Around town
6 things to do in Dubai this weekend
Iftar at Dubai Opera
Another interesting Iftar is served up by Dubai Opera, who have converted their auditorium into a large dining hall. As you’d expect, there is musical accompaniment in the form of a talented trio of musicians performing a selection of pieces on harp, flute and percussion.
When: Sunset to 9.30pm, until June 25
Where: Dubai Opera
Contact: +971 4 440 8888,
Still in Progress art exhibition
Lalla Essaydi is a photographer only in the broadest sense. The works she produces are captured in a camera’s lens, and are reproduced on paper that mimics old Kodak contact sheets, but what they display is a carefully stage-managed assembly of performance, design, fine art and calligraphy.
Born in Morocco and now based in New York City, Lalla produced several major collections between 2003 and 2013, and key works from each have been curated in Still in Progress at the Leila Heller Gallery in Al Quoz – her first solo exhibition in the Middle East. Her work is designed to appropriate and twist classic artistic forms produced in or based on her home country. “Beauty is quite dangerous,” she says of the work, “as it lures the viewer into accepting the fantasy.”
When: Until August 15
Where: Leila Heller Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz
Contact: +971 56 831 3520,
Draw your body movement workshop
Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson linked drawing with stress release. The relaxation response (RR) is a physical state of deep rest and an alternative to the fight-or-flight stress response. As a result, the person is left with lower blood pressure and a lower heart rate. If you’d like to give it a try, head down to Soul Art Center this Saturday where Asareh Ebrahimpour will lead you through the process. Just remember to wear all black.
When: 3.30pm-5pm, Saturday, June 17
Where: Soul Art Center Price: AED180, all materials provided
Contact: +9714 551 7440,
Iftar at Alserkal Avenue
You can break your fast with an Iftar at the Open Tent in the region’s foremost arts and culture neighbourhood. This Ramadan culinary project is the result of several creative collaborations: CHI-KA, the Japanese art space, crafted the Arabic-Japanese fusion menus, while Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai provides the catering. In addition to live oud music, there are Arabic calligraphy murals and bonsai gardens – and workshops in both – as well as poetry recitals and a Japanese tea ceremony.
When: Until the end of Ramadan
Where: Al Quoz
Price: AED135 for Iftar, AED110 for Suhoor.
Contact: +971 56 920 6920,
Transformers: The Last Knight (18)
Mark Wahlberg heads up a solid cast – Josh Duhamel and Anthony Hopkins included – in the latest blockbuster about massive robots. This time, the Transformers and the humans are at war.
In cinemas now