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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nNow read on<\/mark><\/strong> This year\u2019s\u00a0Abu Dhabi International Book Fair<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0had more than 200,000 visitors. Some were polled as they left, and the organisers report a 97% visitor satisfaction rate \u2013 up 5% on 2023. Which kinda begs the question: what were the dissatisfied 3% expecting from their visit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seeing stars<\/mark><\/strong> The NYUAD Arts Center runs a rather good Professional Development Initiative under the name Numoo, and has just announced this year\u2019s cohort<\/a>. Numoo is designed to \u201cfoster individual growth for performing artists based in the UAE\u2019; participants get to learn from professionals already in the field and receive specific training on essential skills. This year there are ten artists, all based in the UAE but coming from diverse backgrounds and artistic practices \u2013 several musicians, theatre makers, a couple of dancer\/choreographers, a couple of artists, one spoken-voice poet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognition<\/strong><\/mark> Right now there aren\u2019t too many Emirati contemporary artists in the world\u2019s premier art collections, but that\u2019s changing \u2013 partly because their galleries are being more proactive, partly because some are getting more international exposure, mainly because curators and museum buyers are getting wise to the possibilities.\u00a0Lawrie Shabibi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0says the Guggenheim in New York has acquired five works by\u00a0Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim<\/strong>, who it represents \u2013 one of the iconic Five who fired up the contemporary art scene here in the 80s and\u00a0subject of the well-liked National Pavilion UAE exhibition<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0at the 2022 Venice Biennale. The very characteristic handmade sculptures were acquired \u201cin honour of outgoing [Guggenheim] director Richard Armstrong\u201d (he was officially replaced by NYUAD\u2019s former vice chancellor Mari\u00ebt Westermann at the start of June).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Top job<\/strong><\/mark> Dubai Collection<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 the locally-focussed art collection made up of 800+ loans from Dubai\u2019s great and good \u2013 is looking for a curator. He\/she will be responsible for \u201cthe artistic direction, care, management, and interpretation of the digital collection … The role involves a combination of research, archiving, exhibition planning, and educational outreach\u201d.\u00a0In particular, the job involves looking for and recommending appropriate works (a Curatorial Committee is responsible for approving these); much cataloguing and documenting; and actually putting on physical and digital exhibitions. All this will involve lots of networking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This has to be one of the best art-world jobs we\u2019ve come across in the region. No word on salary, but it won\u2019t be insignificant. Full details are here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Live long and propser<\/mark><\/strong> Numbeo\u2019s\u00a0Cost of Living Index<\/a><\/strong> works out which of 218 of the world\u2019s cities are the most affordable \u2013 it has rankings for cost of living, rent prices, cost of living plus rent, groceries, restaurant prices and local purchasing power (ie what your average salary gets you there). New York is the benchmark, at 100 on each index; the overall cost of living range is from Geneva at 101.7 (so not much pricier than NY) all the way to Karachi at 19.0, with Dubai indexed at 60.0 and Abu Dhabi at 54.1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s more expensive to rent in Dubai (51.4) than Abu Dhabi (35.9), but of course we knew that (and both are way cheaper than New York, but we probably knew that too). And on the local purchasing power index, the UAE does pretty well (meaning your money goes further) \u2013 Dubai is at 122.7, Abu Dhabi at 160.5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Numbeo does lots of other indexes too, including an overall \u2018quality of life\u2019 ranking where the Netherlands seems to do best. Our cities turn in very commendable ratings \u2013 Abu Dhabi indexes at 192.4, 17th in the rankings, and Dubai comes in at 49th with 174.1. The worst places to be according to this list are Manila, Tehran, and at the foot of the table Lagos. Seems a bit harsh \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things we didn\u2019t know, no.94<\/mark><\/strong> Watermelons, tomatoes and avocados are berries (because berries are defined botanically as fleshy fruits produced by a single ovary, ie stemming from a single flower). Strawberries aren\u2019t berries (they\u2019re actually masses of mini-fruits in a fleshy blob).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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