FILM: DUBAI
Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival is taking place this weekend and with 119 films from 49 different countries on show it is truly a global affair. But look out for local Arabic and Middle-eastern talent such as Lebanese director Reine Mitri’s In this Land Lay Graves of Mine, showing on Sunday at the grandiose Mall of the Emirates. The film grapples with the emotional and geographical ruptures created by sectarian divisions in Lebanon communities. More lighthearted yet no less profound fare on Sunday includes Atlantic, a collaboration between Morocco, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, telling the epic story of Fettah – a Moroccan windsurfer led by love to try and make his way up the Atlantic coast to Europe.
The Dubai International Film Festival takes place at local venues including the Madinat Arena, the Madinat Theatre, Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Marina. See website for details. Until 17 December.
dubaifilmfest.com
ART FAIR: TAIWAN
Art Kaohsiung
This weekend marks the second edition of Art Kaohsiung with 92 galleries from Taiwan and across Asia participating. Held at Pier-2 Art Center and Chateau de Chine hotel in the city’s Yangcheng district, Art Kaohsiung is welcoming roughly 10,000 guests and visitors over the course of three days to browse work from exhibitors that range from Tokyo’s Whitestone Gallery, Tapei’s Kaikai Kiki and also Taiwan’s very own Luminance Art Space. Stop by to see the finest contemporary works from the wider region or pick up some tips from the local Taiwanese art scene. Perhaps you’ll even pick up something to take home.
Pier-2 Art Center, 1 Dayong Road, Yancheng; Chateau de Chine, 43 Daren Road, Yancheng. Venues open Saturday, 11.00-19.00; Sunday, 11.00-18.00. Until 14 December.
art-kaohsiung.com
ART: OSLO
Europe, Europe
After this week’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, we’d like to turn the spotlight on the city’s Astrup Fearnley Museum and its exhibition Europe, Europe, showcasing the work of 40 young artists from eight European cities: Paris, Berlin, London, Brussels, Zürich, Lisbon, Prague and Oslo. This travelling exhibit co-curated by Cahiers d’Art co-editor Hans Ulrich Obrist along with Thomas Boutoux and Gunnar B Kvaran features pieces ranging from paintings to video installations that aim to highlight artists’ fluid movement and adaptation to different European locales. The event also hopes to highlight underlying themes of migration within Europe through work from talent such as British digital artist Ed Atkins, French Venice Biennale Silver Lion-winner Camille Henrot and Swiss multidisciplinary creative Hannah Weinberger.
Astrup Fearnley Museet, Strandpromenaden 2. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 12.00-17.00; Thursdays, 12.00-19.00; Saturday and Sunday, 11.00-17.00. Until 1 February, 2015.
afmuseet.no
BOOKS: TOKYO
Paris Photo and Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards Exhibition
The IMA Concept Store in Tokyo is showcasing some of the best photography books from the past three years as part of an event highlighting the nominees and winners of the Paris Photo and Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards. The exhibition features 95 books including Hidden Islam by Italian photographer Nicolò Degiorgis, in which he photographed places of worship in his home country and Dark Knees by Pennsylvania street-photographer Mark Cohen. Rare prints are also on sale, so this is one bookshop where you might not want to take your time.
IMA Concept Store, Axis Building 3F, 5-17-1 Roppongi Minato-ku. Open daily 11.00-20.00. Until 11 January 2015 (closed 29 December to 4 January).
imaconceptstore.jp
MUSIC: GLOBAL
Silk Rhodes: Silk Rhodes
Baltimore duo Silk Rhodes arrive amid a recent wave of talent from the US city that has recently included acts as diverse as the chart-bothering Future Islands and peers such as Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. On their self-titled debut, Silk Rhodes provide a brittle, slightly lo-fi take on classic disco and soul sounds that summon the spirit of Al Green while being contemporary enough to find a home on LA’s none-more-contrary Stones Throw record label. And though the band might be named after a controversially short-lived website, the sweet, soulful strings found on future classics such as “Pain” means Silk Rhodes might be around a little longer than their namesake.
‘Silk Rhodes’ is available now.
stonesthrow.com
