I "should" be out doing things/seeing things but if I don't organize a bit in between, I will feel even more sideways. One of my first nights I saw this old wall of Sharjah. When I asked what it was made of, my hosts said something about dead fish?
I thought, is it coral? But I don't know coral, and why would so much be excavated? But I finally learned in a heritage museum last night that YES, it's coral, and it's dead coral, so that would make sense to use it in this way.
One of the opening night ceremony performances. Something about the drumming and singing and men holding each other's backs was very moving to me.
That night I was supposed to do a TV interview and because I had no idea who to talk to and I had gone over without a cushion of time (thinking this was UAE time...as other things like my PCR test and construction were at least 2 hours late), they couldn't get me into the makeup trailer before throwing me on "stage" with the man in white seated at right to do a live TV talk. No one told me about what to do or not to do so I tried to just look at him while the cameras and drones were zooming around. It was awkward since he was speaking Arabic and the interpreter was in my ear as I spoke in English.
In between, I take little breaks from the show and watch the zillions of performances going on. There's at least 3 going on in the direct vicinity at any given time and then tons more in places I can't see. I think these may be Romanian dancers but I don't know. I see the director of this school/troupe in the hotel from time to time and he said they have 30 dancers here. That's for only one country! There are 33 represented this year.
Once the show was up and workshop supplies finalized, I was able to see Dahlia, an art conservator who lives and works in Dubai. She was kind enough to drive me around and see a few things. This is the requisite Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world, which I didn't go into because all I wanted to do was not be outside. I probably have gotten more scorching sun exposure in a week than I usually do in a year or more.
She took me to a gallery district where we saw a few shows, including this one by Wim Delvoye, a Belgian artist.
Parking spots were marked like this, which was lovely but I wondered, are those plants baking?
Light lunch was lovely and I was happy to get a break from endless hotel buffet (while generous, it's a LOT).
We took lunch in a cavernous space (like all of the spaces in this area, used to be old warehouses of some sort. But "old" here is all relative) where makers and sellers have shops set up on the perimeter.
We didn't have time to walk around this museum that was along real water made up of many small buildings with different themes, since we had to leave to get me back for an interview as traffic snarls a lot here.
I was given a break to see this dance where men and women dance together.
There is no context unless I've missed a program or something, so these might be more Romanians.
I wish I had more labels; this is in a handcraft area where different countries are represented. Spinning, weaving, basketry, puppets, dolls, mosaics, etc. I love this pipe work loom.
I believe they also do cooking from different nations each day.
Italian guy from Milan who showed us these wooden puppets. He will carve one over the course of the festival.
Yesterday morning I tried to visit museums but was foiled in certain ways. I visited the Rain Room of the art foundation but got completely soaked. The point is that you can walk thru it and sensors keep you from getting wet but that didn't work for me.
Two of my hosts broke me out of the show and walked me to some of the sights, including having a calligrapher write my name. He did it twice, in two different scripts.
I was fascinated by the wood stylus and tools but when I asked, he said all the ones on the table are not the real ones he uses, and then pulled out his bag to show me the good stuff, made with whale bone and gold and so on.
This is better than when I try to write it, for sure. Though they misspell it in the translation back to English (if I give them "Aimee" and "hanji," it goes into Arabic, and then comes out the other end in English as "Amy" and "hangi").
Dancers from Bahrain.
I was extremely excited by this flat bent needle meant to sew flat silver 'thread'.
I think these are date palm leaves being woven after being dyed.
Because so many children attend, they immediately run over to the art and manhandle. I had no idea going into this that this was more of a carnival setting, so I should have asked for glass in front of everything. While I know absolutely that paper is too alluring, that its only human nature to reach out and touch, it's hard to see someone walk in with a bag of melted cheese or people touching their faces after a hot day and then...anyhow, I knew there was a ton lost in translation but you never know until it happens how things will shake out.
The interview didn't materialize on Friday but the next day (yesterday) I had at least three. Maybe four? I lost track. But I did get to meet some great people, include the dean of a local art college who told me that they have an entire papermaking studio outfitted by David Reina!! They don't quite know how to use it but I was floored. She said she was engaged in Cleveland and insisted waiting at the show to meet me. Small, small world. I also met the chairman of the institute and learned much more about what they are up to. Both recommended a new library to visit, so I am relieved to have more ideas of places to visit.
They were singing as I passed the section for sea life, as there is big maritime culture being right on the water.
I was told that these are Palestinian performers, but again, there's no signage or anything for me to confirm.
And while walking around, I was shocked to run across this camel. Who knows what today brings, as I was invited to another opening ceremony (I missed the emir's visit on the opening night because I was in the TV interview and later he was headed our way but the entourage took another route at the last minute) in the eastern art of this emirate. It's truly another world, including access to some amazingly skilled massage therapists—I got on at the hotel yesterday after waiting an hour to figure out transport back. Endless navigation, but excited to visit the House of Wisdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment