Dubai International Financial Centre to Showcase Vibrant and Creative Talent at the Second Edition of Art Nights 2015
Press Release 04 Nov 2015 07:25 pmDIFC invites community to come enjoy an evening of Art, Dance and Music
Dubai-UAE: 04 November, 2015 – Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is set to host its prestigious 'Art Nights at Gate Village' on 9 November, from 7pm to 10pm at the DIFC Gate Village. The free-to-attend event will host a series of exhibitions, special events and live installations of art, as well as dance and music performances by a dynamic group of emerging and established artists, designers, musicians and diverse talents from around the world.
The event will showcase multi-media and multi-cultural art and photography displays that tell unique regional and global stories in addition to portraying versatile artistic expressions, modern dance styles, folk art displays and a fusion of sounds by local and international musicians.
Audiences are invited to enjoy Rangoli by Noush Anand, a live art installation portraying the folk-art tradition of India where women use dry coloured powder to create beautiful patterns and designs, while also experiencing the contemporary furniture design showcase by premier rental shop, Desert River.
DIFC will also show support for a soon to be launched initiative, titled Warehouse421, by Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation. Warehouse 421 seeks to further enhance the arts and culture movement in the UAE by transforming a series of warehouses across the country into hubs for creative expression. In the upcoming Art Nights, the foundation will set up a set of 3D mini-warehouse installations, giving guests a taste of what is to come.
Furthermore, visitors can enjoy live interpretative dance performances by the UAE's finest award winning dancers and gain new insights into the wonderful world of dance.
In addition, audiences will have the opportunity to groove to the lilting numbers played by world-renowned DJ Lobito, a Dubai-based DJ and producer with 12 years of experience in the funk, hip hop and Bboy scene and a unique talent for combining Latin, soul, reggae, block party, Afro and Brazilian beats.
Visitors can also challenge their social counterparts to a friendly game of table tennis at the complementary ping-pong tables set up by Ping Pong Dubai.
In addition, guests are invited to enjoy the culinary presentation and complimentary canapés and drinks provided by The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC.
Art Nights is a social component of DIFC's cultural calendar and reiterates the Centre's commitment to offering a vibrant community of businesses, residences, retail outlets, cafes, restaurants and art galleries in addition to providing an enriching hub for visitors and brilliant artists.
The upcoming edition will see a Live Wall set up by DIFC with a real-time digital display of social media updates linked to Art Nights, making sure visitors can fully-experience every activity in the programme. The DIFC Live Wall will capture pictures and conversations taking place at the event, using the hashtag #DIFCArtNights, across multiple social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Guests are also invited to participate in the #DIFCArtHunt – a competition being launched on the DIFC Facebook page – to answer a series of questions related to the event, with a chance to win valuable prizes.
ART NIGHTS AT GATE VILLAGE, DIFC
9 November 2015
7pm - 10pm
FULL PROGRAMME
GALLERY EXHIBITIONS
Ajyad Gallery
MUSIC OF THE GROUND by Khawla Al Falasi
Music of Ground features 15 realistic paintings by Emirati painter Khawla Al Falasi. Al Falasi has been inspired by many meanings, prolific floral vocabulary and profound sensations in her works. Her flowers may not narrate their stories through the alphabets of language; but they nevertheless transmit feelings.
Art Sawa
ECLOSION by Rym Karoui
Art critics view Rym as an alchemist; the one who transforms the boldness of her graphic illustration into highly charged emotional works that tell stories so vivid they seem to strain against the limits. Rym's work is to deploy a procession of hybrid characters, extravagant, whimsical and fantastic that share a perpetual conflict of the forces. Her work is indeed an ongoing story where she tells herself and tell stories to others from another world.
ARTSPACE
LISTEN TO THE BEATS by Adel El Siwi
LISTEN TO THE BEATS features a solo exhibition of works by Egyptian artist, Adel El Siwi.
The exhibition is a result of the artist's fascination of music since childhood; their astonishing forms and their effect on musicians when they play them. Gestures, expressions or a simple meaningful grimace. El Siwi is paying a modest homage to the boundless generosity of music and its musicians.
Ayyam Gallery
A Heart on a Wall by Abdul Karim Majdal Al-Beik
Featuring a selection of recent works, the exhibition will spotlight a new direction in the artist's painting style. Following a widely successful 2014 multimedia solo exhibition at Ayyam Projects, Majdal Al-Beik revisits a body of work that he began in Damascus in an effort to document the time that has passed since the start of the Syrian conflict. Viewing city walls as records of daily occurrences where memories are preserved, Majdal Al-Beik explores the many lives that are now on hold, particularly of Syrians residing in Beirut.
Cuadro Gallery
Damaged Goods by Brad Downey
Berlin-based artist Brad Downey returns to Cuadro Gallery November 9th with Damaged Goods, presenting a multi-media cabinet of curiosities made by the artist. The show, which merges new video art and site-specific installations with previous work, takes a humorous yet introspective look at questions of authorship, ownership, and artistic illusion.
Opera Gallery
Great Criticism Series by Wang Guangyi
Opera Gallery will be showing pieces from Chinese artist Wang Guangyi. This will be his first retrospective in the Middle East for the artist. Amongst selected pieces from his acclaimed "Great Criticism" series, we will be exhibiting two brand new pieces, executed specifically for the region.
The Empty Quarter Gallery
Before they pass away by Jimmy Nelson
The Empty Quarter gallery, in partnership with Aramex Art is proud to exhibit works by acclaimed photographer, Jimmy Nelson, a selection of photographs documenting some of the most fantastic indigenous cultures left on the planet today.
The Farjam Foundation
1971: Contemporary Art From The UAE
1971: Contemporary Art From The UAE is an exhibition showcasing works from 14 emerging and established Emirati artists. The exhibition epitomises the embodiment of the artists' creative skills and their extraordinary harmonious relationship with their homeland. It delves into the innumerable nuances of the deep culture, the ever-changing landscape, and the rich history of the UAE.
RIRA Gallery
The Vanishing World by Michel C. Zoghzoghi
The Vanishing World is an exhibition of wildlife photographer by Michel C. Zoghzoghi. The photographer received an award from The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Awards (HIPA) in 2012. The exhibition features a collection of images bringing to vivid life the magnificence of predators, and also their inherent vulnerability.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Art After Dark @ No.5 Lounge & Bar
Guests of Art Nights can cross over the direct walkway to the terrace of No.5 Lounge & Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC to continue the evening at Art After Dark, the official after-party, featuring music by Break DJ Lobito and a live graffiti demonstration.
www.Facebook.com/RitzCarltonDIFC
BOCA
Exhibition by George Bassil
Bassil's use of color, blinding and striking evokes a nostalgic sense of renaissance. The softness of the composition, the gaze of the figure and the color palette chosen creates a quite intimate scene. George Bassil's paintings have a huge international following amongst art lovers and collectors and have been exhibited in Montreal, Monaco, Paris, Nice and London and in 1999, he received the bronze medal and a diploma of honor at the third Biennial of Plastic Art of Lattaquieh-Syria.
Desert River
Contemporary furniture design showcase
Our contemporary rental portfolio is versatile, stylish and always on trend. The Lounge Crate, as displayed, encapsulates this by offering a smart, unique hosting solution in the cutting edge industrial and vintage style. Our items are delivered on time, every time, by our professional and dynamic team.
Ping Pong Dubai
Table Tennis
Ping Pong Dubai is a community initiative with a simple aim: encourage people from all walks of life – regardless of age, ability and fitness level – to pick up a bat and discover that ping pong is a fun and social way to be more active.
www.facebook.com/PingPongDubai1
The Magazine Shop
An urban cafe in the heart of the Gate Village in DIFC, specialising in high quality crafted coffee and independent magazines. The Magazine Shop takes the coffee experience to the next level, as it is best known for friendly baristas, outdoor seating and of course, the best cup of coffee in Dubai.
Warehouse421
A new cultural destination in Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed, in which transformed warehouses become a platform for artistic expression, and further development of the UAE's creative community. As an exhibition venue, Warehouse421 will showcase a roster of gallery and artist shows. Warehouse421 will officially launch from 19-21 November with a programme featuring exhibitions, workshops and performances.
The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC
The talented chefs from The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC will be showcasing their creative flair with a special food art presentation. Provided through their acclaimed catering service Artful Dining, it is ideal for private events from intimate gatherings through to large scale celebrations in private venues including galleries, villas and boats.
LIVE ART & PERFORMANCE
Live Interpretive Dance Performance
A unique live dance performance from UAE based award winning dancers from the UK, Mick and Adam. Between them, they have worked with artists such a Kelly Rowland, David Guetta, Plan B, Joe Stone, and in production for companies BBC, ITV, MTV and Ferrari.
Live Art by ACTIV8R
A San Francisco native, Saunders Hildreth has been exposed to art ever since he was a small child. His graphic style is heavily influenced by his experiences growing up in the urban saturation of San Francisco, as well as his love for life and travel to different cultures. His artwork reflects an appreciation for vivid colors, abstract paint splatters, graffiti lettering, and realistic depictions of animals, people, and anything else that interests him.
Rangoli by Noush Anand
Noush Anand creates Rangoli, a folk-art tradition of India, using dry coloured powder to make patterns on the ground. Rangoli is usually created by women, as a form of decorative celebration on festive occasions. Noush uses this traditional technique to create Spill! Powdered Chaos across DIFC's Art Night in November.
MUSIC
Break DJ Lobito
7 - 10pm
Founder of the award winning Street Nights & Deep Crates Cartel, Dubai based DJ & producer Lobito Brigante has been involved in the Funk, Hip Hop & Bboy scene for over 12 years and has played to several thousand people in Europe and the Middle East. He's been rated in the top 5 djs in his style worldwide and regularly reaches top 10 in the global Mixcloud charts with his selections from his vast record collection spanning funk, latin, soul, hip hop, brazilian, bass, afrobeat, reggae, block party beats and original b-boy breaks.
www.facebook.com/LobitoBrigante
CIASTO
9 - 10pm
Producer and broadcaster of 3radio.net, an online radio station with an international following, Ciasto is a Polish selector of cutting edge beats. Heavily influenced by Ninja Tune his sound spans lounge, bass, funk, breaks, electronica. He has played at numerous award winning events in Dubai and continues to push boundaries on his radio show and at his residencies and events in Dubai.
Amazon Cumbia Sound
8.00 & 9.00 pm
Live music straight from Colombia and Latin America, a unique fusion of contemporary and folk sounds. Amazon Cumbia Sound recently performed at the Quantic show at Dubai's Music Room, earning great reviews for their innovative mix of beats and traditional Cumbia and other Latin styles.
