Check out our Cultural Capital website for more information on the documentary!

Teaser 1 Art Fair Montages:

Teaser 2 Animation & Censorship:
The feature length documentary Cultural Capital: Finding Art in Dubai examines the creative process in urban spaces and the socio-economic realities that challenge the sustainability of Dubai’s boom. The reality of a creative culture, like much of Dubai, is optimistic and still under construction.

The feature length-documentary Cultural Capital: Finding Art in Dubai has a new website! The trailer is being recut and will be uploaded shortly. The film was also featured on the Dubai Eye radio show Siobhan Live. We shared the day with a Michael Jackson tribute and coverage of the Venice Biennale, so we were in good company. Once the podcast is online, we’ll be sure to post it.

Katy in the Dubai Eye radio studios.

To find out more about our documentary, Cultural Capital: Finding Art in Dubai, read this or watch the trailer:

[See post to watch Flash video]

This is a work in progress and is without sound mixing, soundtrack, and the animated overlays that will combine with the live action in the final film, but it should give you a sense of the issues and the feel of the film.

Cultural Capital is fiscally sponsored by IFP, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to the film are fully tax deductible. To make a tax-deductible donation by credit card, go to Cultural Capital on IFP and click the donate button or send a check payable to IFP at:

Mr. Rupert Chiarella,
Fiscal Sponsorship manager, IFP
68 Jay Street, Suite 425
Brooklyn NY 11201

To make a direct donation (not tax deductible), please click on the button:

All donations over $99 will receive a Thank You credit in the film. Thanks so much for your support so far, we could not do it with out you!

We went to Dubai’s Bastakiya Art Fair 2009 and caught some of the excitement and energy of opening night. It’s supposed to the local, “fringe” art fair compared to the internationalism of Art Dubai. The fair took place in and around the historic houses of Bastakiya. The artists and galleries featured here include Julia Townsend, Maya Pottenkulam, B21, Khatt Foundation, Tashkeel, The Third Line, XVA, and others.

[See post to watch Flash video]

Did it live up to the buzz? The winners of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize 2009 were revealed way back in November. But since it has the notoriety of being the world’s richest art prize, offering a cool $1 million to winners, there was a presentation ceremony and lots of photo ops at Art Dubai. If you’re feeling lucky, enter your art for next year.

B-B-B-B-Bad art to the bone?

More than a few attendees said the economic crisis was not affecting the art market, but maybe they were being as effusive as their champagne. Gallerists have been publicly saying sales are strong and that collectors are better educated about contemporary art than ever before.

The crowd was moneyed and excited about the eye catching and commercial art. Potential collectors ran their polished fingernails over the polished art like Valay Shende’s life-size herd of golden water buffalo at the Shakshi Gallery space. Did the art lose some of its luster, because the next day signs popped up everywhere: please do not touch the artwork.

It’s finally here! We’ve been waiting for Art Dubai for a long time. We got sneak peeks and skinned knees trying to get the sheik on camera, so check here for video updates.

If you have $10k lying around, the Oakland Museum of California’s Art Guild is offering an art and culture trip: Jordan and Dubai: Contrasting Arab Worlds. The Jordan leg of the trip will cover Petra and an ancient Roman city. In Dubai they’ll “see the many faces of the UAE and experience its emphasis on preserving traditional heritage while supporting its unparalleled growth and glittering development!” Visits to the Dubai Museum, the Palm Island, and Art Dubai are scheduled. Compare and contrast. Marvel and marvelous. Check out the pdf brochure here.