Dubai - Visitors are sure to make impressive posts on Facebook or Instagram as they pose for pictures like perilously crossing a hanging bridge to get to the other side of a deep ravine; playing with monkeys who are fishing for koi in a pond; feeding a giraffe; posing with a stranded astronaut, flying dolphin, King Kong, life-size gummy bears, Aladdin's magic lamp, and many more.
Published: Tue 1 Mar 2016, 5:58 PM
Updated: Wed 2 Mar 2016, 10:31 AM
The entire two-kilometre stretch of Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) The Walk was once again transformed into an open-air museum as Dubai Canvas Festival, featuring some of the world's most renowned street artists, opened on Tuesday.
Visitors are sure to make impressive posts on Facebook or Instagram as they pose for pictures like perilously crossing a hanging bridge to get to the other side of a deep ravine; playing with monkeys who are fishing for koi in a pond; feeding a giraffe; posing with a stranded astronaut, flying dolphin, King Kong, life-size gummy bears, Aladdin's magic lamp, and many more.
"The Dubai Canvas Festival (now in its second year) brings to life the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into an open-air art museum," said Mona Al Marri, director general of the Government of Dubai Media Office.
#Dubai Canvas opens to the public at JBRCheck it out: http://bit.ly/1oO8omCVideo by Angel Tesorero / Khaleej Times
Posted by Khaleej Times on Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Arif Mubarak, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Properties' Asset Management Arm under Dubai Properties Group, said, "JBR is leading the region's unconventional art scene, through bringing major art-focused events to this internationally touristic renowned destination.
One of those who returned for this year's edition is renowned Chinese artist Qi Xinghua whose 3D painting called 'Lions Gate Gorge' in front of a shopping mall in Guangzhou, China, has set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest 3D picture in a square.
Another is New York-based avant-garde artist Neil Harbisson, more popularly known as a 'cyborg artist'.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Harbisson said: "I have cybernetics in my body. This antenna has been implanted in my skull to hear the sound of colours."
"I'm here to find the dominant color of Dubai and then will be a choir that will be singing colours. Each light frequency corresponds to a musical note and we will be singing various notes depending on the colours we find in Dubai," explained Harbisson.
Those exhibiting in Dubai for the first time are New Zealand artists Erica Duthie and Struan Ashbly who told Khaleej Times that they will carry the visitors to a dream-like place with their imaginative creation.
The artists employed anamorphic art, a technique which gives the illusion of height and perception of depth to the street surface.
Aside from "embarking on a daredevil stunts" created by the 3D arts, the Festival also features many events on the sidelines including custom-designed workshops and activities for different ages.
Meanwhile, Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, announced Dubai Canvas 3D Art Award to be handed out next year.
The Award will have a total prize money of Dh 2.3 million (US $650,000) open to all artists all over the world under the theme of 'Happiness'.
The organisers will start receiving entries from 15 April 2016. A shortlist for the Award will be announced on 15 November 2016.
Al Marri said: "The choice of 'Happiness' as the Award theme is inspired by the UAE's own focus on people's happiness as one of its most important goals. The theme also reflects Dubai's objectives of becoming a city of happy, creative and empowered people and a preferred place for people from across the world to live, work and visit."
Information
The Festival is free to attend for the public until March 14
Timings: 4PM to 10PM on weekdays and 10AM to 11PM on weekends
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