Zambia’s opposition leader Hichilema wins presidential vote: electoral commission
Updated 16 August 2021
AFP
LUSAKA: Zambia’s opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was on Monday declared winner of the hotly contested presidential election after capturing more than 2.8 million votes.
“I therefore declare the said Hakainde Hichilema to be president-elect of the Republic of Zambia,” electoral commission chairman Justice Esau Chulu said in a televised address.
Saudi artist Obaid AlSafi shortlisted for 2024 Sigg Art Prize
Updated 1 min 6 sec ago
Dalal Awienat
DUBAI: Saudi artist Obaid AlSafi has been shortlisted for the Sigg Art Prize organized by Saudi Arabia-based curator Pierre Sigg, with the winner set to be announced on Oct. 10 during a ceremony at Asprey Studio in London.
The award aims to redefine the boundaries of artistic creation through the integration of Artificial Intelligence and this year’s theme is “Future Desert.”
AlSafi studied computer science but discovered his passion was art. After realizing he could blend the two disciplines together, AlSafi’s work evolved into a hybrid of art, photography and graphic design.
“As an artist who merges digital knowledge with contemporary art, I felt this prize was a perfect fit for my practice,” he told Arab News.
The creative said his proposal for this prize “challenges the contrast between perception and reality by questioning the concept of emptiness.
“Often perceived as a barren void, the desert, my birthplace, conceals a spiritual richness that far exceeds its arid appearance,” he explained via email.
“By merging code and creativity, we aim to reveal the latent richness of this ancient landscape, inviting viewers to contemplate a profound question: Is emptiness merely a mirage, masking the boundless depths of existence waiting to be discovered?”
Relying on AI to create art presents many challenges, AlSafi noted.
“It redefines our understanding of creativity, authorship, and the human experience. It paves the way for a new realm of artistic exploration, where traditional boundaries are fluid, and the concept of art is constantly evolving,” he said.
More than 300 applicants from 70 countries applied for the prize with only seven shortlisted. The winner will be awarded $10,968.
The seven finalists for the Sigg Art Prize 2024 are Alsafi, Dana-Fiona Armour, Léa Collet, Agnieszka Kurant in collaboration with John Menick, Harrison Pearce, Aaron Scheer, and Sasha Stiles.
Bahraini artist Salman Alnajem seeks to ‘learn from the wisdom of the past’
Updated 07 October 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: Using heavy industrial materials as a canvas may be unconventional to some, but to Bahraini painter Salman Alnajem, it is the perfect backdrop for his exploration of ancient civilizations, technology, religion, and mythology.
The artist has exhibited his works in solo and group exhibitions in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UK, France and Italy and holds a master’s in fine art from London’s Royal College of Art.
In his most recent project, “Cosmic Perspectives,” Alnajem painted a series of small and mid-scale artworks bursting with color.
“I'm making these paintings on steel that have a lot of these religious references … I aim to find remnants and clues of ancient-advanced-civilisations that seemingly were capable of building the most magnificent monolithic monuments to learn from the wisdom of the past, to bring it into the present, to create a better future.”
Alnajem’s artwork explores “a vast amount of knowledge that is encrypted in ancient symbols.”
“Trying to find answers to how and why the Pyramids, Stonehenge and countless other monolithic sites were built. How did the ancients have such a comprehensive understanding of architecture, astronomy and astrology? In doing so I keep finding connections, and similarities between disparate ancient cultures that are hundreds of years and kilometres apart. Almost as if they are telling the same story, in different languages,” the artist said.
Alnajem’s painting process begins with compiling images from his research which he turns into a collage-like digital sketch.
“These images are then arranged in a process that is similar to abstract painting. Usually an abstract painter’s first mark abstractly informs the next. In my process the placement of a symbol informs, indicates, and inspires the next.”
Coining his own artistic style called “abstract symbolism,” Al-Najem said he disentangles and assembles complex societal, mythological, and spiritual matters to present them in a simple-compositionally-harmonic way.
“I do so by creating complex paintings using simple-common symbols from popular culture, contemporary life and antiquity.”
For Alnajem, painting isn’t about making aesthetically pleasing pictures, but a way to create energy.
“My art is not something the viewer should ‘get.’ The artwork’s role is to ‘get’ the viewer ... when we look at a piece of art, we agree to open our minds to receive it. Art makes us more sensitive, when an artist is able to create small details that draw us in, to lean into the painting, that's us being a little more sensitive. Art, in its truest form, is an expression of the soul.”
DUBAI: Here are highlights from Sotheby’s upcoming autumn auctions of ancient and modern art from the Arab world.
Mohammed Al-Saleem
‘Untitled’
Last week, Sotheby’s Dubai hosted an exhibition of highlights from the auction house’s upcoming bi-annual Middle Eastern art week at its headquarters in London, which involves two auctions — “Arts of the Islamic World and India” and “Modern and Contemporary Middle East.” The exhibition included centuries-old Islamic artefacts from the Arab world, alongside canvases by some of the region’s most significant modern and contemporary artists. Among the latter was this untitled work by Al-Saleem, described by Sotheby’s as “one of Saudi Arabia’s foremost modern artists” who “has greatly contributed to the growth and evolution of art in the Kingdom.” The painter “belonged to a faction of cultural development in Saudi that sought a balance between the modernist and traditionalist aesthetics. Central to the artist’s oeuvre is a mediation between abstraction and figuration, in which he employs geometric forms to capture his surroundings,” the auction house states. This particular piece is expected to fetch up to £100,000 (roughly SAR500,000) at auction later this month.
Umayyad bronze buck
The highlight of the “Arts of the Islamic World and India” auction is this exceptionally rare bronze sculpture dating back to the 8th century CE, which is expected to fetch up to £3 million at auction. It is, Sotheby’s states, “indisputably one of the finest known animal sculptures from the Umayyad and early Abbasid period” and “one of only two known animal sculptures with a documentary inscription, recording the name of both its maker (Abdallah ibn Thabit) and patron (Ubaydallah ibn Jabir).” The is remarkable not just for its age and condition, but for its aesthetic merit. “Its cylindrical body gains movement by the sloping line that runs from the buck’s head to its deep rounded chest,” Sotheby’s notes. “This line shifts the visual weight slightly towards the rear, subtly emphasized by the angle of the animal’s well-articulated legs. It is as if he is tensing as he maintains his alertness…” A report compiled for Sotheby’s by Dr. Julian Raby concludes: “The buck … is a major addition to our understanding of figurative sculpture in the second century of the Hijra … It also happens to be a wondrous and sophisticated object in its own right.”
Leaf from Arabic translation of Dioscorides’ ‘De Materia Medica’
Between 50 and 70 CE, Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides wrote his five-volume encyclopedia of herbal medicine, which remained the leading reference on the topic for more than 1,500 years and was used extensively across Europe and the Middle East, with the original text and illustrations being copied multiple times. This double-sided, illustrated leaf comes from an Arabic translation produced in Mesopotamia in the 13th century. “In the Arab context, the text was important not just for its pharmacological and medical information, but also for its role in developing the art of manuscript illumination,” Sotheby’s notes. This leaf, it continues, is an example of the School of Baghdad miniatures and “marks the bridge between the classically rooted Byzantine style of book illustration of the Late Antique period and the genesis of what would later be termed by Western scholars ‘Persian painting.’”
Ayman Baalbaki
‘7ay Jober’
The portrayal of war — whether through his expressionist portraits of fighters or paintings of ruined urban landscapes — has been a constant theme throughout the career of Baalbaki, one of Lebanon’s most popular contemporary artists. In this work, created in 2014, the artist shifted his focus from his homeland to the civil war raging in neighboring Syria, specifically the Jober district of Damascus. “Baalbaki’s works during this time mark an enduring commitment to communicating the plight of regional conflict,” Sotheby’s states. “Harnessing materiality and texture, Baalbaki presents a flurry of skillfully arranged, gestural strokes, harnessing emotion through mark-making.”
An illuminated Qur’an copied by Ya’qut Al-Musta’simi in 1275-6 CE
Sotheby’s describes Al-Musta’simi as “by far the most famous calligrapher in the history of Islamic art” whose “works have — for over 700 years — been among the most sought-after examples of the Islamic arts of the book.” This example of his work, written in naskh script, is “an exciting addition to a very small corpus of manuscripts reliably attributed to the calligrapher, and provides an insight into the workings of the royal scribal ateliers of Baghdad in the late 13th century.” According to the auction house, this is the only known Qur’an by Al-Musta’simi “not housed in a major library or museum.” It is expected to fetch between £600,000 to 800,000.
A group of 12 pottery dishes from Abbasid Iraq
This set of iridescent bowls is thought to have been created in the ninth or 10th century CE in Abbasid Iraq. It “perfectly showcases the decorative technique of lusterware — one of the most sophisticated, expensive and difficult of the period — by potters who sought to imitate the shine of gold,” Sotheby’s states. “These beautiful examples offer a rich array of designs, from animal motifs to abstract palmettes.”
Recipes for success: Chef Benjamin Clement offers tips and advice on cooking
Updated 04 October 2024
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Having helped three different restaurants achieve three Michelin stars, French patissier Benjamin Clement was quite a catch for La Petite Maison, where he is currently group pastry chef, overseeing the menu and training at several outlets, including in Riyadh, a position he has held since 2022.
Clement says his passion for pastry began at “a very young age,” experimenting in his family’s kitchen. He studied at the Lycée Hôtelier Les Petites Bruyères in France, earning a degree in food, baking and pastry.
Here, Clement discusses tasting, tang, and teamwork.
Carpaccio of Yellowtail. (Supplied)
What was the most common mistake you made when starting out?
Not fully engaging with the process of tasting. Just as our brains require time and effort to develop and learn new concepts, our palate also needs to be trained to recognize and appreciate a wide range of flavors. Tasting is not a passive experience; it demands focus, attention, and practice to truly grasp the intricacies of different tastes and their unique characteristics.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Cook your meals with love, because no flavor can compare to that of a dish made with heart and dedication. When you take the time to prepare food with care, passion, and attention to detail, it elevates the meal. The love you put into the process infuses every bite, turning simple ingredients into a memorable experience that nourishes both the body and the soul. There’s a special kind of magic in food crafted with thoughtfulness, transforming it into much more than just a meal; it becomes a true labor of love.
Snails. (Supplied)
What one ingredient can enhance any dish?
For me, lemon juice is a vital element of seasoning. Its bright, tangy acidity cuts through richness and adds a refreshing layer of complexity, lifting and balancing flavors in a way few other ingredients can. Whether it’s a splash in a marinade, a finishing touch on a salad, or a dash over grilled fish, lemon juice brings out the best in other ingredients.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the meal?
I make an effort not to, as it can detract from the emotional connection and joy of the dining experience. That said, there are times when my natural inclination to analyze kicks in, and it becomes challenging to immerse myself fully in the moment — my tendency to dissect the flavors, presentation, and technique can sometimes prevent me from enjoying the meal as purely as I’d like.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
French. It holds a special place in my heart because it evokes fond memories of home. The rich flavors, elegant presentations, and the wide variety of dishes transport me back to cherished moments shared over meals with family and friends. The artistry and attention to detail in French cooking truly captivate me, making each dining experience not just a meal but a delightful journey down memory lane.
La Petite Maison. (Supplied)
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Pasta. It’s incredibly easy and fast to make, and it also offers endless versatility in terms of toppings, sauces, and flavors. Whether it's a simple aglio e olio, a rich marinara, or something creative like a pesto with seasonal vegetables, pasta allows me to experiment while still being time-efficient. The flexibility is what I love most, as it lets me mix and match ingredients based on what I have on hand, so I never get bored of it.
What customer behavior most frustrates you?
Today, appearance often takes precedence over flavor. Social media certainly influences this trend, as many guests prioritize capturing the perfect photo over fully enjoying their meal. As a result, dishes are frequently assessed based on their visual appeal rather than the overall dining experience. This shift highlights the importance of aesthetics in attracting attention, but it can sometimes overshadow a genuine appreciation of taste and flavor.
What’s your favorite dish to cook? And why?
Roast chicken with potatoes is a classic French family dish typically enjoyed during Sunday meals. What makes this dish even more special is that it’s often prepared using home-grown ingredients, adding a personal touch and a burst of fresh flavor to the meal. It always reminds me of a leisurely Sunday gathering around the dining table with loved ones, celebrating the simple pleasures of home-cooked food made with care and love.
What’s the most challenging dish for you to get right?
A Floating Island. It’s a classic dessert — simple and elegant, but mine never quite measures up to my mom’s version. Her take on this traditional dish is truly special; the way she balances the airy meringue with the velvety custard and adds her own unique twist makes it unforgettable. Each bite transports me back to my childhood and fills me with warmth and nostalgia.
As a leader, are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laidback?
Early on, I was more of a disciplinarian, believing that strict guidelines and expectations were the keys to success. But as I gained experience, I realized that each individual responds differently to different styles of leadership and that led me to understand the profound importance of fostering strong, trusting relationships with my team members. When they feel valued and understood, they’re more motivated and engaged, which ultimately means higher performance. So emphasizing connection and empathy in my leadership has made for a more positive and productive work environment.
Chef Benjamin’s La Petite Duchesse Rose recipe
INGREDIENTS
Choux pastry:
96g water
96g whole milk
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle of caster sugar
90g butter
108g flour
180g whole eggs
Craquelin:
75g butter
90g sugar
90g flour
Pink colorant
Crème Légère jasmin:
300g whole milk
60g jasmine tea
50g egg yolk
56g caster sugar
32g cornflour
37.5g butter
Raspberry compote:
1500g frozen raspberry
500g caster sugar
30g pectine
45g lemon juice
Pink glaze:
1500g cream
1100g neutral glaze
16 gelatine leaf (gold)
1750g Ivoire chocolate
Q.S pink colorant
Raspberry ganache:
150g raspberry frozen puree
75g whipping cream
275g white chocolate
20g butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring the water, whole milk, salt, caster sugar and butter to a boil.
Remove from the heat and add the flour, stirring until it forms a dough.
Return the dough to medium heat and cook for a couple of minutes to dry out the Pâte à Choux.
Transfer the dough to a mixer and add whole fresh eggs one at a time. Pipe the dough into 10g and 20g portions. Preheat the oven to 210°C, place the Pâte à Choux inside, and turn off the oven for 10 minutes. Afterward, bake at 180°C — eight minutes for the small choux and 12 minutes for the larger ones.
Mix all remaining ingredients together, then roll the dough and place it in the freezer.
Cook the custard for two minutes at a boil. Add the gelatin and butter at the end, then mix and allow to cool in the fridge. Once cooled, smooth the custard using a KitchenAid with a paddle attachment. Gently fold in 60g of whipped cream using a spatula (Maryse), then transfer the custard to a piping bag.
Defrost the frozen raspberries with caster sugar (1). Mix pectin NH with caster sugar (2) and add it to the raspberry mixture. Cook until it reaches a boil, then continue cooking for two minutes. Add lemon juice and cool the mixture in the fridge.
Bring the cream and neutral glaze to a boil, then melt the gelatin into it. Pour over Ivoire chocolate and mix thoroughly. Add the food coloring using a hand blender, strain the mixture, and bring the glaze to 28°C for glazing.
Bring raspberry purée and whipping cream to a boil, then pour over white chocolate. Create an emulsion, and when the mixture reaches 40°C, add butter. Store in a container with cling film directly touching the surface and place in the fridge.
ASSEMBLY
Fill the choux buns with the jasmine cream and raspberry compote.
Dip each choux in the pink glaze.
Place the small choux on the top of the big choux.
Decorate with raspberry ganache, fresh raspberry, and edible flowers.
‘FC 25’ — EA’s football simulation is as addictive as ever, for better or worse
Updated 04 October 2024
Adam Grundey
DUBAI: As makers of the most popular video-game simulation of the world’s most popular sport, Electronic Arts could churn out any old rubbish and still make billions of dollars. Thankfully, the company’s not (quite) that cynical yet.
Instead, “FC 25” (the second iteration of EA’s soccer sim since losing its long-standing FIFA license) brings a significant overhaul of the in-game tactics system with the introduction of FC IQ, giving you even more control over the minutiae of the mentality and movement of your team and players. Want your fullbacks to slide into central midfield when you’ve got possession like all the hippest teams now do? No problem. Want your center forward to operate as a false nine, dragging the opposition’s center backs out of position? Can do. And the roles you assign really do make a difference to the way you can play the game. It’s a positive addition.
As is the new mode Rush — a frantic and fun multi-player co-op 5-a-side game (the goalkeepers are AI-controlled) in which you pick a member of your squad to play with and team up with four friends (or strangers). Rush is part of Ultimate Team, which remains the heart of the game (and the main source of income for EA) — essentially a card-collection game with some football thrown in: to really do well at it, you either need to be a pro-level gamer or be willing to spend more real-world dollars to get a shot at landing the elite-level players you’ll require to really compete at the top level. And EA is getting cannier and cannier at persuading gamers to part with their cash.
Money-grubbing aside, “FC 25” is another almost-excellent sim that really does feel immersive and authentic when you’re playing it. “Almost-excellent” because there are still flaws, from the nightmarish graphical glitches when players collide to the continuing frustrating imbalance that means slower players quickly become a hindrance, no matter how great their talent — making Harry Kane, for example, less desirable for most ‘managers’ than a much lower-rated speed merchant in attack.
For all of that, with its one-time arch rival “Pro Evolution Soccer” (now “eFootball”) continuing to fail to impress, and with no sign of an official FIFA-sanctioned game this year, “FC 25” gives football fans enough thrills and depth to justify buying it.
