khalid shafar: the palm at dubai futures a brownbook/falcon exhibit

‘the palm series’ by khalid shafar at the brownbook exhibit
image © designboom

emirati designer khalid shafar‘s series ‘the palm’ was on display at the ‘dubai futures: the emirate’s emerging art scene’ exhibition
at tokyo designers week 2011.
the collection consisted of coat racks, coffee tables and stools. the pine and ash blocks are facing
upwards, a graphic representation exploring the bark found on the trunk of a palm tree, a popular sight in the designer’s home country.
continuing upward, the surface of the tables are woven out of dried leafs, creating colorful patterns while the handle is an homage
to wicker baskets woven in a similar way. 

a series of coffee tables
image © designboom

detail of woven surface 
image © designboom

‘the palm | coat stands’ 
image © designboom 

view of booth featuring ‘the palm’ series 
image © designboom 

designer khalid shafar at the exhibition
image © designboom

the dubai futures exhibition highlights dubai’s increasing cultural, commercial and economic links with japan.

dubai is now home to more than 2,400 japanese residents – the largest japanese community in the MENA region.
more than 260 japanese companies are registered in dubai, including nissan, panasonic and mitsubishi motors.
global electronics company toshiba recently announced the establishment of its middle east and africa regional head office in dubai.

ahmed al shaikh, media escort to his highness sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE
and ruler of dubai, managing director of dubai media incorporated and the dubai government media office and chairman of falcon and associates,
said, ‘japan is an important international market for dubai, in terms of both trade and culture,it’s clear to see the two cultures are already
having an influence on each other in the art world and there’s still much to explore in the synergies that exist between the creativity of the two cities’.

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the ‘dubai futures: the emirate’s emerging art scene’ exhibition has been supported by brownbook magazine and falcon and associates.

brownbook magazine
launched in 2007 in dubai, brownbook has remained independent and is today one of the most widely read magazines in the middle east
and north africa. the print magazine is published six times a year.
with extensive coverage of lifestyle, design, architecture and travel brownbook is an essential guide to the region.

falcon and associates
FZ-LLC is an independent strategic advisory and implementation company that was established to deepen the understanding and
appreciation of the vision of dubai both nationally and internationally.