SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 DUBAI OPERA The city s iconic stage IMG Worlds of Adventure Get set for the thrill of a lifetime Follow your Passion A tour for every hobby Designs on Dubai See creativity at its best
Designs on Dubai Dubai isn t scared to be different, stand out and try new things, making the city the perfect platform for designers to nurture their creativity Dubai comes alive with design during Dubai Design Week, taking place from 24 to 29 October 2016. This annual, city-wide celebration of design spans a multitude of design disciplines from architecture to interior design, lighting and sound to textile design and more. More than 100 events will take place all across the city, from exhibitions and product launches to film screenings and workshops. dubaidesignweek.ae d u b a i 51
On show at last year s Dubai Design Days was this stool by Emirati designer Aljoud Lootah. Part of her Double Square collection with all pieces made out of Carrara marble, it depicts a recurring Arabesque eight-pointed star motif when viewed from the top. Aljoud s studio can be found in d3 (Dubai Design District), offering a small gallery where her work can be purchased. aljoudlootah.com Downtown Design As the commercial centrepiece of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design will take place from 25 to 28 October within the Dubai Design District (d3), the creative heart of the city. This trade fair brings together over 100 high-quality, innovative and contemporary established and emerging brands from 25 countries. Featuring furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories, the event showcases the young and flourishing design industry of Dubai and the surrounding region. downtowndesign.com 52 d u b a i
Bike d3 designed by American University of Sharjah student Hinjal Kumar, and the winning design of Urban Commissions 2016, an annual design competition set up by Dubai Design District (d3). As the only student within the 10 finalists, Hinjal and the other participants were asked to design a public shelter that will become a meeting point for d3, establishing an important functional, social and community building role, and within a budget of Dhs50,000. Design Days Dubai The 6th edition of Design Days Dubai will take place in March 2017 in the Dubai Design District. As the leading fair in the Middle East and South Asia dedicated to collectible and limited edition furniture and design objects, expect large-scale installations and sculptural works, as well as an insightful and inspiring programme of talks and panel discussions. designdaysdubai.ae d u b a i 53
54 d u b a i
much that they decided to keep it on display at d3 later. How did your passion start? I have always been an artist. I don t think I know how to see the world or how to relate to the world if I wasn t making something. I m messy. I m restless. In terms of a formal "finding my passion", I came across a glassblowing factory in India as a design student when I was just 18 years old. I fell head over heels in love with the glow and fluidity of glass as a creative medium. I decided then and there that I needed to learn about this fabulously seductive material. And here I am. Glass of her own During the inaugural Dubai Design Week held in 2015, Anjali Srinivasan was spotted by Austrian crystal giant Swarovski and was named one of the Swarovski Designers of the Future. We catch up with the Dubai-based designer who is the director of the ChoChoMa Studios the UAE s only artist-run handcrafted glass-making enterprise Congratulations Anjali, how did you feel when you were recognised by Swarovski and what does this mean to you? Thank you. It was certainly a pleasant surprise. It has meant a lot particularly because Swarovski then went on to commission me to create a new, significantly innovative piece, collaboratively with the Swarovski's expert team. It means my practice can go a step further in the real world. Can you tell us about your installation at last year s Dubai Design Week? We made an 11fthigh arch of thin glass filaments, weighing only 17kgs, on site at the Dubai Design District (d3) in six days. And when I say we I mean it was me, my assistants and the visitors to d3. It was crowd- created, meaning visitors who stopped by learnt to use a very hot flame to weld glass according to basic principles of science. While the work was designed to be ephemeral, everyone liked it so What pieces are you most proud of? The breathing glass blob. It s a silvered blown object and as you walk up to it the glass reacts to the electricity in your body and it expands. It looks like it s breathing. I d like to make it into a breathing glass wall. Someone just needs to commission it now! You have travelled, worked and studied all over the world, honing and nurturing your skill. Why have you settled in Dubai? I see Dubai as being in the middle of the world map, with easy access to all places elsewhere. Dubai also has a small, young, energetic art scene that is still being explored and developed, so it s exciting to be a part of that story and build a unique practice. Tell us about the ChoChoMa Studios? ChoChoMa Studios is my small team that designs and creates customised glass for clients. We also undertake classes and host interesting research or experimental projects. We produce special glass items such as sculptures, personal jewellery, furniture and wall art. Follow Anjali on anjalisrinivasan.com d u b a i 55