are also two curated sections focusing on younger galleries and contemporary sections – Art Projects and Photo50. The London Art Fair runs from January 21 to 25. For more information visit www.londonartfair.co.uk.

Discover El Greco’s influence on modern painting

Parts of the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich will be closed until 2017 for renovations, but El Greco’s The Disrobing of Christ has moved to the Pinakothek Der Moderne museum for an exhibition that captures the effect he had on the Expressionists. This painting will now stand alongside works from the museum’s collection by artists such as Heinrich Maria Davringhausen, Robert Delaunay, Adriaan Korteweg, Franz Marc and Max Oppenheimer. El Greco Expressive runs until April 12. For more information visit www.pinakothek.de.

Mane points for safe home colouring
  • Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
  • Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
  • When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
  • Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
  • If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
COMPANY PROFILE

Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)

Company Profile

Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

Brief scoreline:

Wolves 3

Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45'+2

Arsenal 1

Papastathopoulos 80'

Company Profile

Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT

Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km