Bill Bragin, the executive artistic director of New York University Abu Dhabi’s Art Centre, has been busy since his appointment last year. A key part of Bragin’s role at NYUAD is building and shaping the public arts programming on the new Saadiyat Island campus. As he prepares for his first full academic year at the institution, Arts&Life catches up with him.
What are the main priorities in your new role?
One priority is to present process as well as products. I think that in general most people experience the arts in finished forms and do not necessarily understand all the work that goes into creating it or the research and experimentation, the iterative process and the labour behind every piece. Given that NYUAD is a liberal arts college and a research university that idea of artistic investigation and process is really important to emphasise.
Can you give an example?
Earlier this year we had a puppet theatre company called Phantom Limb, co-led by a husband-and-wife team, spend a week in residence with us. Jessica Grindstaff is a visual artist who started making assemblages and Erik Sanko is a musician who makes marionettes as a hobby. They formed a puppet theatre company and in their performance they include dance, projections, movement, music and deep research. During their residency they did some guest teaching and interaction with students, as well as a two-day workshop in their puppet theatre technique, not only for NYUAD students but also some from Sharjah and Dubai universities. That is a good microcosm of all of the other kinds of activities that intersect the classroom separate from performance.
Would you describe it as part of your role to instigate cross-pollination between the artists, performers and the students?
When I look at my work as a curator, it is not purely on an aesthetic level. The artwork itself is central but it is not the only thing. I am very interested in community building in general and my vision of the 2030 plan and the whole idea of the Saadiyat cultural district is the way that culture can really inform a sense of place as well as binding people together with common experience. This is a fairly transient place and with NYUAD being part of this larger effort, the idea is to create more connectivity to being here in Abu Dhabi.
So, at the Arts Centre, you will not focus on visual arts?
No, the art gallery, which is run by Maya Allison, is separate and runs a parallel programme. But we do share the project space here. Also, as there is an increasingly porous border between live art and visual art, so we are going to be looking at that as I put together next year’s programme.
At NYUAD there are theatre, music, film, interactive media, art and art history departments. Would you say there is still a need for more art education in the UAE?
I think arts education is essential, but given that there is not necessarily the same grass-roots structure here in Abu Dhabi, you look at other ways in which you can help support that development. That is one of the reasons that we wanted to have a workshop space and to make the performances free to the public at the beginning as a way of reducing friction points. I am certainly thinking about how we can connect with young people and those who don’t necessarily have artistic exposure.
Will this have a long-term effect on the courses that are offered at this university?
A lot of my job right now has been getting to know people and I am building long lists of projects that I can instigate within different members of the faculty and the curriculum. Then it is about how we can weave it together so it can benefit all sides.
What do you think defines the UAE culturally?
I think there are some specific things about the UAE that make it really attractive. Its deep history and the conditions that led to its hyper-accelerated development as well as the nexus of east, west, north and south is an unusual combination. Also, once all the museums and the performing-arts centre are open, combined with the beaches and the shopping, is a really uncommon mix. Also, there is so much shared desire and sense of mission and opportunity here that they are really happy to see new people arrive who share that sensibility and a willingness to collaborate. There is a clear level of intention happening on a number of different levels.
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'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
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Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Aguero 1', 44', 61'
Arsenal 1
Koscielny 11'
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
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The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
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Draw for Europa League last-16
Istanbul Basaksehir v Copenhagen; Olympiakos Piraeus v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rangers v Bayer Leverkusen; VfL Wolfsburg v Shakhtar Donetsk; Inter Milan v Getafe
Sevilla v AS Roma; Eintracht Frankfurt or Salzburg v Basel; LASK v Manchester United
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