Burj Olympus
Last week I went to see Mission Impossible 4 : Ghost Protocol for one reason – Dubai on film – that’s all, I swear. Despite the fact that the Emiratis milling around in the background of the film reminded me of the transparently rendered ‘locals’ in an architectural fly through, I fell for all its Franchise … Read more
These Memoirs Won’t Dictate Themselves
“Has it ever occured to you that all life is memory, so fast you can hardly catch it?” -Sissy Goforth In celebration of finishing my book (a year late and eight thousand miles from where I started), I want to share some glamorous images of another, far more interesting woman writing her memoir. I have a … Read more
F*cked-Up Re-Appropriation
Fucked-Up Re-Appropriation or In Defense of Vanessa Hodgkinson by Sophia (Mohamed) Al-Maria Orientalism is a bad word. Its offensiveness is gauged not only by inflection but by whose mouth it comes out of. If you are white and you are dealing in the iconography of odalisques and arabesques you will be given a wide berth … Read more
Wimples, Hijab & Other Arbitrarily Drawn Connections Between That History and This Future
I found this ‘Muslem Article’ in a Chinese dollar store and had to share the sloe-eyed fancy with you all. Has anyone else has noticed how hijabs these days are looking more and more like wimples? The fashion originated with Gulfie shalas which I am convinced descend directly from the medieval nunnery. As if you … Read more
One Big @#% Ankaboot
Maman, Papa and I Last month Qatar Museums Authority unveiled the newest public art work to be obtained for Doha – one big #@% spider! It is one of Louise Bourgeois’ famous “Maman”s. When QMA requested I write the catalogue essay, I was hesitant. After all, everyone and their er-maman has something to write about … Read more
Habby 3id from Nyan Sh33p!
كل سنة و انتوا طيبين gif off Peachypalace.tumblr Eidia!
Hala Gatwa – The Transliteration of Cuteness Part 1
Hala Gatwa (هلا قطوة): Yuko Shimizu’s Hello Kitty (ハローキティ) wearing a handkerchief as a Niqab and rendered in Gulfie Arabic. (coined by Motaz Attalla) All I have to say about this is: Fedaytha al-Kawaii! Bonus:
Cement Halos and Gulf Urban Planning OCD
Back in 1988, the Abu Dhabi Volcano fountain rose out of the corniche like Triton’s head. It burst out of the boardwalk like long-submerged alien ship rising from the sea. Its scented water cascaded down through the prongs of a turret-like crown. That cement halo still floats sovereign over all my childhood memories of Abu … Read more
Bidoun #25 About #Jan25
Bidoun #25 “Twenty-five is special. This, the twenty-fifth issue of Bidoun, responds to the Egyptian revolution that began on the 25th of January. In April and May, a group ofBidoun editors took over the first floor of The Townhouse Gallery in downtown Cairo, five minutes from Tahrir Square, to better understand what happened, and what did not … Read more
AYSHAY – Guardian’s Artist of the Day 1,075
Fatima Al Qadiri gets a nod on The Guardian. Let the crest crescendo! Let the glory groan! “Ayshay’s music sounds like “anything” in that “nothing” in the pop music sphere will really prepare you for it, unless you happen to spend your day listening to Diamanda Galas, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson and Lorca/Starsailor-era Tim … Read more
