Saving the Best for Last: Exploring Dubai & Sharjah

Abu Dhabi's new souq

Abu Dhabi Corniche

 My time here has come to a close - and I spent the last weekend of my two and a half-month long jaunt across the Middle East in Dubai and Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, and of course the site of my dissertation research, but ...there is something about massive cities in the desert where you drive fast with the stereo up loud and the cities are criticized for being modern and soulless, but they are places where larger-than-life dreams come alive. They are cities of possibility. Los Angeles is one of these, and I didn't expect to like it before I lived there and fell in love with it. Maybe that's why Dubai immediately felt right to me: I recognized the humming of energy and big dreams. Emily Dickinson said it best: I dwell in possibility.

The Burj Khalifa by night

I stayed at the Ramada Downtown Dubai, right next to the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in the world, and it's really beautiful. The hotel was really great, too. It was a quick (but sweaty) walk to Ara Gallery around the corner, which had a really beautiful exhibition on Arabic calligraphy. If I hadn't been so desperate to see Rob, I might have pawned my ticket back just to buy something so beautiful to look at.

Ara Gallery, Downtown Dubai

Backstage

I also drove up to the Museum of Islamic Civilization in Sharjah. Getting there from Dubai wasn't a directionally complex story, but the roads got skinnier and the traffic didn't slow down accordingly, so it was a bit harrowing. And the signs didn't point to where they were supposed to, which is always disconcerting. I was really thankful I had paid $7/day for the GPS, it proved invaluable.

Sharjah, of all the Gulf cities, has the jump on museums. The government has about 16 of them, incorporating various facets of Gulf history and built heritage. Many of them are located along the Corniche in or near the Arts Area in the heart of Sharjah. The Museum of Islamic Civilization is located in a former souq, and it's a really long skinny building that's quite beautiful. Due to Ramadan, entry was free and there was free parking. Fantastic!

Museum of Islamic Civilization in Sharjah, UAE

 The museum's ground floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions, a hall on Islamic faith, and a hall about Islamic scientific and technological innovations. The display above was entitled "stretching assist." Uhm....what? When paired with the drawing behind the little mock-up, and the slicing & dicing tools in the foreground...call it what it is, folks!

Upstairs, the galleries attend to Islamic decorative arts chronologically. The museum houses over 5000 artifacts in total, and many of them are just stunningly beautiful.

After the museum, I headed to Maraya Art Center. I thoroughly enjoyed this place, even if I had to do some minor off-roading in my Mitsubishi Lancer (that's right!) to get there.  

It's the Middle East, so yes, obviously it's about camels...

Installation from The Beginning of Thinking is Geometric

by Basmah Felemban

Both the exhibitions were excellent. The Beginning of Thinking Geometric felt akin to exhibitions in New York & LA, big open white cubes that are covered in various interpretive contemporary art. In a different vein, the RE:Oriented exhibit of Arab modernists was thought-provoking (even if there was only one female artist included). While the security guard followed me around the exhibit, and I was the only one there at the time, it wasn’t as awkward or oppressive as some similar experiences have been (ie, Crafts Museum in Bucharest, Romania – that security guard takes the prize for creeper guards). At the end, he handed me a pretty sweet canvas tote with the exhibition catalogue and a bunch of swag inside. I’m a grad student, so please understand I am extremely susceptible to being bribed with free swag or food.

While in Dubai, I thought I’d check out Al Serkal Avenue, which is a trendy new consortium of galleries that have set up shop in the warehousey, industrial area of Al Quoz. Many galleries are closed or operating on restricted hours for Ramadan & August (because, really, who leaves their air-conditioned office, car or home during this heat? Really.). This crazy girl, apparently. A half-block walk from where I parked into Ayyam Gallery had me coated in a slick film of sweat, and I wished there were some way to un-awkwardly hang out in the entryway and cool down sufficiently under the A/C before any of the immaculate gallery attendants saw my pink face. Alas.

On Saturday, I visited a colleague at his university office at Al Ayn. In two days, I put 700km on the rental car and visited 3 of the top 4 cities in the UAE – much more movement and activity than two weeks in Abu Dhabi. I couldn’t help but think, at the end of my first research trip here (inshallah, one of many, if I do my job well!)…I think we, Westerners who reside in the West, perhaps judge expats in Dubai and Abu Dhabi unfavorably at times. But this is a place where people who don’t belong anywhere can belong, and as someone who belongs nowhere and cringes at the question “Where are you from?” I understand the desire to live somewhere that question is irrelevant. My professor friend here said that belonging and citizenship are different things. They are. And one of my interviewees told me, “The great thing about Abu Dhabi is that you come here, no matter who you are, and you are accepted. It is open.” And it is incredibly diverse – more than just a lip service diversity.* The UAE has made itself a land of dreams coming true, of big aspirations, of grandiose plans, and a desire to shape the future. We can criticize the Gulf and its expats for this, but at the end of the day… at least they’re going for what they want. They're doing. By putting it out there, they change the terms of the conversation and make it necessary to acknowledge them. And they may just represent a post-nationalist way of belonging.

*To be clear, diversity does not always mean equality and there are always discrimination and exploitation issues where migrant labor is involved.

Day 417 - 423: Chicago Part II, the part before permanent

Day II.52 (417): Monday, August 6, 2012
The last weeks of riding my bike to work and swimming the beautiful USC mosaic pool!
I can't help but remember how I didn't want to swim in this pool to begin with...makes me wonder what delights are in store for me if I can just accept them!


Day II.53 (418): Tuesday, August 7, 2012
I have faith, this is going to be ok.


Day II.54 (419): Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Good thing I remembered my meditation beads.

Day II.55 (420): Thursday, August 9, 2012
I woke up today to the best news via email a girl with a hardcore crush can get. And then I found a lucky penny in the shower. All signs pointed to a great day!

And then I found it. The perfect adorable apartment for Ruby and me.

And tonight I realized something beautiful and huge. I was so anxious. I've never been rejected when applying for apartments, not once. But I was so anxious about this. As I lay in my bed at the flat where we're staying (and when I say flat I am describing its character as well as the noun referring to apartment), I realized - I need to come from a place of abundance. I had seen at least two viable alternatives if this fell through. And in reality, the universe has been so good to me this year. Why would I not trust the bounty and goodness of the world?

I swear, as soon as I let go of these fears I held so deeply, as soon as I let go of this thing I needed to let go of, and just started to trust - just jumped into the big blue yonder - since then, everything has lined up perfectly. I have received blessings more beautiful and amazing and touching and real than I could ever have imagined.

Trust in the abundance and beauty of the world. This is the lesson here. So I trust that this place I want to live in, it will come to me. And if not, then there is something else equally wonderful in store for me.

Day II.56 (421): Friday, August 10, 2012
And then we got the apartment. Like I said, trust in the bounty of the world.

Also, thank goodness for the self-awareness and knowing what I need to get my head right. Last night I made the parents drive me to Target to buy some cheap running shoes so I could hit the lake shore. Amazing how an hour to yourself with some headphones, pushing yourself, can get your head straightened out.
 
Day II.57 (422): Saturday, August 11, 2012

What else would Harringtons do in a major city with the day off?
If you guessed, "Hit a museum ten minutes after they open their doors," you'd be correct.
Clearly, I come by this honestly.
These, among other delights that will give you goosebumps, are at the Art Institute of Chicago. Can I tell you how excited I am to come back here again and abuse my AAM nerdpass?

I've never seen a Mondrian like this. So incredible!

This is one of my favorite paintings, in the entire world, by one of my top three favorite painters. And I got to see it today in real life! 

I loved the lotus detail in the palm...

Marc Chagall's America Windows. No one, I mean no one, does blue like Chagall.

I asked my mom to get a pic of my dad & me. This is what we got :)

My parents at Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate (or, The Bean)

Day II.58 (423): Sunday, August 12, 2012
So many things painful - so many things in life that just sting at the surface...and how difficult to learn to let them go.

Thankful for a safe trip home, however delayed.

"But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in."  
                                   -- Junot Diaz

Oh god. So true. So true.

Thankful for a safe trip home, however delayed. Hey, it gave me a chance to finish The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.  The only way out is in.

Day 1, Year II

Gratitude, Part II

Day II.1 (366): Friday, June 15, 2012
Things are slowly starting to fall in line for my move. This is gratifying. And slow.

Day II.2 (367): Saturday June 16, 2012
Today I worked on my LA bucket list. I did the Culver City stairs twice. My legs only ached for five days afterwards.

Then I took myself on a date to the Museum of Jurassic Technology. This fascinating little labyrinth of a museum is a complete charmer. I enjoyed my solo self-date and finished up with a cup of tea in the rooftop courtyard, watching the birds, & listening to the man play the accordion.

 Up next on the bucket list: the Gamble House in Pasadena, Joshua Tree, Mt. Wilson Observatory.

Day II.3 (368) - Sunday June 17, 2012

 Sometimes the most beautiful thing is to share a walk with a friend and truly be present with them. So much of the time, we spend time with people or communicate with them without truly listening, without really being present. The greatest gift you can offer someone is your presence. You are the greatest gift you can offer someone.

Day II.4 (369): Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Follow your dreams! The universe is giving you pointers, if you just look for them...

Day II.5 (370): Wednesday, June 20, 2012

 I like this graffiti. It is my aspiration to love wherever I happen to be, by seeing these places for what they are and appreciating their unique characters.

Today I discovered that Northwestern has a sailing center. A sailing center! How great is that. They rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to explore Lake Michigan. Now that's something to look forward to!

Days 329 - 331: the Art in/of Living

Day 329 - Wednesday May 9, 2012

A reminder to take life a little less seriously, a little more colorfully: an actual human skull, blinged out with turquoise and stones post-mortem.

Day 330 - Thursday, May 10, 2012
Here's to hope!

And to finally seeing Shadi Ghadirian's work in real life, after presenting on it at three academic conferences and blogging on how fascinating her work is.

Day 331 - Friday, May 11, 2012

 I was back at LACMA again today, this time to catch up with my friend Aurora at LACMA's Friday night happy hour in the Broad Contemporary Courtyard. 

Not a bad way to spend an evening.

Day Six

Today (Monday) I went on a work meeting to the de Young Museum.

It was really exciting to be around a group of really amazing artists and museum staff who are committed to shaking things up. It was a profoundly inspiring experience for which I'm totally grateful.

On Collecting and Curating

I recently read an article that touted the importance of curation and curating in an increasingly overwhelming world, noting that the ability to select and discriminate is a valuable skill for the 21st century world. We have read quite a bit recently about the information overload the internet has brought us, and the generations of citizens who now grow up more accustomed to visuals and the proliferation of people with media and tech savvy. But what does this all mean? There are broader social implications of this shift.
Authority
This is not an original point - that the proliferation of knowledge and information has led to many nontraditional experts, the inclusion of voices previously silenced or obliterated, and the emergence of "internet" celebrities - selfmade, in true American fashion. One can make oneself an authority on a subject, now - there is no authorizing, validating figure or institution necessary, anymore. There are the obvious drawbacks to this - look at Wikipedia, for example - the "you never know who could be writing this" phenomenon, and with this comes the necessity of extensive cross-referencing. You can't believe everything you read. Especially on the internet. This is the price we have to pay, it seems, to leave the floodgates open for the occasional, unknown gem to be discovered, the missing, unheard voice to echo in a space of reception.
So, these new curators appear to be more democratic than their predecessors. They will be chosen, become popular based on their merit and ability to appeal to their audiences, rather than standing on an empty throne, chosen by experts who want a descendant to promulgate their worldviews into the coming generations. Individuals can choose who to listen to - and that person's choices, recommendations, worldviews become then paramount in determining or reinforcing one's own. Are we about to witness an age of despots, tyrants? The few individuals who are cunning enough to filter (and filter well) the torrents of information charging at the public, and wield them, will stand powerful on the wilyness of their own choices (in the past, they have been powerful by having been merely placed in positions of power). Or will these new voices allow us to juxtapose and make meaning in new places? My mother explained to me once that Einstein's brain was very heavy, because the synapses in his brain connected physically, which formed ponderous bonds. The more connections our brain has, allowing us to link seemingly unconnected thoughts, the heavier our brains (but not necessarily heavy thoughts!). I find connections like Faulkner and Common delightful, because it is a way of relating to deep meaning behind art and surfacing it in its various iterations at the hands and words of different meaningmakers.

The Psychology of Collecting
My master's seminars on museums taught me about the way museums came into being. They are descendents, however now far removed, from curio or curiosity cabinets. Cabinets full of things that were curious, odd, beautiful. Europe's wealthy assembled them from their travels, as a way of demonstrating their power - to visit places others couldn't, and take for themselves pieces of that place (sometimes paying for it, sometimes not), putting these objects into boxes showcasing their uniqueness, freakishness, representativeness of another culture or place. Collecting is an act of possession, an act of making meaning or selecting a predominant meaning for an object, despite or because of the other adherent meanings. Objects can be selected for their sentimental value - just look at any child, who gathers and keeps stuffed animals, toys, sports league trophies. These things are brought together because of what they represent - they are tangible memories. Collecting is thus subjective, personal, possessive.

If collecting is subjective and personal, and if modern individuals become self-made authorities based on their collecting of objects, ideas - their curating ability - are we not witnessing a popularity contest? And, is a popularity contest not the actual essence of democracy? If so, collecting and curating might transition from one of the most authority-sodden practices to one of the most democratic...