Middle East photo competition winners announced

Canon Middle East announces winners of “My Earth, My Lens” photo competition

Canon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, has recently announced the winners of ‘My Earth, My Lens’ – a photo competition that the company launched on March 31st in line with its celebration of Earth Hour 2012.

The competition is part of Canon’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and invited participants to capture powerful images of nature – ranging from photographs of the ocean to pictures of gardens. These needed to be accompanied by a photo caption that best captured the essence of the image.

Dina El Seyoufy, a photographer from Cairo, was picked as the top winner for the region-wide competition and will walk away with a Canon Powershot A2300. Dina’s photograph was captioned “Sun straggling to shine on a winter cloudy day” and the shot was taken with Canon’s S95 camera.

The second position was taken by Meriem Chafai from the UAE. Meriem’s photograph was entitled “Palm of Life” and was captured using Canon’s D1100 camera. Her prize includes Canon’s POWERSHOT SX230 HS BLU camera.

The third position was taken by Mowafaq Abaneh from Jordan. Mowafaq’s shot was entitled “Fields of flowers” and was captured using Canon’s IXUS 130 camera. His prize includes Canon’s IXUS 115 HS BLU camera.

Mai Youssef, Corporate Communications Manager, Canon Middle East, said: “At Canon we are always trying to inspire people’s creativity and innovation and we are very pleased by the response we have received for this competition. We are committed to support the budding artistic talent in the region. At the same time, this competition aims to combine the power of image with awareness around sustainable environments. We hope that through this competition more people have come to appreciate the natural beauty around them.”

The initiative complements Canon’s celebration of its 10 year anniversary in the Middle East, with CSR a major aspect of the celebrations.

To find out more about Canon’s environmental initiatives please visit http://www.canon-me.com/About_Us/About_Canon/Environmental_Activities/index.aspx

Mohamed Kanoo’s second solo exhibition debuts at Meem Gallery

Kanoo’s first solo exhibition held at Meem Gallery in 2009 displayed his Shemaghart collection

Meem Gallery is proud to present Mohamed Kanoo’s second solo exhibition at the gallery, displaying his recent work. Fun w/Fen presents the artist’s humorous interpretation of topical issues including religion, culture, politics and popular culture. The exhibition features works such as Abayya Army and the Red Balloon, Noor (Light), and Henna Stop Sign. Many of his recent works also pays homage to a number of artists Kanoo draws inspiration from, such as in works like Allah, which presents four small incisions on a large silver canvas, an immediate interpretation of the pioneering conceptual work of the 1950’s Argentinian born artist Lucio Fontana; AraMao, which is based on Andy Warhol’s famous portrait of Chairman Mao; and his personal interpretation of Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, where he replaces Mount Fuji with Dubai’s Burj Al Arab. Kanoo’s first solo exhibition held at Meem Gallery in 2009 displayed his Shemaghart collection. Read more

Amazing photography on Emaar Boulevard in Dubai

Meet Shrish: A Startup in Digital Photography

Shrish Kothari just came back from the United States, where she graduated from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. She grew up in Sharjah in the surroundings of loving parents and plenty of relatives. Now, Shrish who is just 23 years old, enthusiastically plans to start her first own private business in digital photography.

Dubai Chronicle’s editor met with Shrish to find out more about her ideas and how she plans to start and run the business. Read more

5th International Quilt Show Dubai supports Dubai Cares

AED 11,000 Donations for Dubai Cares

The 5th International Quilt Show Dubai concluded successfully at Festival Centre Dubai Festival City in a Prize Giving Ceremony where a cheque of AED 11,000 raised through contributions to win a Charity Quilt, was donated to Dubai Cares to support their primary education programs. The Founder of the International Quilt Show Dubai handed the cheque to a Dubai Cares Representative in a ceremony attended by the 24 quilters from the Guild, Islamic Affairs, Festival Centre management and quilt fans.

Dubai Cares offered the 24 quilters, who collectively designed and stitched an impressive quilt as a gift for the philanthropic organization a Certificate of Appreciation for their support and efforts. The Quilt had 24 stitched pictures of schools and flags representing the countries where Dubai Cares has programs. A raffle draw took place for the Charity Quilt and the Viewers’ Choice prize was presented upon its receipt of the highest votes from exhibition attendees. Read more

5th Gulf Film Festival in Dubai

The fifth edition of the Gulf Film Festival, the home of bold, innovative and contemporary cinema from the Arabian peninsula, will be held from April 10 to 16, 2012, at the InterContinental Hotel, Crowne Plaza, and Grand Festival Cinemas at Dubai Festival City.

An unmatched meeting ground, incubator and showcase of Gulf talent, GFF 2012 will screen shorts, documentaries and feature films in three categories: The Gulf Competition for professional and student filmmakers; the International Competition for Short Films, and multiple out-of-competition segments including an ‘In Focus’ segment and a children’s cinema segment . Read more

Seventh Session of Emirates Photography Competition

Under the patronage of International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is organizing the Seventh Session of the Emirates Photography Competition (EPC) 2012.

The aim of the EPC is to develop photography within the United Arab Emirates by attracting as many photographers as possible, whether amateur or professional, by nurturing their talents. EPC intends to achieve this through specialized workshops, interactive meetings, seminars and holding both solo and collective exhibitions inside and outside the country. The EPC also encourages the comprehensive acquisition and publication of photographic works. Read more

Art auction house sales total US$5.7 billion in 2011

Art business and a fine arts auction house Christie’s on Sunday announced 2011 sales of $5.7 billion, up by  14  compared with 2010 (figures include buyer’s premium). This includes private sales of $808.6 million, an increase of 50%  on 2010.

“Christie’s ability to curate and offer sales of art to a growing audience has led to continued demand across geographies, collecting categories and at all levels. This is a very encouraging set of results”, said Steven P. Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s, in a press release. Read more

Design Days Dubai: Limited edition collectibles

• Design Days Dubai is the first fair in the Middle East and South Asia for collectible and limited edition design
• Forward-thinking fair includes educational programmes by the world’s leading designers
• To be held from March 18 – 21, 2012 at a new, dedicated venue in Downtown Dubai as an integral part of Art Week 2012

 Design Days Dubai, the Middle East and South Asia’s first fair dedicated to collectible and limited edition design, will take place in Dubai in March 2012.

Held in partnership with the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, Design Days Dubai is a forward-thinking concept that presents exclusive and limited edition furniture, objects and works by international designers.

Design Days Dubai will be held from March 18-21, 2012 at a purpose-built venue in Downtown Dubai, the flagship development of Emaar Properties, and a leading centre for arts and culture. The venue is by the base of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Design Days Dubai will also coincide with the contemporary art fair Art Dubai, and is an integral part of Art Week. Read more

Celebration of Russian Art with Eternity Art & Culture Foundation

• Bridging the Gap: Masterpieces of Russian Art Showcased in the UAE

Eternity Art & Culture Foundation, a pioneering promoter of Russian art and culture in the Middle East, was officially launched in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, during a glamorous event held at the Mehteran Theatre, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on December 15th, 2011, under the patronage of the Embassy of Russian Federation in the UAE. Read more

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