Persona

Recent visitors to Dubai’s vibrant arts district, Alserkal Avenue, may have seen long lines of white tape laid out in zig-zags across the central brick-paved area known as the Yard. However, this was no act of vandalism or routine maintenance work. They were placed there by Tania Ursomarzo, a Canadian-born architect and assistant professor at the American University of Sharjah, as she mapped the space’s light, shadow, wind patterns and soundscapes in preparation for a future installation. The final work is just one example of the alternative art, research and performance projects made possible by the Alserka lArts Foundation, the non-profit arm of Alserkal, a family-backed cultural enterprise that has placed Dubai squarely on the global arts map through its local commissions and global collaborations. Louise Redvers, Senior Editor of Philanthropy Age, engages with the founder, Abdelmonem bin Eisa Alserkal, and the foundation’s executive director, Vilma Jurkute.