If one word will remain on the lips of visitors long after the eighth edition of Abu Dhabi Art, which closed on Saturday, it is probably “bananas”.
An installation consisting of thousands of bananas, arranged in a rectangle on the floor at the annual art fair, provoked plenty of reactions on social media – and not everyone was happy.
There were many joyful photos of people happily eating the bananas, as they were encouraged to do, and even a few humorous ones, such as an art dealer from New York and his friends pretending the fruit were mobile phones.
However, there were also posts from people who were upset about the issue of food waste. The most widely circulated, titled Food For Thought, featured two small children in chains, lying on bare earth in front of a sea of bananas.
Although the art fair’s organisers said in advance that the leftover bananas would be donated to the Emirates Zoo, the fact that food was being used in art, in such a large quantity, did not sit well with some observers.
The artist behind the work, Gu Dexin, from China, is known for using perishable materials in his work. He once filled Venice’s casino with coffins full of rotting meat, and his works pointedly address the almost absurd obsession we have with consumption, as well as humanity’s uncanny ability to destroy our environment.
One could argue that the response his work has generated is precisely the reaction he was after. People are talking, thinking and arguing – no change ever came about without a reaction.
“This artwork was a participatory piece with which you are invited to come, eat a banana and return the skin to the pile or place it in one of the urns alongside,” says Abu Dhabi Art organiser Michelle Farrell. “A successful piece of art is one that engages the public – and this installation certainly did that.”
The installation was one of several memorable pieces included in the fair’s newest section, Gateway, an umbrella term for the curated sections.
Also on display under this banner was (Re)-Birth, an exhibition curated by Fabrice Bousteau. Along with several of the larger art works installed for the fair, (Re)-Birth will remain at Manarat Al Saadiyat until January, so if you missed it during the main event at the weekend, make sure you visit.
It includes some excellent content, although the labels describing the works are on sheets of A4 paper tacked to the wall, which gave the impression it had been somewhat thrown together.
Included are Emirati artist Zeinab Al Hashemi’s kaleidoscopic composite images of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, revealing the complex structures underlying these cities. Their inclusion, alongside a map from internationally renowned Palestinian- Lebanese artist Mona Hatoum, is quite a coup for Al Hashemi, who has enjoyed meteoric success in recent years.
Kader Attia, who won France’s most prestigious art award, the Prix Marcel Duchamp last month, also has a wonderful piece on show. It is a box-like structure that seems to be under construction, with debris on the floor and a hole in the outer wall. Viewers are invited to enter a dark room where they find a beautiful stained-glass window.
Also part of Gateway was Xavier Mascaro's Departure, which consisted of 26 sculptures of ships. The work was previously displayed at Warehouse 421 and was part of the fair's ongoing effort to interact with people and organisations across the city.
“We have worked hard at extending the programme in terms of time and outreach beyond Saadiyat Island,” says Farrell.
One of the most direct ways of doing this was the street-art programme, with local artists commissioned to paint on huge shipping containers placed at locations around the city, including Warehouse 421, Yas Mall and the Corniche.
It was a shame that the artists were not painting live at these venues, but it is nonetheless a commendable idea, and adds a much-needed level of engagement with the public.
The fair’s performing-arts programme, Durub Al Tawaya, which is now in its fourth year, has grown so much that it is almost a festival in its own right.
Its curator, Tarek Abou El Fetouh, put together another innovative programme. A highlight was Raed Yassin, a Lebanese experimental artist, who performed with Emirati musicians.
Those at the fair on Thursday were treated to another kind of performance – from Nja Mahdaoui, one of the world’s most important calligraphy artists. This Tunisian master is often referred to as “the choreographer of letters”, and watching him make swirling brushstrokes, accompanied by live music, was a rare treat.
From a logistical point of view, there were a few things that the fair’s organisers could have worked on, like having to show your ticket every time you enter one of the gallery halls and the placing of some of the media- partner booths.
But these are minor quibbles – all in all, this year’s Abu Dhabi Art was one of the best to date.
“We’ve had really great feedback and many more collectors and VIPs came this year, which only helps to cement and establish the fair and bring it to its maturity,” says Farrell.
aseaman@thenational.ae
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The%20specs
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FOOTBALL TEST
Team X 1 Team Y 0
Scorers
Red card
Man of the Match
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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