Cinnamon Chiclets

Today I had an extreme experience. I almost got fined on the train for chewing a gum! I had to hand in my metro card and my ID, just before I started to beg for forgiveness. The lady sitting across me was questioned in the same way because of sucking a pastille for her sore throat. She survived after showing her prescription, as a proof. After I arrived at my stop, the attendants jumped out with me; then felt pity for me and let me go without a punishment. I promised not to chew any gum again.  These trains are not operated by a driver,  they have their own will. However, you have to give up your own will during these journeys. I couldn’t see any warnings against chewing gums or eating sweets at the station, but I will be cautious next time about not to put anything to my mouth. This was unusual of course; over the ground, things are quite liberal. At least I had a funny story to tell Hadeyah and Zeinab at Tashkeel.  

Yesterday night was fantastic. All the partners of the project and all the residency artists and curator went to this famous Emirati restaurant called Al Fanar. Unnecessarily, I left my camera at home so I’m afraid I have to steal these two photos from the website of the restaurant. The food was excellent. We were served every kind of meat from every type of animal (I don’t wanna talk about the baby shark though), with 7 different type and colour of rice. It was a feast from the fairy tales, and another example of generous Emirati hospitality.  

Back to today; I believe I had an efficient day in terms of work. I jig-sawed the windows and cut the fringes, which took quite a while. And finally finished making the waterproof funnel for the bucket of the Glasgow tower, which I was delaying for ages. Today was the first day I was convinced that the work was coming together, and I could see it finishing on time. Why do I have to be such a panicky person? How uncool is that! 

We had a really nice chat with Zeinab. She is very bright, and I love her ambition. She has two great ideas for two different works, but it’s not up to me sharing them here. Looking forward to see their processes, throughout our residency. Besides, with Zeinab’s arrival, we gained one more member to the gang of ladies, who love workshop machinery. Tashkeel please hear us, and please but please  buy us a mig welder. I am more than happy to give an induction to whoever is interested in.

Today I also met Rebecca Rendell at Tashkeel, who is having an opening tomorrow at the small gallery. Her work looks very intriguing, and full of little surprises. Can’t wait to see it tomorrow at the opening, once the set up is completed.

Briefly

Al Fahidi and Bastakiya areas are definitely my favourite areas in Dubai, I feel so lucky to be based here.

We have been to a party at Satellite, residency space for Traffic

Here comes the sketch for the inside of Dubai tower

Istanbul Tower

Tashkeel and the towers in progress

3D workshop in Tashkeel

Finally met Aaron and had a very lovely night together.

Deniz Goes to Work

I would never imagine that I’d enjoy picking splinters from my hands that highly. It is rather a very satisfactory feeling to get my hands in pain, looking very ugly but happy. It has been two days since I started making objects in Dubai.

Jill was so lovely to arrange all the wood for me left from the skateboard ramp. These enabled me to start working at Tashkeel, right away without waiting for any purchases. On the first day, through the evening I received a beautiful present (a temporary one, but specially bought for me), a lovely little monster, a mitre saw that you see on the photo. I should name her really; will be a great company to me during 3 months. 

Salama was so excited to learn how to use the mitre saw. This meant so much to me, as it is not very common for girls to use heavy machinery to make sculptures in Dubai. She said, at school the tutors never encouraged her to use a circular saw,  saying that it is very dangerous. She said she always wanted to use it. I showed her how to safely work with it, and she now wants to make frames with it. How exciting!

In two full-on days, I finished the skeleton of the base and the middle section of the three of the towers. I was given maybe 100 of 2’X2’ white wood, all remaining from the ramp. This is heaven I thought, a wood heaven. Everything started to go really well and I undressed from my stress and anxiety as soon as I started working. Khalid was so nice to give me a lift on both of the days from our house in Bastakiya to Tashkeel, which is really very far away. I also had the honour of meeting Shaikha Latifa Al Maktoum , who is the founder and the director of Tashkeel; also an artist who has recently shown her work at the Venice Biennale, UAE pavilion. 

I spent my previous days, with looking for the appropriate materials I need for the inside mechanisms of the towers. I was very lucky to have found these two beauties, and I made a lovely lace dress to the coffee mixing machine, for the Istanbul tower.  I couldn’t write many posts this week as I had the sudden realisation of spending all my time on observing and surrendering myself to Dubai, rather than focusing on my work, so I’d like to apologise from my followers for this delay.

 

Friday Was The Coexistence of Absence and Presence

A few days ago, we were chatting with Khawla about Emirati education system. I was asking her about the history courses they take during middle or high school. I knew that they are taught the history of Arab world including Ottoman, until maybe the early 20th century. On the other hand, they have a separate lesson for the near history of the Emirates after 1971, the year that the country was established after the discovery of oil on the land. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about the time in between, before 1970s. It is such an intriguing interval, so I wanted to find more about it. 

When I ask about the Emirati history before its establishment, Khawla always reflects this question to her elders. I did not understand the reason at first, but then she literally ‘woke me up’ with this amazing fact:

The Emiratis were nomads during the majority of 20th century and before, like Turks long time ago. That’s why there is no written literature  (thus no written history), not many permanent architectures, but plenty of stories to tell from one to the other. Khawla said the elders have started to organise and ‘engrave’ this information from this oral history into books in order to leave it to the next generations. I never came across a history that hasn’t been written before, if not in 21st century. It might also give Emiratis difficult time to write about their present time as well, as it keeps on changing with a ‘finger snap’. I guess this means new school books have to be published every single year. I’m really amazed, I should say.

The skateboard ramp at the Tashkeel exhibition, in the shape of 'Tashkeel' in Arabic caligraphy

  

On Thursday, we went to an opening at Tashkeel, where I will be working to produce my sculptures. It was a typical example of Emirati hospitality, and changed the spectacle of and my expectation from the idea of an exhibition opening. Burgers, hot dogs and schawarmas were barbecued and served for free of charge along with some soft drinks. And then different types of teas and Arabic coffee were served throughout the exhibition. After that it was the dessert time: Different types of cakes and other treats were served to the guests. It wasn’t any different then being invited to a wedding. I can assure you that it was the same attention, same hospitality. That night, I went to bed quite early to prepare for the other day, for the big day with the MA (architecture) students of The University of Westminster.

The traditional Emirati breakfast we all had together

 

Yesterday, we visited the labourers camp. It was very heartbreaking for everyone, but it was something to face with. When the group of students scattered around the streets, Magdi and I decided to go to the big supermarket at the very centre of the camp. There were hundreds of men, almost ‘0’ women inside. Before entering the supermarket, we had to give our bags at the entrance. An unfortunate untrustworthy against people living there. The supermarket as though was not functioning to sell stuff, but as a colourful exhibition display of ‘made in china’ materials, for people to just wander around and have a look at. People were not interested in flat screen TVs themselves, but more so what is shown on them. Perhaps, this was the cinema moment for the workers on their free time. It was ethically difficult to take photos (I have one though), so I try to describe as best as I can.

Workers camp

The workers in Dubai, unfortunately are not treated very fairly. They receive a monthly fee around £25, and they cannot keep hold of their own visas and passports, in case of a potential crime. They cannot bring their families here. In majority, there is a specific kind of segregation while inviting workers from abroad. For example if they import male workforce from one place, they do not invite any female labourers from the same country; or vice versa. So the Emirates can avoid having minority communities constructed through marriages and families. Everyone belongs to their own class, own nationality, own gender which are all specified and categorised far in advance. I think ‘temporality’ overall is a very relevant term for Dubai, for many cases. 

On the way to the desert; on the desert

Ghada, who drove us there

After the workers camp, we went to have a picnic on the desert. Ghada’s school friend Aliya’s (sorry for the spelling) cousin owns and runs this peaceful stable, in the middle of the sea of sand. I had lovely time, lovely food and lovely chat. I am very much grateful to them, for giving me this opportunity to join in.  Many thanks!

Salukis here are like the Greyhounds in UK

Ghada

Magdi