This week’s editorial musings from magpie’s nest
The quote Labels are for jam jars Richard Flanagan
Today’s the day Happening today (thursday): the first day – of three – for the Sharjah Biennial opening programme. Pritzker prizewinner Riken Yamamoto talks about the transformative power of architecture in shaping communities. And Gregory Nava’s El Norte (“Grapes of Wrath for our time” – a heartbreaking story of hope and survival among Guatemalan immigrants to the USA) has a very timely screening.
More Abu Dhabi Art Abu Dhabi Art has extended its Artist Commissions in Cultural Sites programme, with works by Dina Mattar, Manal Mahamid, and Ahmad Saeed Al Areef now remaining on view until 30 April at Al Ain Oasis and Al Jahili Fort.
Door price Louvre president Laurence des Cars has been talking to Le Monde about the Paris museum’s major plans for renovation, which include building a new entrance for around €400 million – which will be funded in part from the €200m coming from the Louvre Abu Dhabi contract …
Welcome home Abu Dhabi real estate had a record year in 2024, with total sales reaching AED 96.2 billion – though that’s still way behind Dubai’s AED 761bn. And Dubai tops the world in sales of $10m+ homes, says Knight Frank: 435 of them were sold last year …
Top pic The 2025 Sony World Photography Awardshave just been announced, and as always they are a gorgeous collection of highly skilled snaps selected from over 419,000 entries. National and Regional Award winners were chosen from the Open competition, and the UAE winner is Donell Gumiran for his moody photograph of an Emirati woman in traditional dress standing by the Corniche in Abu Dhabi …
Bigger than yours Construction of the Jeddah Tower has officially restarted after a five-year hiatus. It will be “at least” 173m higher than Burj Khalifa (which is 828m) …
Short shorts Registrations are open for Short+Sweet Dubai 2025, “the biggest little theatre festival in the world” (or at least in this part of it). Actors, writers, directors, and theatre groups are invited to submit a 10-minute play or sign up to get involved in someone else’s. The festival runs 12 April to 1 June at The Junction; sign up here before 15 February …
Send songs If you need to share music with people who don’t use or have strong preferences against certain platforms, check out I Don’t Have Spotify – a simple tool that converts song links from Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, or SoundCloud to another preferred streaming service …
Art in Riyadh Saudi Arabia’s Visual Arts Commission has launched Art Week Riyadh, which takes place 6-13 April (so just before most of the Dubai art season biggies). Art Week Riyadh is non-commercial, though exhibitions will be presented by “leading Saudi and international galleries”; there will also be “curated displays of private collections, granting unprecedented access to rarely seen works” along with public programming and events like talks, workshops, and performances. More details here.
Fountain revamp Dubai Fountain is to shut down sometime in May for a five-month revamp to include “advanced technology, improved choreography, and an enhanced sound and lighting system, all designed to create an even more spectacular and immersive show”. Just so long as they don’t lose ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ …
Something for the weekend When did the celebrity die? Get it wrong here …
Things we didn’t know no.94 Hot drinks taste different according to the colour of the cup.
Earworm of the week Black Country, New Road : Besties
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