18 19 - Abu Dhabi Tourism

Events
Show-stopper: The annual Al Ain Aerobatics
Show is one of the Oasis City’s leading events.
Aerobatics
displays provide
fun for all ages.
12
Eyes on
Al Ain’s Skies feature
Al Ain Aerobatic Show – the Oasis City’s annual
aerobatics extravaganza – will next year be held over the
December UAE National Day weekend. The move away
from the traditional January date will allow visitors to
travel to Al Ain for a long weekend break taking in the
show and the other attractions in this city which has
been inscribed as a UNESCO Heritage Site for its rich
archaeological and historic treasures.
The 2012 event marks the show’s 10th anniversary
and will take place from Friday 30 November to Sunday
2 December at Al Ain International Airport. It will
an exciting daily programme of daring aircraft
aerobatics and an activity-packed spectator village.
Special weekend packages are being put together by
the event organisers.
Keep your eyes on future issues of Seyaha for
details on acts, performers and family-friendly sideline
entertainment in the spectator village, but here’s one
spoiler we don’t mind giving away: year 10 promises to
bring the biggest and most exciting show yet!
alainaerobaticshow.com
New Home For Abu Dhabi Art
Abu Dhabi Art, a boutique-style platform that brings
together the world’s foremost collectors, connoisseurs
and artists, returns for a third outing at Manarat Al
Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island from November 16 - 19.
Much of the new concept art fair, which combines
Western, Eastern and Middle Eastern influences, will
be housed in the iconic UAE Pavilion – a Lord Norman
Foster-designed structure that was originally built for
the World Expo in Shanghai last year. The reconstructed
pavilion, which will now be permanently on Saadiyat,
will be the focal point of four days of events at Manarat
Al Saadiyat - Abu Dhabi’s purpose-built, multi-use, art
exhibition space.
Fifty international galleries from the Middle East,
Asia, Europe and the United States, many of which
have never exhibited in the UAE before, will take part
in a series of unique exhibitions, while multi-media
performances, educational presentations and exclusive
tours and events complete the fair’s schedule.
Building on its public outreach agenda, Tourism
Development & investment Company (TDIC), the event
organiser, will share the event experience with the
people of the UAE by placing several exhibition pieces in
outdoor public spaces.
Aside from the eye-catching international offerings,
this year’s event sees the return of Emirati Expressions
- the second edition in a series of exhibitions supported
by local artists. Running from 19 October through to 28
January, the exhibitions aim to position Emirati artists at
the core of the Saadiyat Cultural District institutions and
to nurture and support their talents through active and
continuous interaction with world art experts.
This year’s Emirati Expressions focus is photography,
with Stephen Shore - the renowned US artist - offering
artistic direction to 10 Emirati artists practicing in the
medium. Look for pieces exploring Emirati cultural
heritage and others that examine the place of Emirati art
in the global arena.
In addition to the works of the 10 Emirati
photographers, Emirati Expressions 2011 will show
some of Stephen Shore’s beautiful, TDIC-commissioned
photographs of Abu Dhabi. Other highlights include the
works of photographer JR, known for his larger than life
photographic installations in public places, as well as
Tarek Al Ghoussein, photographer and Professor of the
American University of Sharjah, whose work has been
exhibited extensively and collected by museums all over
the world.
Tour operators looking to organise group trips to Abu
Dhabi Art should contact Manarat Al Saadiyat on +971 2
6575800 or manaratalsaadiyat@tdic.ae
Abudhabiartfair.ae
Seyaha Fact: Abu Dhabi Art attracted over
17,000 visitors in 2010
Roll Out The Red Carpet
Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) runs for the fifth
consecutive year from October 13 - 22 and will screen
more than 200 films from 43 countries.
Held at the beachfront, five-star Fairmont Bab Al
Bar, the festival opens with Canada’s Oscar foreign
film contender, Monsieur Lazhar- the story of an Arab
man trying to find acceptance as a substitute teacher
in Quebec – and will feature a fascinating selection
of regional and international features, shorts and
documentaries.
Screenings will also take place at Abu Dhabi Theatre
on the Corniche and Marina Mall’s VOX Cinemas at
Marina Mall.
Shhh... Rumor has it that Viggo Mortensen and
Woody Harrelson will be in town to promote their
festival showings Dangerous Method and Rampart.
abudhabifilmfestival.ae
A List: Viggo
Mortensen (left)
and Woody
Harrelson are
expected at ADFF
2011.
Going global:
More than 50
international
galleries will
take part in Abu
Dhabi Art.
13