Caught out on Abu Dhabi (Skull 2.0) (Extended remix)
Page 4 of 4. ADP magazine 1(1): Aspirations. Published 29 June 2009.
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Make up your own mind, but know before you go
Click here to read about the new media law. Anyone writing negatively about the country is subject to a six-figure fine. If you can’t pay it, then debtor’s prison?
Click here to see journalists in the UAE anonymously chatting on their blog about a lack of press freedom, government intimidation and warnings to journalists, including expats.
Recently there was an unconfirmed report of a high-ranking expatriate journalist in jail.
Click here to see expats in the UAE chatting anonymously. Topics include "British adultress arrested in Dubai", "UAE sheikh filmed committing torture", etc.
On another UAE blog, you can read accounts like "Free Prisoner" about a Western expat whose young idealistic view-against visa-related extortion-may possibly have placed her in prison. After intensive blogging, this person has been silent for weeks.
Click here to see the torture tape by a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi on the US ABC News. Click to read "Torture tape delays US-UAE nuclear deal, say US officials".
Click to see the current Human Rights Watch Report. Also click here for the country summary (January 2009). Also here is the HRW Report: (Saadiyat) "The Island of Happiness".
For glorious, uncontextualized arts publicity, click here...
And here.
To see an uncontextualized report at the UAE pavilion at the Venice Biennial 2009, click here.
And here.
These occur after the Human Right Watch report of "abuse and exploitation" on Saadiyat.
In future, we can expect generous complimentary travel for arts journalists, including airfare and 5-to-7 star accommodation to produce writings about art and design in the UAE in a comparatively weak trade journalist environment... resulting in uncontextualized publicity.
To read encouraging reports of art, design and outrage click here and here.
Click to see enticing employee opportunities at NYU Abu Dhabi in the Art Newspaper.
Click here to read about the NYU faculty uproar in 2008.
Click here to read a US ABC News report last month. "As they were heckled by the crowd, Human Rights Watch representatives called out Abu Dhabi for allowing the mistreatment of workers, alleging wage withholding and confiscated passports..."
Click here to see a report three weeks ago that state museums in Berlin, Munich, and Dresden have agreed to provide exhibits. Also Dubai plans to build arts and fashion districts "and change legislation to persuade foreign artists to take up residence in a new arts neighborhood..."
For a selection from the Telegraph alone in the past 20 days, click to read "End of a glittering Dubai dream: three Britons in jail accused of $500 million ’fraud’", "British entrepreneur flees debts in Dubai",
"Sun, sand and a solitary cell" and
"Man jailed in Dubai for wearing Marc Jacobs T-shirt featuring nearly nude Victoria Beckham".
Click here to visit the Abu Dhabi Tourism site and
Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
If you see art/design magazines publishing beautiful announcements, art- and design-specific reviews and features without any mention of the disturbing contexts, they may have no idea about them. They might appreciate you sending the links above to raise their awareness. You could also inform your friends and colleagues who may fall victim to the intense commercials in certain countries and publicity to come.
It’s quite probable that art and design history will be writing about this era in future... so please act ethically in what you choose to do.
Be informed. Enjoy your trip.
And welcome to the leading edge of Art Design Publicity.
3: Art & Outrage 2009: shocking information on the UAE | 4: More Art & Outrage 2009
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