PARIS: Back in 1729, the Parisian authorities introduced the French capitals iconic blue-and-green street name plaques, topped with a little “Napoleon’s hat” containing the number of the street’s arrondissement.

The plaques honor France and the world’s leading politicians, philosophers, artists, writers, and scientists, including a number associated with the Arab world. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously proposed renaming some of the capital’s streets to include more personalities from ethnic minorities, but that has not yet happened. Still, there are enough Arab names to comprise a walking tour around Paris — including a president, a poet, a pop star and more. 

Esplanade Habib Bourguiba, 7th arrondissement 

With a wonderful view of the Grand Palais, this large, peaceful stretch of greenery is named after independent Tunisia’s first president, Habib Bourguiba. The secular leader was in charge between 1957 and 1987, and was famously a supporter of women’s rights. Next to his plaque, there is a bronze bust of the leader looking towards the River Seine, with his name written in Arabic underneath. 

Promenade Gisèle Halimi, 7th arrondissement

Gisèle Halimi in Paris. (AFP)

An admirer of Bourguiba, Halimi was a Tunisian-born French lawyer, feminist, and former member of the National Assembly in France. She died in 2020, aged 93, and this sloping pathway was named after her last year. Halimi’s life of hardships shaped the respected career she had. When she was born, her father hid her — ashamed of her gender. She went on a hunger strike at 10 and, at 16, rejected an arranged marriage, going on to study law in Paris. Halimi is perhaps best known for a 1972 trial, in which she defended a minor who had an abortion after being raped. It was a key event that propelled the country into legalizing abortion in 1975. 

Place Mahmoud Darwich, 6th arrondissement 

Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe (second from right) and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas (second from left) unveil on June 14, 2010 in Paris the new Mahmoud Darwich esplanade named after the Palestinian poet who died Aug. 9, 2008. (AFP)

In 2010, just two years after the death of Palestine’s most famous poet Mahmoud Darwish, a square in Paris was inaugurated in his honor. Known for his writings on home, memory, and exile, Darwish spent many years outside of his native land. He lived in Beirut, Cairo, Tunis, and Paris. He had a special connection with the latter, describing it as the place where his “true poetic birth” happened. The plaque is situated in a district the poet reportedly liked, on the banks of the Seine and near the classical buildings of Institut de France and Monnaie de Paris.

Paris Massacre of 1961 memorial, 4th arrondissement

A few minutes away from Notre Dame Cathedral stands an unassuming but sobering reminder of how an Arab collective suffered during the turbulent Sixties. In 1961, when Algeria was seeking independence, a group of Algerian protesters were attacked by the police and some of their bodies were thrown into the Seine. In 2021, to mark the 60th anniversary of this horrific event, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo inaugurated a memorial artwork, made of metal with silhouettes of heads carved out, in remembrance of those who lost their lives.    Maison de Dalida, 18th arrondissement 

Between 1962 and 1987, the blonde bombshell diva Dalida, who was born to Italian parents in Egypt, lived in this four-story townhouse in hilly Montmartre, a quiet area outside of the bustling city center of the city that is historically associated with artists. Dalida sang in a variety of languages, including French, Italian, and Arabic. “Salma Ya Salama” and “Helwa Ya Baladi” are some of her most loved Arabic songs. Sadly, it was in this house that she committed suicide in 1987, as a result of tragedies in her personal life. The plaque on her house reads: “Her friends from Montmartre will not forget her.” 

DUBAI: “In the aftermath of British colonial rule, a few crucial weeks in 1947 initiated complex and still-unresolved processes of displacement, fragmentation, conflict, and nation-building that spanned decades, and which continue to deeply scar the societies and peoples of the subcontinent.” 

This is how Dubai’s Jameel Arts Center introduces its latest exhibition, “Proposals for a Monument to Partition.” 

It is 75 years since partition divided British India into two independent dominions — India and Pakistan (which was later divided again into Pakistan and Bangladesh) — leaving millions of people displaced along religious lines and creating what is believed to be the biggest refugee crisis ever (mass migration continued for many years afterwards). It also sparked outbreaks of widespread violence that left hundreds of thousands (a conservative estimate) dead on both sides of the newly created border. 

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Little wonder, then, that the show’s curator, the Sharjah-born writer and art historian Murtaza Vali, describes partition as a “foundational trauma” — one which still has a marked influence on events in the Global South today.

For Vali, “Proposals for a Memorial to Partition” brings together a number of themes that have occupied his thoughts for many years — including trauma, displacement, nationalism, and the rise of authoritarianism. 

The idea for the show had its seeds in work Vali did for the 10th Sharjah Biennial in 2011, when he was invited to contribute to a project called “A Manual For Treason.” 

“I was very interested in the dialectical tension between treason and patriotism and how it’s basically the sovereign power of the nation state that decides who’s considered a traitor and who’s considered a patriot,” Vali tells Arab News. “In the South Asian context, nationalism looms large. Nationalism was the movement that helped us gain independence. So nationalism has this very strong anti-colonial bent that also brings with it a liberatory politics. But there were also very important thinkers who were suspicious of nationalism and its ills from the very beginning. 

“Growing up as a South Asian in the UAE, I felt this draw to national identity — because I grew up with this feeling of never being entirely at home where I was — but also a suspicion of it,” he continues. “So, I came up with six essays that were looking at liminal figures who straddled this very fine line between treason and patriotism.” He also invited six artists to contribute work to the book.  “I had to explore a format that made sense in that context and I came up with this idea of soliciting proposals for a memorial to partition,” he explains. 

Partition, Vali says, had been on his mind for a while. His interest in artists dealing with history meant he was aware of “one or two important works … that grappled with the legacy of partition,” but as he dug further, he found that there was also “this kind of absence around the subject, which was especially telling in visual arts and culture. Very few artists in the decades following partition tried to grapple with, or represent, the violence, displacement and trauma that was associated with it.”

“So, I got quite fascinated with this idea of absence,” he continues. “What about this event made it, in some sense, unrepresentable? It’s like with the Holocaust: It’s such a horrific incident that it becomes unrepresentable in contemporary terms."

“So that’s where this idea of coming up with proposals for a memorial to partition came in; to actually ask people to imagine a site, or an event, or a ritual, or an object, that would aid in addressing this absence of acknowledgement of a foundational trauma.”

Aside from the horrors of partition, Vali believes there are other reasons for that ‘absence.’  “It was an event that (went hand-in-hand) with independence,” he says. “So one of my theories is that because the violence — the riots, the murders, the abduction and rape of women — (was carried out) on both sides, it’s hard to identify (a single) culprit. So, everybody moves on and forgets about it. The other thing is that, with independence, there’s a strong push towards nation building and development and modernization, and the uplifting of the poor. And in that optimism, anything that troubles that spirit of nationhood gets swept under the carpet. I was interested in exploring some of that as well.”

From those six original proposals, the project has now expanded (and may continue to do so, Vali says he always envisioned it as “an accumulative project”) to include three newly commissioned works and proposals from around a dozen other artists. The multitude of proposals (which include the cross-border collection of plant seeds, a syllabus, an audio installation, and more), he explains, is intentional — acknowledging that there can be no one memorial that would suit everyone. And the proposal format allows “a degree of poetic, or Utopian, or surreal thinking; it takes some of the pressure off because the project never has to be realized.”

The results are certainly thought-provoking, often simple — as basic as a t-shirt, say, or Amitava Kumar’s suggestion for giving ‘pairs’ of gifts, with each pair consisting of an item from each country — and often emotive. Faiza Hasan’s moving proposal, for example, combines charcoal drawings of her grandmother’s photographs with official documents, including one stating that a requested birth certificate cannot be issued because “the concerned register is not available”; Dubai-based artist Nabla Yahya created “Silsila,” a series of cyanotypes, the centerpiece of which is a photograph of the original document acceding Kashmir. 

“There were a couple of people (from Kashmir) who came up to me,” Vali says, “and were, like, ‘It’s amazing that everything that has happened in the last 75 years, all the violence and the injustice — the document that set it in motion is so banal.’” 

There is also humor here, most obviously in an installation from Pak Khawateen Painting Club — a collective of Pakistani women artists — which resembles the kind of anonymous government office familiar to so many of us, where time seems to stretch out endlessly while you wait for someone to stamp something: A brown wooden desk, a pot plant, neatly arranged folders; a swivel chair…

“They came back to us with this idea of creating a folder of discourse between different departments in any kind of bureaucratic structure — each of them took on a role in a different department,” Vali explains. “All of the communication is entirely fake — basically an illustration of how post-colonial bureaucratic inertia makes it almost impossible to realize a project like a memorial to partition.”

The variety of approaches on display seems to confirm Vali’s theory that there can be no one memorial to this event. But perhaps the show itself could fulfill that role? It is certainly a powerful attempt. And relevant.

“I think partition is this trauma that repeats cyclically, so a lot of the ongoing problems across South Asia are all traumatic returns of partition,” Vali says. “I hope the show gives people an opportunity to reflect on that and have conversations around this subject. “I also hope that — in whatever little way — the show brings that spirit of always tempering patriotism with a degree of self-reflection about what it means. It comes back to something that I hold dear, which is that it’s important to be suspicious of nationalism,” he continues. “It is a powerful, powerful rallying cry, and it’s a source of identity and belonging, but it can also very quickly turn dark.”

LONDON: Imagine the meeting in which Netflix execs decided the idea of a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” was a good one, only for some bright spark to chip in with a suggestion: What if the literary classic, beloved by millions and adapted many times into successful period movies and series, was a bit more… “Fleabag”. 

After all, as good as Austen was at crafting finely poised tales of the landed gentry and examining social constructs, surely she would have wanted to throw in a couple of sly winks to camera and gag-worthy attempts to speak to the TikTok generation, if only she’d known such a thing existed, right?

And if that glib, ‘down with the kids’ approach isn’t enough to have you retching, then there’s the actual execution to consider — ‘execution’ being an apt description for a movie that ham-fistedly batters the life out of Austen’s original. 

The heroine, Anne Elliot — once the epitome of English spirit and independence — is mangled by American actress Dakota Johnson, and Frederick Wentworth, all confidence and brooding silence, is butchered by Cosmo Jarvis, whose supposedly lovestruck captain is a bland miasma of awkwardness and incomprehensible delivery. 

In this version of “Persuasion,” it’s hard to see what Anne could possibly love about Wentworth, and even harder to imagine she’d be sad not to have married him.

Acclaimed British theater director Carrie Cracknell finds herself at the helm of this baffling film, unable to successfully ‘modernize’ Austen’s source material without stripping it of any of its original qualities, and (presumably) struggling to offer her cast much advice in terms of motivation for their own misguided attempts.

If you must stick it out to the end, heed this advice: Watch “Persuasion” with someone familiar with Austen’s original classic, or with the excellent 2007 adaptation starring Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones. Their howls of anguish as the Netflix version chops and changes scenes, or contrives entirely new ones, or mangles Austen’s dialog in an attempt to update it for a new generation will, at least, take you on some kind of emotional journey during a movie incapable of achieving that on its own.

DUBAI: Danish model Mona Tougaard stars in the latest campaign by luxury fashion house Alaia, which was founded by late Tunisian couturier Azzedine Alaia.

The runway star — who is of Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian descent — posed in a black crinoline dress with over-the-knee boots in the images, lensed by the creative director of the brand, Pieter Mulier.

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Tougaard shared the windblown shots on Instagram with her 177,000 followers and captioned the carousel of images with a simple “Merci.”

The 20-year-old model has walked the runway for the likes of Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Prada and Chanel after being scouted at the tender age of 12.

Earlier this month, the who’s who of the fashion industry, including French model Tina Kunakey and Jordanian Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi, attended a runway presentation by the storied fashion house in Paris.

The label released a statement ahead of the ready-to-wear Spring 2023 show that explained why the latest offering is being marketed with the slogan “Rough and Real.”

“Real – as creation should remain far from the likes, far from the screen. These clothes are meant to be worn, meant to be touched and felt. Raw and imperfect, to effect and affect,” a statement signed by Mulier read.

Shown on the eve of couture week in Paris, Mulier’s third collection for the iconic fashion house took natural fabrics and elevated them into fashion statements. Entire cowhides were shaped into skirts and lengths of boiled cashmere were transformed into cocktail dresses worn with high-heeled fur booties in a line that was equal parts raw and chic.

“It’s about taking all the codes of Azzedine and explaining them to the young generation that don’t really know it,” the designer said backstage, according to WWD. “It’s basically empowering women in a different way than other brands can do,” he added.

The Belgian designer explained that he took many cues from one of Alaia’s 1984 collections, while one design was a replica of a 1992 creation by the Tunisian creative talent that never made it onto the runway.

The glittering front row added to the glamor at the event, with Kunakey joined by her husband, French actor Vincent Cassel, as well as Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, Karlie Kloss and Laura Harrier.

DUBAI: The 14th Abu Dhabi Art fair is slated to be its largest and most diverse edition yet. Taking place from Nov. 16-20 at Manarat Al-Saadiyat, 78 galleries from 27 countries will participate in the art festival this year. The upcoming edition will see a record 45 galleries returning from last year, while also attracting the participation of 33 new galleries.

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Abu Dhabi Art (@abudhabiart) Abu Dhabi Art will also welcome art historian Rachida Triki, gallerist Jade Yeşim Turanlı, and arts journalist Riccarda Mandrini as this year’s sector guest curators and collaborators for galleries at the fair. Art enthusiasts, collectors and visitors will have the opportunity to experience galleries representing artists from countries such as the US, Italy, Colombia, South Korea, France, Denmark and India, as well as regional and local galleries and artists. “Since the first fair in 2007, Abu Dhabi Art has played an integral role in the art eco-system in Abu Dhabi and the wider emirates, fueling the appetite for art in the region. Over the years, we have not only succeeded in bolstering the growth of the country’s cultural and creative industries but also in nurturing homegrown talent,” Dyala Nusseibeh, director of Abu Dhabi Art, said in a released statement. “Through collaborations with guest curators such as Rachida Triki, Jade Yeşim Turanlı and Riccarda Mandrini, we also continue to enable diverse perspectives to be present at the fair, ensuring that Abu Dhabi Art continues to be a place of discovery for our art collectors and wider public,” she added.

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DUBAI: Whether you want to pop the question to your special someone on the top of Burj Khalifa or amidst sea creatures, UAE-based Proposal Boutique has been a haven for those looking to make their special day perfect — including loved-up international celebrities.

From across the globe, couples have picked the UAE to memorialize their big day, with the Proposal Boutique having pulled off more than 400 marriage proposals, including for international footballers like British player Lewis O’Brien, YouTube stars such as US personality Shaquan Roberts, CEOs and global influencers. Now, Proposal Boutique is looking to help couples in the region go international by offering experiences in London, Paris, Santorini, Nigeria and New York.

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Founded in 2014, Proposal Boutique was born when the UK’s Caroline Ralston received her own dream engagement. “His proposal was very, very romantic. It was over five days and I came back to Dubai and I was telling everyone about how amazing it was. And the responses that I got were very similar. They were like, ‘Oh, I wish that my husband proposed like that.’ Or, ‘If my boyfriend proposes, will you help them?’ So I started doing some research on how to help friends with their proposals in Dubai. And there was no one offering any help. So, I needed to be that person,” she said.

“I’m so romantic. I love love. It was a no-brainer,” she added with a laugh.

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In one of the company’s most extravagant proposals, a Taiwanese would-be groom proposed to his partner with no less than three engagement rings over three different proposals, all in the course of a day.

“We wanted to incorporate lots of amazing Dubai elements. We arranged for a helicopter ride in the morning. He proposed mid-flight, and gave her the first ring of the day. And then we had a Rolls Royce waiting for them which brought them to the Montgomery golf course. We’d privatized the whole golf course so there was no one around.

“We’d arranged a flashmob and we’d actually involved him in the dance rehearsals for a couple of weeks ahead of the proposal. And so he jumped off the golf course buggy for the last bit and danced with them. And then he proposed again. Then the car picked them up and took them to Burj Al-Arab. And we’d hired the private underwater dining room and filled it completely with all her favorite flowers, and we had a musician there that was serenading them. And, finally, two divers came down with the ‘Marry Me’ banner and that’s where he got down on one knee and proposed with the third and final ring.”

From proposals set at a zoo in Dubai to the Rugby Sevens stadium in Los Angeles, Ralston and her team have worked hard to ensure that no two proposals are alike. “We just want to help our Dubai residents and international clients have the biggest and best proposals around the world. And no country is off-limits. We can travel anywhere.”

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