The Arts Club Dubai: Recent Episodes
The Arts Club Dubai
THE CULTURE COUNTER - Introducing you to some of the most interesting conversations and debates we have about the arts, from our region and beyond, right here from the heart of The Arts Club Dubai. The first international outpost of the historic London private members’ club, The Arts Club Dubai is located in DIFC’s ICD Brookfield Place. The Arts Club was founded in London in 1863 by men of vision, to be a haven for a community of people all connected by their love for the Arts. It has evolved to become a vibrant hub for creative and entrepreneurial members, providing an environment in which they can entertain, exchange ideas and participate in a rich cultural programme of events. The Arts Club Dubai shares this same vision, giving Dubai a unique concept for an extraordinary new membership. For more information, please visit www.theartsclub.ae
Step into the world of luxury and vision with Brunello Cucinelli in this exclusive fireside chat that marks his first appearance in Dubai. Discover the extraordinary journey of the man behind Italy’s iconic brand, as he shares how his personal values, family, and challenges shaped his philosophy of "Humanistic Capitalism." Get a rare glimpse into Cucinelli’s reflections on building a legacy, overcoming obstacles, and blending ethics with entrepreneurship.
Dr Jan Stritzke, a leading specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiology and Medical Director at the award-winning Austrian health resort, Lanserhof Sylt, shares valuable insights into the crucial link between gut health and longevity. He explains how a balanced gut microbiome affects digestive health, heart function, immunity, and ageing. Dr Stritzke provides practical tips on enhancing gut health through diet, lifestyle changes, and integrative medicine, all aimed at improving the quality of life and extending lifespan.
In recognition of World Mental Health Day, Dr. Saliha Afridi, founder of The LightHouse Arabia, leads the conversation focusing on the importance of mental health and wellbeing in today's fast-paced world. She explores the meaning of a healthy mind, common mental health challenges, and strategies for fostering resilience.
With this year’s theme centring on mental health in the workplace, the conversation, moderated by Scott Armstrong founder of mentl.space, provides valuable insights on managing stress, preventing burnout, and prioritising wellbeing at work.
In this special edition of A Founder’s Story, we are joined by the iconic designer Christian Louboutin for an insightful fireside chat, moderated by Ritu Upadhyay, Middle East Bureau Chief at WWD. Christian explores his personal and professional evolution, from the inception of his brand to its rise as a global fashion symbol.
Throughout the conversation, Christian shares key moments from his illustrious career; the successes and challenges he faced and the inspiring stories that shaped his path. The evening promises to offer unique insights into both the man behind the brand and the creative vision that defines it. Tune in for a captivating discussion with one of the world’s most renowned designers, as we celebrate his remarkable journey and lasting impact on fashion.
Gold stands as a cornerstone in the annals of currency, trade, and investment. Tracing its rich history unveils tales of civilizations, conquests, and economic transformations, showcasing its profound influence on human affairs. Today, amidst the complexities of modern finance, gold retains its allure as a strategic asset, sought after for its stability, diversification benefits, and hedge against economic uncertainties.
But how has this yellow metal sustained its value through time? And what does its future look like? This insightful discussion will explore The Royal Mint’s 1,100 year history and its venture into producing bespoke precious metals and the outlook for gold.
In recent years, there has been a notable resurgence of interest in plant-based remedies and traditional herbal medicine practices, driven in part by a societal shift towards holistic wellness intersecting with traditional knowledge and scientific advancements in the sector. But how can we navigate the integration of traditional plant-based medicine into modern healthcare systems? And how can we do it whilst respecting cultural heritage, indigenous rights and ensuring safety and efficacy for patients?
Moderator:
Shereen Al Mulla, cofounder Hikma Rituals & Master Herbalist
Panelists:
Mahdia El Jed, cofounder of Hikma Rituals
Ajmal Hasan,Head of Operations & Tourism Development
Abdullah Al Kaabi, Founder of ElBooma Films
Ahead of Art Dubai, Amelie von Wedel and Pernilla Holmes, Founder and Director of Wedel Art, art advisory firm and curators for The Arts Club London and Dubai, lead a discussion on the most interesting works capturing the attention of the art world now. They will also share some tips & tricks on art collecting, alongside their unique insights into emerging movements in a fluctuating contemporary market.
A conversation with Dustee Jenkins, Chief Public Affairs Officer at Spotify, exploring the latest trends and innovations coming out of the audio space. Diving into what this exciting future of audio represents to Arab creators and how streaming platforms like Spotify drive their discovery across borders.
In conversation with Stavros Antypas, Cultural Programme Manager at The Arts Club Dubai.
Dive into the intricate world of financial movements, where we unravel the past, scrutinise the present, and peek into the future of venture capital trends. Offering valuable perspectives on the venture capital landscape, courtesy of our distinguished speakers: Philip Bahoshy, CEO & founder of MAGNiTT, and Noor Sweid, the astute Founder and Managing Partner at Global Ventures.
As we unravel these intricacies we can't help but wonder: What are your predictions for the venture capital landscape in 2024?
With the conclusion of COP28 and the emergence of practical resolutions, we've evolved from an unequivocal rejection of fossil fuels to a commitment for transitioning away, tripling renewable energy, and enhancing climate finance for the most vulnerable. In light of this newfound resolution, there's a growing expectation for fuel companies to embrace cleaner and more efficient production methods. What implications does this hold for the future? Does fossil fuel production indeed pose a hindrance to achieving ecological planetary goals?
Moderated by:Amena Bakr Senior Energy Analyst, Energy Intelligence Group
Speakers:H.E Sharif Salim Al-Olama Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs in the Ministry of Energy and Infastructure
Majid Jafar CEO, Crescent Petroleum Board Managing Director, Dana Gas
In 2021, Dubai’s Kitopi became a unicorn with a $415 million round led by SoftBank.
Founded in January 2018 by Mohamad Ballout (CEO & co-founder) and his friends Saman Darkan, Bader Ataya, and Andy Arenas, it is today the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform.
But where does it all start? Whether from their parents’ garage, or from an enlightening conversation or from having been in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his. Join us with Basel Mufta, general partner at Global Ventures, a Dubai-based, growth-stage venture capital firm, as he dives into the story behind this exciting Dubai-based startup with Mohamad Ballout, as he shares with us his journey as a young innovator.
A fireside chat with Award winning director, writer & poet Nujoom Al Ghanem
While AI presents innovative tools for artists and the potential to challenge traditional boundaries, it also raises questions about authenticity and human creativity. Can AI-generated art truly evoke the same emotional depth as human-created pieces, or is it merely an algorithmic imitation? In the pursuit of artistic evolution, is the fusion of AI and art a harmonious partnership or a discordant clash? Moreover, does the UAE, a technological innovative nation, hold the key to unlocking AI's full potential in the art industry?
Art for The Ocean: Creativity to Mobilize Change took place in the prolific art market of Dubai during COP 28 (the world’s largest annual climate gathering, hosting more than 100 Heads of State and over 35,000 participants). Bringing together artists, collectors, philanthropists, and ocean advocates alike to create a direct bridge between the art world’s capabilities and the ocean’s needs during that global climate event. Program partner Oceanic Global curated a diverse group of global stakeholders that explored the power of art to manifest solutions and mobilize momentum for ocean conservation.
Cosmic Sound Healer
Whaia
Sophia Li
Journalist & Climate Communicator UN HUman rights champion
Janet Bellotto
Artist & Zayed University Professor
Mohammed Kazem
Artist
Dave Erasmus
Chairman, AQoustics
Florencio Noteci
CCO PlentaryX & Advisor, the Reefline
Think tanks are essential in international affairs, acting as hubs of strategic thought and policy innovation. They gather experts to analyze global challenges and provide impartial analysis and solutions. Through research and discourse, they enhance understanding of global dynamics, aiding decisions that have worldwide impact. As bridges between academia and policy, think tanks foster collaboration, shaping our interconnected world. What role do think tanks play in international cooperation?
Dubai's remarkable rise from the desert sands has been nothing short of extraordinary. The city has rapidly transformed into a global economic hub, renowned for its iconic skyscrapers, luxury developments, and visionary projects. However, this success story brings with it a profound responsibility - to shape a sustainable, environmentally conscious future for the generations to come.
This talk delves into the evolving landscape of the Dubai real estate market, where innovation and sustainability converge to redefine urban living. We will unravel the stories of green skyscrapers that touch the skies, sustainable communities that prioritise quality of life, and initiatives that aim to reduce the ecological footprint of this thriving metropolis.
An illuminating evening as Gary Dugan, CEO of The Dalma Global CIO Office, sits down with the visionary founder of Dalma Capital, Zachary Cefaratti.
Dive deep into the world of macroeconomics as these financial titans unravel the intricacies of inflation and interest rates.
For this Authored episode we hear from Mai Eldib, author of Cairo Eternal; the latest addition to Assouline’s Travel Series and its first ever Egyptian destination, as she discusses the journey that she set out to share with readers, across the streets of the city she calls home.
From the rich culture and stunning aesthetics of Egypt’s vibrant capital to the iconic Great Pyramids of Giza and the bustling Khan El Khalili bazaar, her research and urban diary tell the story of a dynamic city, where tradition meets modernity.
Guest Author
Mai Eldib is a cultural strategist and specialist in visual art and culture from the Arab world, Iran and Turkey. Eldib has been working at Sotheby’s since 2008 and has contributed to numerous artist monographs and exhibition catalogs at the auction house and throughout the region. Eldib has supported multiple institutional exhibitions and serves on global and local museum and nonprofit committees that promote Middle Eastern art. For the last decade, Eldib has called Cairo home.
**Moderator
Myrna Ayad* is an arts consultant, cultural strategist and editor, who focuses on visual art and culture from the Arab world, Iran and Turkey. She established her namesake consultancy in 2018 following her tenure as director of Art Dubai. Myrna has written for The New York Times, CNN Online, The Art Newspaper, Artforum, Artsy, Artnet, Wallpaper and The National, among others, and contributed to artist monographs and exhibition catalogues.
With extraordinary technological and scientific advances our cities across the globe are growing at an exponential rate, but are they beautiful? Neo-Classic notions of proportion, harmony, cohesion and unified style, albeit ornate, are part of the architectural and historical fabric of cities like Paris, Rome and Istanbul and have been considered beautiful as a result.
In 2023, buildings are arguably erected to stand alone as the expression of a distinctive personality; the result of one’s prowess, of one’s freedom of expression, or simply of one’s real estate ambitions, but do they fit into a larger city-wide aesthetic? Should they?
Listen to this expert panel as they deep-dive into what drives today’s architectural trends and urban planning expectations, and if whether or not the cities we are building today will be considered beautiful tomorrow.
Moderator:
Alamira Reem Al Hashimi | PhD City and Regional Planning & Author of Planning Abu Dhabi: An Urban History
Panelists:
Ill Sam Park | Partner - Foster & Partners & Architect ICD Broofkfield DIFC
Brendan Mcgetrick | Creative Director - Museum of the Future
Hani Asfour | Dean - Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI)
We were delighted to welcome critically acclaimed comedian Jamali Maddix for our Authored Live series at The Arts Club. From his wittily honest stage appearance on Live at the Apollo, to his hilarious guest performance on James Corden’s The Late Late Show, Jamali hit our stage for his UAE debut with lots of cracking-up and picking-on.
Listen to this hilarious fireside chat which followed his performance about his start in the standup comedy circuit, his writing, and what it is like to live the life of a comedian.
*This episode contains profanity and impropriety. Listeners’ discretion is advised.
An extension to the Authored series, Authored Live brings into focus the practice of writing for stage performance across spoken word, comedy, songwriting and much more. Special guest authors are invited to perform their work on stage followed by an intimate fireside chat about their creative journeys.
You have probably put an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot to the test recently. Perhaps you asked it to write prose from the perspective of a 300-year-old time-traveler from Mars. And why wouldn’t you satiate your curiosity? It has been populating headlines for months after all.
But what really is generative AI? How does it work? What are the legal implications, if any? Is my job endangered or that of my children? Will I need my own AI? These are some of the questions Dr. Noah Raford, renowned futurist and co-founder of LazyBrain AI, endeavors to answer with a very special guest expert.
Hamed Ali sits at the helm of two of Dubai’s most powerful financial organizations - Dubai Financial Market and NASDAQ Dubai. Under his leadership, UAE witnessed DEWA’s historic IPO listing, becoming the biggest IPO in UAE financial market’s history and the second-largest IPO in the Middle East historically. Hamed played a significant role in the launch of Nasdaq Dubai’s equity derivatives on UAE stocks in 2016 and on Saudi stocks in 2019, making it one of the largest exchanges in the world for Sukuk listings.
In his role as the CEO of DFM and NASDAQ Dubai, Hamed is dedicated to developing and implementing the expansion of existing markets and activities across both exchanges and is creating new areas of growth, building on the synergies between DFM and Nasdaq Dubai. Today, Hamed Ali is focused on attracting IPOs from private and family businesses, while facilitating the growth of a healthy, accessible and robust financial ecosystem.
Butheina Kazim decided to work in cinema 15 years ago and planted the seeds that led to the founding of Cinema Akil in 2014 when she started showcasing independent films as nomadic cinematic interventions in various spaces around Dubai. At the time she was targeting a very small community of film afficionados. By 2018 Cinema Akil was a permanent venue and film sanctuary in Dubai, making it the GCC’s first ever arthouse cinema. Today, it is one of the best known, must-visit destination for film lovers across the region.
But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like hers. Listen to this fireside chat with one of the trailblazing founders of our region as she shares her extraordinary journey.
Moderator: Micallar Walker | CEO/Founder - Dark Matter
From graphic design to automotive design, Ralph Debbas’ journey led him to launch W Motors, the first ever developer and manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East at age 25. In 2013, he built one of the world’s most expensive cars – the $3.4m Lykan Hypersport, successfully diversified the Company’s portfolio and is building the first fully-fledged automotive factory in the Middle East. Today, his company is offering complete mobility solutions for the region.
But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his. Join us for an intimate fireside chat with one of the most innovative founders of our region as he shares his extraordinary journey.
Wokeness is a buzzword which found prominence in the mid-2010s in the form of a mass campaign to raise awareness for significant social issues. Soon thereafter it was used and arguably abused by mainstream media for marketing campaigns designed to appeal to millennials. It wasn’t long until it revived a corporate framework first introduced in 2004 called ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance. ESG is a set of investment standards that look at how a company safeguards the Environment, how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and how a company deals with leadership, executive pay, audits and internal controls.
This year ESG was on everyone’s lips at the World Economic Forum’s meeting in Davos and was highly criticised for being too broad and too naïve in times of economic unrest.
Can the corporate world ignore the powerful push from customers, employees, and investors for organizations to stand for more than just financial targets? Can we achieve capitalism and sincere social conscientiousness at the same time? Discussions about climate change, inequality and ethical business relationships aren’t going away, so what is in store for 2023?
We welcome artist Daniel Crews-Chubb for an intimate fireside chat on the occasion of his exhibition of five of his totemic paintings at The Arts Club Dubai.
Looking back on his career as a renowned painter with a deeply expressive painting style, Daniel discusses his process, Greek mythology, and the personal experiences that have informed his work.
Moderated by: Pernilla Holmes - Wedel Art (Director)
Essam Al Tamimi founded Al Tamimi & Co in January 1989 with just one secretary at his side. By July of that year, the firm had five lawyers. Today, they have 450 legal professionals in 17 offices across 10 countries and is a leading corporate law firm in our region.
But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his. Joined by moderator Scott Armstrong, Founder of MENTL, listen to this intimate fireside chat with one of the best-known lawyers of our region as he shares his extraordinary journey.
An extension to the Authored series, Authored Live brings into focus the practice of songwriting, lyrical performance, and music production. Special guest authors are invited to share their professional journeys in intimate fireside chats and to perform their work on stage.
This month, we are pleased to welcome singer-songwriter ABRI for a chat about his career in the UAE and his subsequent success on the international stage which he shared with the likes of Erykah Badu, Ziggy Marley, Kanye West and Joss Stone.
The 30min live performance will be followed by a fireside chat with Stavros Antypas.
Magnus and his co-founder Mudassir Sheikha wanted to build something “big and meaningful”. So, they began looking for ideas and gave their research a code name: ‘Project Bamboo’. They proceeded to make a list of the difficulties they had faced living in the region. They found one and saw an incredible opportunity. This was just over ten years ago. Today, it is a super app with operations in over 100 cities, covering 12 countries, called Careem.
But where did it all start? Whether it be from their parents’ garage, from having had a life-changing conversation, or simply being in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his.
This conversation is moderated by Philip Bahoshy founder and CEO of Magnitt.
We discuss Contemporary African Art in relation to the global market. Our guest panelists outline why they collect art and what factors inform their collecting patterns.
Listen to Fabien Fryns, collector and founder of Fabien Fryns Fine Art and Kwame Mintah, collector and co-founder of Efie Gallery, in a panel discussion moderated by journalist Rebecca Anne Proctor.
In celebration of the UAE’s National Day, this month we highlight the book 50U. A publication which paints an intimate picture of life in the Emirates through the memories, hopes, and ambitions of its inhabitants. Factual accounts of the UAE’s history told alongside human stories that are the result of extensive interviews with the young nation’s residents and visitors.
A special panel discussion with publisher Khawla Bin Khediya and Future Labs Director Khalifa Al Qama, moderated by independent art critic, editor and researcher Nadine Khalil.
About the book:
Published in the year of the 50th anniversary of the confederation of the United Arab Emirates, ‘50U’ tells the story of the seven emirates in 50 portraits of people, plants, and places. The book isthe brainchild of local UAE entrepreneur and philanthropist Yasser Bin Khediya. Together with his daughters Roadha and Khawla, and Dutch graphic designer and specialist bookmaker Irma Boom, they have created a publication that celebrates the UAE’s extraordinary journey to become a global metropolitan city. Interviewees include: an astronaut, a female racing driver, a tailor, a fisherman and a former minister, among others. The Netherlands-based publishing team Archis, with a team of UAE editors led by Anna Seaman, Ahmed and Rashid bin Shabib, selected people from all walks of life to give a first-hand impression of what it has been like to grow up or settle in the region.More about the book.
For the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2022, the National Pavilion UAE presented a major new work by Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, a single work making up the entire exhibition of the National Pavilion UAE in Venice which is curated by Maya Allison. The work was accompanied by a monographic book titled Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim: Between Sunrise and Sunset / Works 1986-2022, which chronicles the artist’s work at the vanguard of the UAE’s art community for over nearly four decades.
We are delighted to have the book’s co-editors Maya Allison, curator of the National Pavilion UAE 2022 exhibition and Executive Director of The New York University Abu Dhabi Art Gallery, and Cristiana de Marchi, artist, curator, and poet, in conversation with Hareth Al Bustani, Art & Culture Editor at The National, about this seminal artist and the putting together of this important publication.
From high-altitude balloon trips to astronaut boot camps, reusable suborbital rocket systems designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Kármán line, to trips around the moon - tourist reservations for getting off planet Earth are skyrocketing.
Hear from astronaut and UAE resident Hamish Harding, Blue Origin’s NS-21 crew member, Director of Business Development, Logan Ware and Anna Hazlet, Principal behind Dubai-based space and satellite advisory firm AzurX.
We discussed what it is like to go beyond the Earth’s atmosphere as well as the future of consumer opportunities for space tourism.
An extension to the Authored series, Authored Live brings into focus the practice of songwriting, lyrical performance and music production, as it welcomes the guest authors to perform their work on stage.
For our inaugural evening, we are pleased to welcome singer-songwriter Layla May for a chat about her practice, followed by an intimate live performance of her distinct vocal runs.
Organised in collaboration with The Diplomacy Lab, this panel discussion looks at the increasing role of soft power diplomacy in building bridges, coexistence, interfaith alliance, expanding cooperation and meeting mutual policy objectives in the UAE and across the region. Panelists discuss the evolving role of UAE diplomacy, the shifts in international platforms and the study of emerging forms of diplomacy such as Diaspora Diplomacy, Space Diplomacy, Health Diplomacy and Climate Diplomacy among others.
Alongside the panel discussion, FBMI displayed some of the Zuleya enterprise carpets that reflect on the story of cultural diplomacy in the UAE.
Moderator:
Farshied Jabarkhyl | Managing Director - Diplomacy Lab
Panelists:
Ruqayya Alblooshi | Executive Director of International Relations and Knowledge Exchange Program - UAE Prime Minister's Office
Dubai Abulhoul | CEO of Fiker Institute
Fine wine and spirit bottles have long been the subject of investment for connoisseurs and businesses from around the world, but it is now sparking the curiosity of less seasoned collectors. Building a portfolio of rare bottles is not only a high-brow and stylish endeavour, but it also appears to be a profitable one. But where to start? What are the dos and don’ts? Tricks of the trade?
Sit with expert wine merchant Nick Midwood to find out seven things you need to know about investing in expensive bottles – from drinking to storing and trading
Collectors, curators, editors and gallerists are the tastemakers of the art world. They influence the art market’s global trends with their seal of approval - an market valued at over 65 billion dollars in 2021. But how do they discern good art from bad art? Is there a secret rule book? Do they all agree?
From Marcel Duchamp’s world-famous urinal (Fountain, 1917) to the USD 120,000 sale of a duct taped banana at Art Basel Miami in 2019 by artist Maurizio Cattelan (Comedian, 2019), is any of it good art? Is there such a thing as bad art?
We have invited the region’s tastemakers to tell us what they really think.
Panelists
Antonia Carver
Director - Art Jameel
Sunny Rahbar
Co-Founder - The Third Line gallery
Myrna Ayad
Cultural Strategist & editor
Moderated by
Sybel Vazquez
Head of Cultural Programming - The Arts Club Dubai
This month we invite Members onto the stage of our late-night lounge for an intimate evening celebrating the spoken word. Aspiring poets and brave enthusiasts are welcome to speak words of their own creation and those of others which have inspired them, from music lyrics to classical sonnets. Special guest poets Salem Al Attas and chamæleon will also take the stage for a unique performance of their recent work at our inaugural poetry night.
Nicknamed The Godfather of Emerging Markets, Mark Mobius has travelled to most corners of the globe in his quest to discover undervalued companies. He headed up the emerging markets department of Franklin Templeton Investments where he grew a $100m investment into a fund of more than $50bn over a 30-year spell, after which he launched Mobius Capital Partners. The author and finance guru speaks about his extraordinary journey at The Arts Club Dubai this month with Scott Armstrong, editor-in-chief of Arabian Business.
The world knows him a restauranteur, a pioneer whose eponymous restaurant Mr.Chow changed the canon of fine dining everywhere it went, but to understand Michael Chow is to first understand the artist: M.
An explorer since 1951, whose path had once upon a time directed him away from his artmaking, has finally brought him back, and we are delighted to have him share his extraordinary life story for a very special evening in conversation with Sybel Vazquez, the club’s Head of Cultural Programming.
M’s current exhibition One Breath in on view at Sotheby’s DIFC until July 1st, 2022.
Dubai: Fashion Capital?You might think so, and yet.. Paris, Milan, New York and London are the “Big Four” fashion capitals of the world, and many others are contending to make it on this coveted list i.e. Tokyo, São Paulo, Los Angeles, Berlin and of course, Dubai.
What will it take for Dubai? Is there a roadmap in the legacy of these Western capitals? Fashion capitals are defined by the huge influence they possess on global market trends and by the significant economic output they generate from production through to retail. But ultimately isn’t it all about image?
We have invited industry experts to deep dive into the complexities of the fashion industry and Dubai’s place in it.
Moderator
Jessica Michault - Deputy Editor (Harper's Bazaar Arabia)
Panelists
Nez Gebreel - Brand & Fashion consultant
Reno Steenkamp - Private Client Director (Farfetch)
Andrea Brocca - Fashion Designer
Omar Kholeif is the author, co-author, and editor of over 30 books, of which seven have focused on the concept of internet art. Their anthology, You Are Here: Art After the Internet from 2013 is widely acknowledged as the first book to look at ‘post-internet art’ and is taught globally.
In this ‘Authored’ conversation, Dr. Kholeif reflects on their recent books including, Goodbye, World! Looking at Art in the Digital Age (Sternberg Press) and offers an informal sneak peek of their forthcoming monograph, five years in the making, Internet/Art: From the World Wide Web to the Rise of NFTs, which is forthcoming from Phaidon early next year.
Omar Kholeif is in-conversation with Turner-Prize Winning Artist and "Private Ear" Lawrence Abu Hamdan, as they touch upon issues from the birth of the WWW to the world of cryptocurrency.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” – Ibn Battuta
Is travel journalism the most coveted job on the face of the earth? We sit down with Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveller ME Sarah Khan - who has reported from six continents for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, Vogue and many more - to find out about her adventures as a passport collector and what it really takes to travel around the world and live to tell others about it.
Who is the real Aladdin? What was happening in the Arab world during the West’s Roaring Twenties? Why is the evil eye, evil? Mikey Muhanna, who had spent over a decade working at firms Morgan Stanley and PwC, set out to find the answer to these questions when he founded afikra | عفكرة in 2014.
It all started on a Brooklyn rooftop, where a small group of friends began discussing how little we all knew about the Arab world’s cultures and histories.
Today, afikra | عفكرة is a global community, education and media platform with over 60,000 members of all nationalities who meet worldwide with the purpose of reframing and reclaiming the naratives about what the Arab world was, is, and might be in the future.
Warsha is Sundance Film Festival’s 2022 winner of The Short Film Jury Award for best International Fiction. Written and directed by Syrian/Lebanese Dania Bdeir this incredible 16 minute short film follows the story of Mohammad, a Syrian crane operator in Beirut. One day, he volunteers to take on one of the tallest and notoriously most dangerous cranes in Lebanon. Away from everyone’s eyes, he is able to live out his secret passion.
Listen in on the intimate conversation led by Stavros Antypas with director Dania Bdeir which followed a private screening of the film at The Arts Club Dubai. She shares her extraordinary 4 year journey into making this ambitious film a reality.
The members of The Arts Club Dubai concluded their evening with a surprise performance by KHANSA, the lead actor from the film.
We welcome artist Akram Zaatari on the occasion of his exhibition at The Arts Club Dubai titled ‘The End of Love’.
Looking back on his career as a renowned photographer and archivist, Akram will discuss the importance of protecting and preserving the photographic history of the Arab World. - In conversation with Ruba Alsweel, Communications Manager at Art Jameel.
Directly from those who are imagining, designing and executing the world of tomorrow, this month we explore the notoriously divisive Metaverse through a legal, social and economic lens.
Will the Metaverse destabilise reality? What legal framework can we expect? Are there foreseeable hazards to a successful Metaverse? We have a invited a stellar panel of experts to tell us all.
Moderated by Anas Bhurtun, Founder of Arts DAO in conversation with Brendan Mcgetrick, Creative Director, Museum of the Future, Rami Maalouf, Partner SNGLR, Desi Gonzales, COO & Partner, Hyperspace and finally Abdulla Mutawi, Partner, Tamimi & Co
In 2021, Dubai’s Kitopi became a unicorn with a $415 million round led by SoftBank.
Founded in January 2018 by Mohamad Ballout (CEO & co-founder) and his friends Saman Darkan, Bader Ataya, and Andy Arenas, it is today the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform.
But where does it all start? Whether from their parents’ garage, or from an enlightening conversation or from having been in the right place at the right time, some of the best founding stories begin like his. Join us with Basel Mufta, general partner at Global Ventures, a Dubai-based, growth-stage venture capital firm, as he dives into the story behind this exciting Dubai-based startup with Mohamad Ballout, as he shares with us his journey as a young innovator.
Since 1987 Dr. Michael Fakih has been responsible for over 12,000 In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) deliveries.
A pioneer in his field, Dr. Fakih co-founded the Fakih IVF Fertility Centre which is today one of the leading centres of its kind in the entire GCC. From innovation to stigma, and now a fast-growing trend, Dr. Fakih shares his extraordinary journey in this remarkable field of medicine.
Mohammed Saeed Harib In conversation with Butheina Kazim, Founder of Cinema Akil.
Since their TV introduction in 2007, and now on Netflix, it is very likely that you have come across the four elderly Emirati women that make up the cast of one of the region’s most popular animated series, FREEJ. The four intrepid grannies, whose lives we follow as they try to navigate a modern Dubai, are Mohammed’s brainchild which he developed while a student in Boston, Massachusetts over 20 years ago. He has since created 70 episodes of their adventures.
Social media’s exponential growth in the past decade has made it an integral part of our daily lives, and in turn has tremendously expanded the scope of content exchange and dissemination across the world.
Platforms like Instagram or Twitter have emerged as key sources of news for the public at large and are an important tool for journalists to reach wider audiences and boost interaction. But has this been damaging to the journalistic profession?
Some might argue that the widespread availability of information online makes it more and more difficult to discern a professional journalist’s work, bound by integrity and ethics, from an influencer’s partisan opinions. Social media has enabled ordinary citizens to produce their own news content and has become an instrumental conduit for the telling of diverse stories from our own backyards to the most remote parts of the world. Has the race for content put a dent in the Journalist’s Creed? Is social media good for journalism?
FOR THE MOTION
Ahmed Shihab EldinEmmy nominated former Senior Presenter AJ+
Amena BakrDeputy Bureau Chief & Chief OPEC Correspondent
MODERATOR
Hadley GambleCNBC News Anchor & International Correspondent
AGAINST THE MOTION
Faisal J. AbbasEditor in Chief of Arab News
Julien HawariCEO – Special Edition
Ever wondered about the difference between dubstep, disco house, 2 step, moombahton, gabber and psytrance? What is EDM, anyway?
Join us for this audio-visual journey across the decades to explore the history of dance music, brought to you by Noah Raford of the Dubai Future Foundation. This immersive experience will take place in the Club’s new late night lounge and will include sounds, samples, video and rare footage, bringing to life the history of house music in a fun, accessible way.
From Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage to the acid house sounds of Ron Hardy, from its origins in disco and hip hop, to the rise of commercial EDM, we are sure you’ll enjoy this fun & funky multimedia tour of the dance music, past and future.
It's 2021, Cryptocurrency and NFTs have taken the world by storm and become heroes of dinner table talk. Elon Musk is tweeting endlessly about “Doge going to the moon” while the youth on TikTok is shilling the next “NFT avatar” that will pump 1000x and supposedly make millions of dollars.
But what does it all mean? Do you feel lost in the middle of this crypto jargon? We invite our Members to meet Anas Bhurtun and Danosch Zahedi (co-hosts of the Crypto Sheikhs Podcast, who first met at The Arts Club) joined by Navin Gupta, MD at Ripple Labs, who will help demystify key concepts and answer all the burning questions you have about how crypto is changing the financial world as well as modern culture and society.
Three Gallerists' Tales on Setting Up their Dubai Spaces.
Three young and ambitious art dealers steer some of Dubai’s leading art galleries, and in so doing, have tremendously contributed to Dubai’s now thriving art community. What knowledge and foresight in a then-nascent cultural arena did they possess? How did they explore, persevere, and create their galleries’ rosters? The Arts Club Dubai brings together The Third Line’s Sunny Rahbar, Green Art Gallery’s Yasmin Atassi and Umer Butt from Grey Noise to share their ups, downs and anecdotes on building their galleries in one of the region’s leading metropolises. This session is moderated by arts consultant, cultural strategist and editor, Myrna Ayad.
Sensational headlines, dramatic stories and nightly news bring us astounding reports on breakthroughs in robotics, AI and automation almost every day. These are often followed with questions like “Will robots take our jobs? Will we be overrun by AI?”
Beneath these scary headlines, however, a small group of talented engineers, programmers and business people are quietly working away, building new products, services and solutions that make our lives easier, safer and better.
We invite members to join us at the Dubai Future Foundation’s robotics lab with Dr. Noah Raford, Futurist in Chief for the Dubai Future Foundation, in conversation with Khalifa Al Qama, director of DFF’s Dubai Future Labs and one of the leading lights in applied robotics in the region.
Together they will separate fact from fiction, hype from reality, and show how Khalifa and the projects of the Dubai Future Lab are building a new future for Dubai.
This episode is brought to you directly from the robotics lab of the Dubai Future Foundation.
Son of a merchant from Aleppo, Syria, Ronaldo Mouchawar built a company in 2005 which was to make history. He founded the largest online marketplace of the Arab world – Souq.com. In 2017, the e-commerce platform was acquired by Amazon with a valuation of over $1 billion.
Some of the best founding stories begin like this one. Join us as Philip Bahoshy, founder and CEO of MAGNiTT – a leading venture capital data platform in the MENA region - dives into the story behind the Arab world’s largest e-commerce platform with Ronaldo Mouchawar and shares with us the incredible journey of a young innovator.
An avid watch connoisseur and collector, we look forward to welcoming Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Chief Commercial Officer of Seddiqi Holding, as he takes us on a retrospective of iconic watches and unique milestones in the industry from the 1970s. Since the early 1950s, the Seddiqi family has been synonymous with luxury timepieces, driven by the vision and passion for horology of Ahmed Qasim Seddiqi, the late founder of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons.
Conversations where we discover both historical and first hand insights on the regional impact of the watch industry from the 1970s, told through the story of a multi-generational family endeavour.
We are delighted to welcome London-based artist, Ralph Heimans, one of today’s leading portraitists, to the Club this May to talk about his outstanding career-to-date and the art of Royal portraiture.
Ralph Heimans' large-scale portraits are renowned for their innovative compositions that offer engaging narratives about his subjects and their life stories. They are informed by a creative integration of subject and context. Figures are placed in complex spatial arrangements, underpinned by an innovative use of geometry, reflection and perspective. His technical approach pays homage to the 17th Century masters of chiaroscuro, exploiting exquisite effects of light, which appear to illuminate the inner world of his subjects.
Ralph's official portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II produced for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 is on permanent display in Westminster Abbey, while his celebrated portraits of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (2017) and HRH The Prince of Wales (2018) are in the Royal Collection. Other notable works are held in major international collections including The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, The National Portrait Gallery of Australia, The National History Museum of Denmark, Australia’s Parliament House and The European Court in Luxembourg.
Recorded live on Monday, 24th May 2021.
Mona Ataya is one of the Middle East’s most prominent entrepreneurs. In 2011 she co-founded an e-commerce platform dedicated to all things mother, baby & child called Mumzworld. Today, it has the largest online inventory available in the GCC and is the #1 funded women-led e-commerce company in the Middle East.
Some of the best founding stories begin like this one. Philip Bahoshy, founder and CEO of MAGNiTT – a leading venture capital data platform in the MENA region - dives into the story behind one of the Middle East’s best known e-commerce platforms with Mona Ataya and shares with us the incredible journey of a young innovator.
Recorded live on Monday, 28th June 2021.
In 1968, the coastal Arab emirates entered into an unprecedented phase of vulnerability. The British, who had protected the emirates for 150 years, suddenly announced their intention to withdraw from the region. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, knew there was only one way forward: the emirates had to unite under a single nation. In December of 1971, after a series of negotiations, the United Arab Emirates was born, and Sheikh Zayed, its founding father, was named the first President.
This year marks the incredible 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates and on this occasion, luxury book publisher, Assouline, has called on Myrna Ayad to explore, examine, and tell the story of Sheikh Zayed’s extraordinary legacy in a compelling addition to their Ultimate Collection and first tome to ever be dedicated to an Arab Royal figure.
We are delighted to invite Members to an exclusive and intimate reveal of Sheikh Zayed: An Eternal Legacy with author Myrna Ayad as she shares her journey through countless archives, invaluable interviews and personal stories to tell the story of Sheikh Zayed: a father, a unifier, a conservationist, a faithful man, and a modernist.
Sheikh Zayed: An Eternal Legacy is exclusively available to Members for purchase with a special code. Please ask for details when RSVP’ing to the event.
Myrna Ayad is an arts consultant, cultural strategist and editor, who focuses on visual art and culture from the Arab world, Iran and Turkey. She established her namesake consultancy in 2018 following her tenure as director of Art Dubai. Myrna has written for The New York Times, CNN Online, The Art Newspaper, Artforum, Artsy, Artnet, Wallpaper* and The National, among others, and contributed to artist monographs and exhibition catalogues. From 2007- 2015, Myrna served as Editor of Canvas, the premier magazine for visual art from the Middle East. For almost four decades, Myrna has been based in Dubai, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Assouline is the first luxury brand on culture, founded in Paris by Prosper and Martine Assouline in 1994. The brand’s story began with the desire to create a new, contemporary style of book, using the couple’s experienced eye for visually rich stories and compelling narratives. Guided by their passion for knowledge, culture and travel, the Assoulines have since expanded their vision to fifteen hundred titles in five main collections and have established a family of international boutiques in prominent places across the globe. Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, with color plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper, each page of this limited-edition series bears the unique imprint of the artisan. Nestled in linen clamshell presentation cases, these books attract collectors, lovers of the printed page, and those who devour the culture of our time. Signaling a new level of sophistication for true connoisseurs, these unique books are works of art in their own right.
Recorded live Monday, 10th May 2021.