Category: Events

Starting from the 26th of March The Scientific Center will be playing the new IMAX film called Journey to Mecca. I first heard about this movie from a blogger called Ahmad who posted about his experience on the movie set as a camera assist. Well the movie is now completed and it will be premiering in Kuwait on Thursday. Here is the synopsis I was sent:

Journey to Mecca is an IMAX dramatic and documentary feature that tells the amazing story of Ibn Battuta, the greatest explorer of the Old World, following his first pilgrimage between 1325 and 1326 from Tangier to Mecca. His perilous journey resonates with adventure while presenting an unforgettable picture of Islamic civilization during the 14th century, culminating with Ibn Battuta’s first Hajj. The story is book-ended by a close-up look at the contemporary Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca that draws three million Muslims from around the world. English narration of the film is done by Ben Kingsley, the acclaimed and internationally renowned actor.

I was also sent a timetable for the movie times which you can download as a pdf by clicking [Here]
Here is a link to the trailer. [Link]

The price of the ticket is KD3 for adults and KD2 for children.

I’ve never been to an IMAX movie yet but one movie I do want to watch that luckily is still playing at The Scientific Center is Fires of Kuwait. I’ve been wanting to watch the documentary ever since it got released back in 1992 and I still haven’t watched it!

Thanks Hind!

I am going to divide this post into two, in the first half I will talk about Cinemagic’s weekly movie screenings and in the second about Oldboy.

Last time I posted about Cinemagic was a year ago and a lot of you might not know about them. They are a local organization that focuses on helping and establishing local film makers in the region. They have courses, trainings, connections, everything that’s film related. One of the things they also try and do is increase the public’s interest in the beauty and art of the moving image and one of the ways they go about doing this is holding movie screenings every week. They hold these screenings in the old Salmiya, on the roof on top of Alghanim Electronics and LG. Anyone can go and watch a screening for free and they even provide snacks and refreshments.

Now the best part about all of this is the type of movies they play. They don’t play any of the mainstream stuff which Cinescape plays, instead they share a lot of small indie and foreign movies. This week they will be screening one of my favorite foreign movies called Oldboy which I reviewed here back in 2005. It’s a Korean movie about a guy who got locked up in a studio apartment for 15 years by some unknown assailants. Then one day, he gets released and decides to seek revenge and find out who locked him up and why. Its a violent movie which never gets boring and has a really messed up ending.

So if you’re interested, they’re screening this movie on Thursday March 19 at 7PM. I find out about their movies via a weekly newsletter and I have no idea how you could sign up to it but they do have a website which I believe is updated weekly and you can visit it by clicking [Here]

Update: Here is a link to their facebook group. [Link]

I was out of the country when the military parade took place recently in Kuwait but a reader of my blog who was at the event took some pictures which I’ve uploaded online. To check out the pictures click [Here]

Thanks Salem!

I was emailed the following:

Throughout the coming months there is going to be an eventful calendar of activities at different Starbucks locations. Ranging from insightful and inspiring photography exhibitions, to fun live music performances and gigs and many other more art forms to be included and surprises to be later announced.

Each weekend the photography exhibitions will take place in 3 Starbucks stores across Kuwait so choose the closest to you and come encourage young creative youth in Kuwait and spend a great weekend at Starbucks..

The schedule of events and locations are to be found for reference below:

6 -7 March
Starbucks Al Bidaa:
Ammar Al Othman & Samar Al Bader

Starbucks Behbehani Villa – behind Church – Kuwait City:
Saleh El Gaith & BaderAl Ajeel

Starbucks Mishref Coop:
Abdula Al Foudary & Nawaf Al Saleh

13-14 March
Starbucks Avenues (by Fountain):
Maha Al Asaker & Jarrah Al Boloshi

Starbucks Kuwait Free Zone:
Saleh El Gaith & Bader Al Ajeel

Starbucks Palms Spa & Resort:
Samar Al Bader & Sherifa Ben Ali

20-21 March
Starbucks Al Bidaa:
Maha Al Asaker & Jarrah Al Boloshi

Starbucks Salem Al Mubarak – Opposite Al Fanar:
Bader Al Ajeel & Ammar Al Othman

Starbucks Hilton Al Mangaf:
Abdulla Al Foudary & Nawaf Al Saleh

27-28 March
Starbucks Behbehani Villa – behind Church – Kuwait City:
Sherifa Ben Ali & Maha Al Asaker

Starbucks Palms & Spa Resort:
Jarrah El Boloshi & Saleh Al Gaith

Starbucks Marina Mall:
Ammar Al Othman & Abdulla Al Foudary

For more information visit their Facebook group [Here]

Thanks Maha!

There is a digital art showcase that’s being held at The Exhibition for the next two days. Here is the information I received by email:

Ugly, But Beautiful
Date: February 26-28
Time: 4PM-12AM
Location: The Exhibition

Beauty is something rational, everyone has their own taste of it. Ugliness, on the other hand, is one’s own opinion.

When you look at an image that is full of beauty and structure, you find it beautiful because you are living a structured life. You rarely see things placed randomly, as a result you say an image is ugly without knowing that ugliness has its own beauty.

That is why we can say something is ugly, but beautiful at the same time.

‘Ugly, But Beautiful’ is Remon Yousef’s means of making you see how ugliness can have its own beauty.

Remon Yousef, a Lebanese graphic designer currently working in Kuwait, will be showcasing his artwork to the public for three days only.

All artworks are for sale.

Proud to be Kuwaiti is a foundation that was formed to recognize and encourage the youth of Kuwait to depend on themselves and establish their own business by giving their skills and talent a chance to shine. I posted about them last year when they had their first event and tomorrow the event is back for the second time. Like last year a ton of small local start ups will be participating. I won’t be able to attend since I am in Lebanon but Nataly will be going for sure. Here are some event details:

Proud 2 be Kuwaiti
Location: Al Raya Ballroom
February 22nd from 6pm to 10pm
February 23rd from 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm

Event is open to everyone and more than 100 small Kuwaiti businesses will be featured. Here is a link to their website. [Link]

From The Exhibition:

My Q8
Date: February 24th
Time: 6PM-10PM
Location: The Exhibition

As you all know, February 25th and 26th are days for celebrating.

Come and join us in celebrating Kuwait’s National and Liberation Days at The Exhibition! We’re all here to show our love of Kuwait.

‘My Q8’ is night where these talented photographers and poets can display their beautiful and personal photographs and poems at The Exhibition.

They want to make you see what Kuwait means to them and they will be doing that by expressing their love of this country the best way they can: through their art and poetry!

Artists and poets will be donating a percentage of their profits to various charities.

I got the following in my email:

Campus Activities Board, a university funded organization at the American University of Kuwait is creating a charity carnival to help children in need. Whether they have down syndrome or autism, are orphans or in foster care, or are disabled– this day is for them.

All the money from the tickets and all donations will be spent in buying toys and gifts for the children that were not able to attend. The week after the event will be to take volunteers and go to five of the centers here in Kuwait.

The Charity Carnival will include:
Carnival Games
Raffle
Art Corner
Prizes
Face painting
Pony Ride
Bouncy Castle
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory room with movie
Free Candy
Toys
and much more

People are invited to bring friends and family to enjoy this day!

Tickets will be sold at the American University of Kuwait from in the liberal arts lobby from:

Saturday, February 21, 2009
From 11:00 to 6:00

Ticket Prices:
3 KD for adults
1 KD for children

Tickets will also be sold at the door!
If you want to volunteer for this event contact: [email protected]

They also have a facebook account which you can check [Here]

Al Sadu Society cordially invites you to an exhibition of Kuwaiti fashion:

ZAY
Traditions & Innovation

6:00 pm Sunday 15 Feb. to 22 Feb.
Al Sadu House – Arabian Gulf Road
Contact 22432395
www.alsadu.org.kw

Here is a personal note on how the exhibition came to be:

ZAY
A showcase of various interpretations of the traditional dress, to invigorate and revive its wear.

Nafnouf and Zeboun
In my book Traditions, I had researched and passionately documented aspects of the traditional arts and textiles of Kuwait. I recognized and focused on some beautiful and significant examples of the traditional dress. Today I carry this interest and fascination a step further, into the realm of actual design. I take the zeboun, the robe worn by women and men in the past and the nafnouf dress, and try to revitalize their wear. To give both a modern line with a traditional essence.

I appreciate cooperation of Kaveri Agarwal, a young designer from India who I met through the Textile Art Association meetings. Kaveri has worked for some time in manufacturing and reviving the traditional Indian dress and textiles in her country, India, and thus understood my enthusiasm and vision and could execute it well.

ZAY is also an interesting attempt at cultural exchange. In the past the Kuwaiti merchants sailed to India in search of fine silks and gold thread for their dress and embroidery. It may be that again we follow that ancient cultural route.

I hope this artistic and cultural endeavor will give you the joy and pleasure it did for me.

Celebrating traditions…
Altaf Salem A. Al Sabah
Kuwait 2009

Proceeds of the sales go to the HAYAT Charity, caring for cancer patients in Kuwait.

Trojan Women
Directed by Christopher Gottschalk

Playing daily from the 21st to the 24th of January, 2009
Show starts at 8:00PM in the AUK Campus

Tickets are sold on campus for KD5 and also at the door before the show starts. Reservations can be made by calling 99093464 or 97323274.

Only females can watch the play. (segregation…)

Extreme Sports and FISE (Festival International des Sports Extreme) are back at Marina Mall for their third extreme sporting event, and it keeps getting better every year. In addition to having a demonstration by professional riders; this event is also a competition for Kuwaiti potentials participating at the FISE Montpellier in France.

Since its foundation in 1997 Festival International des Sports Extreme represents today the biggest extreme sport context in Europe and the Middle East. With the success we generated in the last two editions. The 2008 event is anticipated to attract between 200 and 300 elite competitors from over 13 countries, this event will attract national and international media and tourists.

KUWAIT FISE 3rd edition will host 28 professionals BMX, Skateboards and Inline skaters (Rollerblade) competing in the State of Kuwait. The event will include a demonstration by pro riders: Street, Dirt, FMX , Flat land and Half Pipe, as well as local amateur competitors (street only), with qualifications for FISE Montpellier 2009 in France. The winners will represent their country on the biggest European extreme sports event, the FISE Montpellier.

Time and Place
Start Time: Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 11:00am
End Time: Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 11:00pm
Location: Marina Crescent

FISE Kuwait Website [link]
FISE Kuwait 2008 teaser on youtube [link]

Posted by K.

I just wanted to remind everyone that the AUK Car Boot Sale is tomorrow in the parking lot of the American University of Kuwait in Salmiya.

’11’ by Moza Al-Roumi at The Exhibition
On January 11 & 12 from 5PM to 10PM

Moza Al-Roumi is a talented Kuwaiti painter who is fresh out of college. On those two days, she will be displaying her abstract art paintings at The Exhibition. All of her artwork are for sale.

A little info about The Exhibition:
It is located next to Slider Station on ‘The Strip’ across from Alseef Palace in Jibla. It’s a place where artists, entrepreneurs, designers and others can show Kuwait their products and works of art. Whatever they want to exhibit.

Check out the-exhibition.com.kw or call 94066226 for more details.

Upcoming exhibition at The Sultan Gallery:

Beginning in 2005 Aziz + Cucher embarked on an exploration of how to expand their concept of art in order to create all encompassing environments where their dazzling imagery could be translated to a variety of surfaces and mediums. Aziz + Cucher offer now the possibility of not just ‘Living with Art” but of “Living inside Art”.

Aziz + Cucher have developed a highly visual language derived from patterns in the natural world , and with their constant interest in new developments in imaging and rendering technologies, are able to translate their vision to a multitude of materials that include limited edition photographic prints, hand-printed clay coated wallpaper, servo-digital routed and carved polymer panels, digitally printed glass and film for back- lit murals, hand –knotted carpets made of the finest silk and wool, and multi-channel video installations. Each one of these elements carry the distinctive style of Aziz + Cucher, and can be combined and customized in innumerable ways.

Event Info
Name: Aziz + Cucher Studio
Tagline: “Living Insider Art”
Host: Haitham Al-Ghunaim – The Sultan Gallery
Type:Art Exhibit

Time and Place
Start Time: Sunday, January 11th, 2009 at 6:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 2:00pm
(Exhibition open from 11am-2pm & 6pm-9pm)
Location: The Sultan Gallery

Here is a map to The Sultan Gallery [Link]
More about Aziz + Cutcher [Link]

Posted by K.

Its the time of year again when AUK hold their annual car boot sale in their parking lot. If you’re interested in selling items out of the trunk of your car, one parking space is for KD10 while two is for KD15. The car boot sale will be held on January 10th, 2009. [Link]