Living in Abu Dhabi or the Emirates in general can easily become expensive. Many well-known activities are costly and the search for affordable entertainment is one fun part of living in the UAE. Some information can be found in the free weekly magazine Abu Dhabi world and many of them are somewhere advertised on facebook. But there is no way to tell if something is worth our time unless we try it. We started to visit a few art exhibits which are usually free of charge and fun to explore.

One weekend we tried to find the UAE pavilions from the Expo in Beijing and found a wonderful photography exhibit in Manarat Al Saadiyat. We saw the pavilions but they looked closed and instead visited the arts center next door. Two exhibits were on display: the future vision for Saadiyat Island with its three big museums: the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is close to completion, the Guggenheim and the Zayed National museum. These will form the Saadiyat Cultural district. The second, the photo exhibition (click on this link for a few examples of the fantastic photos on display) was impressive. Prize winners of the Emirates Photography Competition were showcased linked by the title “family album”. We liked the nature shots best, but were impressed by the artistry of the other photographs.

Another great location for art exhibits on Saadiyat Island is New York University Abu Dhabis’s art gallery and project space in the arts center. The Project Space featured the now closed exhibit  “Little monsters” showing macro-head shots of insects taken by Yousef Al Habshi, an Emirati photographer. The beauty and intricacy of each little insect speaks for itself. Our favourite were spider eyes and beetle mandibles.

Close by one can find NYUAD’s art gallery currently showing “Invisible Threads” a modern art exhibit depicting how technology intersects with our daily lives connecting and disconnecting us. Modern art can speak to us or start a discussion why a piece is even considered as art. We met both at this show and the one which I found stirred my emotions was “Stranger Visions” by Heather Dewey-Hagborg.

She collected DNA from discarded cigarette butts, chewing gum and a hair and was able to elicit some information of these stranger’s ethnicity and certain health risks. Our of this information she created face masks. Just thinking about what personal information one may leave behind by losing a hair or discarding a drink bottle and which could be used by a stranger is disturbing to me. Definitely, thought-provoking. Ai Weiwei is one of the artists displaying a piece. A great show until December 31, 2016.

Classical music is one of my relaxing indulgences and going to a concert is always a treat. After my arrival in May the quiet summer started with many expat women with children leaving for their summer in more moderate climates in their home countries. This has an impact on concerts as well and the Abu Dhabi Classics season  just started on Oct 6 and will finish in May 10, 2017. This still leaves a void for the time over summer and we found a free of charge venue in the Beach Rotana Cafe Columbia in the lobby: a resident duo – a violinist and pianist when we visited – played tunes from classical to musical and pop music. A very relaxing end of a fun Oktoberfest at the Brauhaus just outside.

At the end and one beer

Gingerbread hearts

Cafe Columbia

There is so much more to explore in arts and culture in Abu Dhabi. Stay tuned for more.

Maike