Art Blogs - Artblogs - Contemporary Art Weblogs at absolutearts.com

Scraps - Art from a Dubai tragedy

One of the main areas for art galleries and activity in Dubai is the Al Quoz Industrial Zone. As the name suggests the area is grimy, dusty and mechanical, inhabited by warehouses, factories, storage depots and wholesale outlets. When rents were skyrocketing elsewhere in Dubai this area was still relatively cheap and the large and empty premises were ideal for conversion to gallery spaces so over the past five years or so a lot of galleries have set up here.

There are risks to living in an industrial zone and reports of warehouse fires are frequent. However a massive explosion and fire last year resulted in several casualties, 3 destroyed warehouses and a thick cloud of toxic smoke which hung over the whole city. Luckily none of the galleries were close enough to the site of the fire to be seriously affected and since then it seems that fire safety precautions have been improved.

Valerie Grove on 05.22.09 @ 10:08 AM EST [more..] [No Comments]

CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION

So, I’m sitting here inside my hotel room after having visited Art Chicago 2009. I managed to make it on this very last day of the fair. Who would ever think someone would actually look forward to Monday?

As you undoubtedly know by now, art fairs are great excursions for me. There’s something about them that allows me to feel that I’m putting reality on hold. As I wander the clinical, pristine aisles of art, I feel almost as if I’m floating amid the clouds. There’s something about being in the presence of art that elevates you. After only a few short moments alone with art, you enter this state of meditation, followed by communion and then, your senses are heightened, your spirits lifted and it’s almost as if you’re in some virtual reality place. It’s a treasured space and a good gig … if you can get it.

I sort of have that feeling right now here in my modern, hotel room at the Aloft Hotel where outside this very window, planes are busily landing at and departing O’Hare Airport as you might expect on the first business day of the week.

Michael Corbin on 05.18.09 @ 09:23 AM EST [more..] [4 Comments]