Although I neglected writing my blog for more than a week, I was incubating for my work and for more experience. Tom left last night, providing me lovely memories, his two skillful hands and a precious mind; thus the work easily came together in these couple of weeks. There are still a few things that need to be completed but it is nothing to stress about. It's now time to more concentrate on workshops, panels and interviews. Now I would like to respectively talk about how amazing and productive the last week was.
 |
| Global Village, photo credit: Tom |
Last Thursday, after visiting Dragon Mart earlier in the day, Tom and I went to Global Village; such a nostalgic funfair with folkloric shows and various food and cloths markets. Each pavilion is almost like a humorous embassy representing and occupying the land of their own country. I finally bought the Turkish coffee cups I was willing to get. The guy from whom I bought it remembered me from my previous visit, and asked how my sculpture was going. He has such a big heart; as he wanted to give me the cups as a present, as a contribution to my work. He uttered this in a Turkish manner saying “I want my salt to be in the soup”. It was such an emotional moment, and finally I could convince him at least to accept his importing cost for the goods. Thereafter, we had Iranian dinner, Turkish baklava, Brazilian smoothie, and a pretty Pakistani dress.
 |
| Just before we left for the wedding |
Friday, was the day of Khawla’s sister’s wedding which Ali and I was invited long time ago. I took out my skanky boiler suit, and put on my fake eye lashes (Ali’s lovely treat) and my fancy high heels that pretend to be two phoenixes. The wedding was an example of ultimate Emirati hospitality, and there were hundreds of beautiful Emirati ladies almost appearing from One Thousand and One Nights. Back at Tashkeel, things were coming together pretty quickly and nicely. We now have a very sweet welding corner, whose walls are composed of graffiti workshop screens. My experience at my outdoor studio at Tashkeel is so much intertwined with the skateboard ramp. I even got used to the noise of wheels hitting the ground (as long as they are on the big ramp), or kids running around. My work is completely composed of the scrap materials left from the ramp, so I am grateful.
Tom has an amazing gift of being able to transform anywhere into cosy domestic places. So he decorated this little room with hooks for grinding discs, welding masks and for other various equipment. I will be very soon giving a welding workshop here, so it is better if I start studying!
As a couple, we enjoy working together and walking together the most, as we even uttered in our wedding vows. So once we started doing the metal work, the piece came together pretty quickly, and I am very satisfied with how it looks. Tom built the crane and the drum beater, and I made the stirring mechanism and the clamp system of the coffee mixer, whereas the Glasgow tower was constructed collaboratively. After our working hours, we just walked walked and walked. Walked by the creek, by various highways, through deserts within the city and even once walked to the airport. Mapping a city with foot steps is definitely the best way of defining and experiencing a city. Not necessarily seeing spectacular pretty pieces of land, but spending some time on the neglected inbetween areas, that are not supposed to be seen by an occupier.
 |
| From the wall of one of our favourite restaurants, Al Special Ostadi. They have a lovely collection of old mobile phones |
|
 |
| Creek, with one of the burnt ships in the front. Photo credit: Tom |
 |
| Can you see the flying car? Photo credit: Tom |
Yesterday, we finally visited the flamingo sanctuary in Ras Al Khor, which was this time truly spectacular. It is a very big natural reserve with an unsettling view of skyscrapers appearing from behind. After visiting the first observation shed, we wanted to walk to the other one. For people living in Dubai, it is a crazy idea to walk anywhere in the city. It is not a habit here to be just a pedestrian, that’s why the signage in the sanctuary about the restrictions or a walkable path was not clear enough. Eventually we got told off for taking the wrong path. But overall I really enjoyed at the sanctuary, it was such a peaceful and rememberable moment.
 |
| Ironing on the desert is forbidden. Photo credit: Tom |
That night, Tom had to fly away after our Wednesday presentations. Now I am trying to get used to the idea of being half again. I should keep myself busy busy busy...
PS: Forgot to mention about the second sand storm. Impossible to believe, a sand storm once a week!
No comments:
Post a Comment