EXPERIENCE THE LUXURY

DECEMBER 2010

H A P P Y S P O R T C O L L E C T I O N

ACCESSORIES

insideExclusive

CHRISTOPHER CHONG ON AMOUAGE’S LATEST

OFFERING

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INTERVIEWHH SAYYID TARIK BIN

SHABIB AL SAID ON ‘THE JOURNEY’ AND

PHOTOGRAPHY

KARA ROSS AND HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH GEMSTONES

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BON APÉTITMICHAEL AND IEVA HORUP UNWIND AT

THE BEACH RESTAURANT, THE CHEDI MUSCAT FOR A LEISURELY BRUNCH

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Up Front

Event

Collectible

Feature

F1 Calendar

Art

Music

Retrospective

Cars

People

Beauty

Technology

Last Word

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FOCUSTHE NOBLE ARABIAN HORSE

GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH LYNNE M. GLEASON

EXPERIENCE THE LUXURY

DECEMBER 2010

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Oscar Wilde, in his 1889 essay The Decay of Lying, said that “Life imitates Art far more than Art

imitates Life.” According to Wilde, such anti-mimesis (a philosophical position that is the direct

opposite of mimesis) “results not merely from Life’s imitative instinct, but from the fact that the self-

conscious aim of Life is to find expression, and that Art offers it certain beautiful forms through which

it may realise that energy.”

Be it paintings, photographs or even the new-age digital fusions, they are all mirrors of life around us.

And, if you were to look at certain artworks you’d probably realise that they have been instrumental in

laying the foundation for many a life’s nuances. To quote, George Bernard Shaw, who in his preface

to Three Plays, writes, “I have noticed that when a certain type of feature appears in painting and is

admired as beautiful, presently becomes common in nature; so that the Beatrices and Francescas in

the picture galleries of one generation come to life as the parlor-maids and waitresses of the next.”

Whether art is a direct reflection of life as we know it or life takes its inspiration from art is debatable.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that both art and life are intertwined expressions of what we call

human existence.

In this issue, we cover four different artists who are experts in their art form. We have His Highness

Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al Said who expresses his individuality through his photographs. We also

have Lynne Gleason who finds her muse in the Arabian horse and captures its glory in her artworks

and we have David Willis who is probably best known for his movement and light form as he captures

people in markets, camel races and horse riding in their natural form. Finally, we have Antonio

Najarro, who uses the performing art platform, to bring forth the magic that is Flamenco.

They are master artists who are inspired by the life around them and translate those inspirations into

artistic compositions. And, their art is such that it has the power to influence lives.

Either ways, is it a visually and spiritually strong marriage, that of art and life.

See you next issue…

Art of The Matter

To view the e-magazine log on to www.oeronline.com or e-mail us at signature@umsoman.com to get your e-magazine

28

THROUGH THE

LOOKING GLASSHH Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al Said on ‘the journey’ of photography. As told to Deepa Rajan

Car Casse (Al Hail, Oman)

Desert in the sky (at 4,500m, Atacama, Chile)

INTERVIEW

Someone once said, “To

take photographs means to

recognise – simultaneously

and within a fraction of a

second – both the fact itself

and the rigorous organisation

of visually perceived forms

that give it meaning. It is

putting one’s head, one’s

eye and one’s heart on the

same axis.”

When one looks at the images

captured by His Highness

Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al

Said, one gets the impression

that here is a photographer

who cares enough to put

his head, eye and heart on

the same axis. Sayyid Tarik,

Director of Tawoos LLC and

Renaissance SAOG, has been

capturing the hues of life

for the last 30 years and this

is the first time that he has

chosen to share the results

of his passion with the rest

of the world in an exhibition

at Bait Muzna gallery. All the

proceeds of this exhibition

have been earmarked for the

Environment Society of Oman

(ESO).

Titled ‘The Journey’, this

exhibition is not just a

collection of images. In fact,

one would not hesitate to call

them moving pictures for each

image frames the movements

in nature and translates them

into moving compositions that

narrate a story.

Sayyid Tarik talks to

Signature on The Journey and

photography…

What is your exhibition, called

‘The Journey’, representative

of? To what are you referring

to in the title?

“The Journey is what we do

with our lives, the memories

we accumulate, which in turn

shape our view of the world.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson once

said that in photography, the

smallest thing can be a great

subject. The little, human

detail can become a Leitmotiv.

What would you say is your

leitmotiv in your photographs

and why?

“I must admit I had to look

up ‘Leitmotiv’. Using the

definition, ‘a leading motive’,

I would respond that over the

years my motives change, in

fact they sometimes change

during a single session. I may

be carrying my camera with

no preconceived idea of what I

might shoot, then as I interpret

the scene around me, possible

compositions flash through

my mind, I try to imagine

how things would look

through the lens rather than

actually limit my vision by

peering through a viewfinder.

By transforming the scene

from its 3D reality into a 2D

image you have to imagine

everything being flattened

and stacked. Using a lens

with powerful magnification

actually reduces the

distances perceived between

clearly visible objects in

the foreground middle and

background. You can create

a sort of collage and make

some aspects more prominent.

This deconstruction process

amongst other things

motivates me.

“As for subjects that motivate

me, I’d rather not become a

specialist, I would like to take

more people shots, but need

to work on the skills needed to

put people at ease and extract

from them a look that would

later inspire a story.”

Is there a difference in the

perception of a photograph if

it is taken in black and white,

as opposed to colour? Which

do you prefer, and why?

“Nowadays, I sometimes find

myself removing the colour

from an image If I feel that

the colour is a distraction. I

realize however that if you

are going to shoot in Black

and White, you should make

that commitment up front, so

that you think in black and

white. I have a preference for

colour, but I retain respect

for black and white and the

statements that can be made

in that medium. It can be

used to change the mood or

emphasise or de-emphasise

an aspect of the composition.

Has something been lost in

both professional and amateur

photography with the move

to fully digital cameras and

reproduction? Did it require a

different kind of person and

commitment to develop your

own photos using chemical

solutions and dark rooms?

“My own youthful dark

room tinkering was driven

by novelty, curiosity but

mainly the ability to take

CONCEPT & CREATIONMAYANK SINGHDEEPA RAJAN

CONTENTRANA ALAWNEH

GHALIB ABDULLAH AL FORIFATMA AL ARAIMI

MYSSAA AL HINAIAHSUSHMITAEXPERTS

Travel - BRUCE STEWART, ANNE COLBYFashion - NATASHA LUNN, NADIA FOUZI

Finance & Investments - K. L PRASAD ART

Sr. Art DirectorSANDESH S. RANGNEKAR

Art DirectorMINAAL G. PEDNEKAR

Designer MARYAM AL SARMI

Photographers RAJESH RAJAN

SATYADAS C NARAYANANMOTASIM AL BALUSHIPRODUCTION HEADGOVINDRAJ RAMESH

ADVERTISING & MARKETINGBusiness Head

MIMI DEBAdvertising Manager

CHANDNI MANIARAssistant Advt. Manager - FAREEDA S AL BALUSHI

CORPORATEChief Executive - SANDEEP SEHGAL

Executive Vice President - ALPANA ROYVice President - RAVI RAMAN

Senior Business Support ExecutiveRADHA KUMAR

Business Support ExecutiveZUWAINA SAID AL RASHDI

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An

PresentationCopyright © 2010 United Press & Publishing LLC

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that commitment up front, so

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white. I have a preference for

colour, but I retain respect

for black and white and the

statements that can be made

in that medium. It can be

used to change the mood or

emphasise or de-emphasise

an aspect of the composition.

Has something been lost in

both professional and amateur

photography with the move

to fully digital cameras and

reproduction? Did it require a

different kind of person and

commitment to develop your

own photos using chemical

solutions and dark rooms?

“My own youthful dark

room tinkering was driven

by novelty, curiosity but

mainly the ability to take

62

Realistic Reflections REALIST ARTIST DAVID WILLIS’ PAINTINGS WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION AT THE BAIT AL BARANDA MUSEUM THIS MONTH. SUSHMITA SARKHEL CAUGHT UP WITH HIM...

It is popular belief that art imitates life. And in the case of David Willis’ works, nothing could be further from that truth. You need only view the images that Willis creates to understand the admiration and respect that he holds for the cultures and traditions of Oman and the

rest of the world. Resonating with realism, Willis’ paintings speak of life, movement and light. And although his prime

focus is on paintings, Willis also has a passion for wildlife photography and filmmaking. Willis has been living in Oman for a good 24 years and

has been greatly influenced by Omani traditions. He works with a variety of media including oils, watercolours and graphic art and is greatly

revered among the local community. This month, after 20 years Willis will be holding a Retrospective Exhibition

of some of this works till date. Curious to know more about the man behind the extraordinary paintings, we met up with him for a chat. Beginnings“I’m a self taught artist and I took up painting as a hobby around my home in Australia.

On a journey to Europe where I painted in several countries I found that people actually wanted to buy my work. So it

sort of carried on from there. My travels took me to India and Nepal and I did paintings on the way. When I returned to Australia and had a small exhibition in my home town and I managed to sell most of

the paintings. Then I decided to take a trip to Papua New Guinea. I went there for one month and stayed for two years. By that time, I had started to paint people as well

as landscapes and my works were popular amongst the

PEOPLE

expatriate community there who wanted to take something back with them when they left. From there I went to Spain, North and South America, and

Africa. It was in Kenya that my wife and I met someone travelling who mentioned Oman. I had never heard of Oman before and was keen on visiting. I made a visit here in the late 70s but it wasn‘t until 1986 that my family and I came to Oman to live. And we’ve been here ever since.”

An artist’s life“As an artist in Oman life is really good. Oman has a lot of variety. I don’t just specialise in one thing, I like to paint many different subjects and use various techniques like oil

and watercolour painting and graphic art. As I am a realistic painter and like to paint traditional and natural things

I have found that Oman has so many interesting things to paint. Oman and all the world is changing, but nonetheless there’s still enough subjects that interest me to paint here.”

Art is life “Since I haven’t gone to art school or studied under a teacher I’m not steeped in modern art and not influenced

by a teacher. I started painting because I like to see and capture the natural world, the light and the colours. So it

wasn’t the influence of going to art galleries or going to art school. Of course, I learnt a lot by looking at other people’s work and also learnt during my travels. I am still learning.

Actually I have done most of the paintings of my life in Oman. When I paint I try and capture the essence of the place and I think people buy my works because of this. Probably what I’m best known for is movement and light, like people in markets, camel races and horse riding.”“Lately, I have also been doing a lot of

videoing and films. My son and I were involved in making a film on Arabian leopards. We

have always been interested in wildlife and when I heard there were leopards in Oman,

we decided to go down south to Dhofar and try and photograph them.”

Getting retrospective“I have been thinking about having an exhibition for years but couldn’t gather enough paintings together. I decided to

have a retrospective exhibition instead. So we’ll be showcasing some of the paintings that I have done over the years before

I came to Oman, as well as a few recent paintings I’ve done here. Some of my patrons have also very generously offered to lend the paintings for the exhibition. Hence there won’t be

that many paintings for sale.”

ESSENCE OF LILIES

Here’s a fragrance just right for the Calvin Klein Beauty woman: Authentic,

accomplished and inspired! A new interpretation of a lily – a neo-lily – is the

heart and soul of Calvin Klein Beauty. A sophisticated flower that is the essence of femininity, the lily is also radiant and

powerful. Bringing the neo-lily to life, ambrette seeds enhance the spicy warmth,

timeless jasmine elevates the floral signature, and a trail of cedarwood brings

a vibrant and magnetic beauty to the dry down.

VANILLA MOMENTSGuerlain presents Shalimar Ode a la Vanille, a limited edition fragrance. It is the celebration of sensuality, emotion and forbidden pleasure. An Oriental tale created in 1925, Shalimar symbolises the longest olfactory celebration of love and desire. In this creation, Thierry Wasser showcases two vanillas that each illustrate two personalities like two characters who are very different yet wonderfully complementary and harmonious. A Mayotte tint like a light and transparent veil of vanilla. A Madagascar absolute for a powerful and enchanting base that is almost animal-like and truly carnal. The Guerlain range is available at Capital Store.

8

UPFRONT

THE LATEST AND OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY…

A TIME FOR CHEERAND JOY. FESTIVE SEASONAT THE PALACE.

This festive season, the Palace will welcome you and your family to a magical

experience.

The team of chefs is preparing all the traditional festive treats and celebratory

dishes to welcome in the New Year; and with some magic touches as the lobby

and restaurants will be decorated in seasonal style.

For more information, please contactBoxOffice@albustanpalace.comor call 24 764 000.

Do you l i v e an In t e rCon t in en ta l l i f e ?

AL BUSTAN PALACE

MAGIC POTIONCHANEL gives us a new, essential key to unlock the magic of N°5 – the magic of wearing perfume – with two new creations: an Eau de Toilette spray and a set of three perfumed soaps. The fragrance’s striking top notes are dominated by Ylang-Ylang from the Comoros, Neroli and heightened by Aldehydes. The heart opens around scents of Rose and Jasmine, and then gives way to vibrating notes of Sandalwood, trailed by lingering waves of Vanilla and Bourbon Vetiver. The elegant set of three soft-pink soaps, delicately perfumed with the scent of N°5 produce a creamy, generous lather that gently cleanses the skin and leaves it soft, supple and deliciously fragrant.

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UPFRONT

The 2010 version of the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar chronograph differs in subtle ways from its predecessors. It relies on the traditional columnwheel construction for controlling the start, stop, and reset commands, but instead of a lever for a horizontal wheel clutch, it actuates the clamp of a vertical disk clutch. Like the first 2006 model, this also has a round case in 950 platinum with an anti-reflection coated sapphire-crystal glass and a sapphire-crystal display back. With a case diameter of 40.5 millimeters, it definitely ranks among Patek Philippe’s larger timepieces. Its stately visual presence is amplified by the tangible weight of the platinum case.

STATELY LOOK

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UPFRONT

CRAFTED EXCELLENCE

The Girard-Perregaux Manufacture has for long been one of the jewels in the crown of Swiss Haute Horlogerie. It has succeeded in preserving and developing its unique expertise over a period

of more than two centuries. Some of the most innovative designs and movements first created by Constant Girard-Perregaux in

the 19th century, like the Tourbillon with three gold Bridges, are still being made today. These authentic masterpieces, which are forged from noble materials by the hands of expert watchmakers,

and other Girard-Perragaux collections are now exclusively available at Khimji’s Watches, Shatti Al Qurum.

A LUXURIOUS RIDEThe new Audi A8 demonstrates the brand’s proverbial ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ with its light aluminum body, its powerful and highly efficient engines, the further improved MMI operating system, new driver assistance systems, the full LED headlights and an elegant interior with a craftsman’s level of workmanship. The A8 L quattro with a long wheelbase sets new standards of luxury, dynamism and efficiency in the top automobile manufacturing league. It has been launched as a 372hp 4.2L V8 with eight-speed tiptronic and quattro four-wheel drive, but will be available with further engines in 2011. The comfort on board is first class – from new, emotionally charged ambient lighting to the luxurious, power adjustable seats in the rear. This work of art is available at Wattayah Motors in Oman.

THE GOLDEN TOUCHThe Dolce&Gabbana Gold Edition collection is a tribute to tradition, origins and style. Every single detail expresses luxury, elegance and refinement. The men’s model comes in three new shades: silver, light gold and yellow gold, all 18K gold plated. The lightest glass has been used for the lenses with two polarised versions and one in gold mirror effect. The women’s model comes in a modern upto-date version of the large cat-eye shape. The metal temple is plated with 18K gold, embellished with numerous details like the laser-engraved logo. In two colour options – black and Havana – it is further enhanced by a beautiful case and leather bag.

GRAND EXTRAVAGANZA Few events trigger as much excitement as a MINI celebration, and the recently held Beirut extravaganza was no exception. Putting its style, creativity, excitement and latest MINI models on display, the iconic brand hosted one of the hottest events of the year, with hundreds of MINI fans from across the Middle East coming together for an unforgettable experience in Beirut. As many as 87 MINI cars and Middle East competition winners took to the streets in convoy to test their driving skills on a tour which took them from Beirut to the historic city of Byblos. And, as the sun set, Fashion, Design, Art, Zen and Music fused together in what was a truly unforgettable evening.

ART ON WHEELSPowerful, hyper-light and more compact than any other motorcycle in existence, the MV Agusta F3 sets a new standard by which all other supersport motorcycles will be judged and compared. This new ‘middle weight’ by MV follows the philosophy of all the MV Agusta works of art while pushing the limits of the supersport category with a maniacal attention to detail. The exhaust system has a triple pipe side exit muffler and is the perfect example of how design and function coincide perfectly. There is no doubt, the new F3 is a true MV Agusta.

CELEBRATING A LEGENDPaying tribute to a legendary musician and enduring spirit of a great artist is the John Lennon Edition Montblanc, which

ensures that Lennon’s legend lives on in the beauty of a timeless writing instrument. Limited to 1940 pieces, marking the year of Lennon’s birth, the John Lennon Commemoration Edition 1940 boasts a blue tanzanite that crowns the guitar-inspired clip in allusion to Lennon’s famous blue glasses. The instrument features a number of symbolic engravings including the release date of the song “Imagine”: 02.10.1971, as well as his self-portrait signature. In addition, the rhodium-plated, 18K gold nib bears

the sign so often traced in flowers: the peace symbol.

UPFRONT

EVENT

TREND SETTERSPresenting the extravaganza that was Bahrain Fashion Week 2010

It was clearly the fashion

event of the year, with every

fashionista worth her Chanels

and Armanis attending the

event! Yes, we are talking

about the Bahrain Fashion

Week (BFW) held last month

at the Bahrain Exhibition

Centre. Well-known Bahrain

Designer N Couture by Noora

Abdulghani showcased a

stunning opening act, followed

by other amazing talent from

the region including Silky

Tips (Bahrain) by Raul Rojo

and Tony Arroyo, RK Designs

(Saudi Arabia) by Reem Al

Kahnal, Ruth Samaai (South

Africa), Atelier Jun (Bahrain) by

Jun Garcia, and Studio Kalid

(Saudi Arabia) by Kalid Swaid.

Furthermore, Fashionaires

London (represented by CEO

Oliver Morris), a UK fashion

and lifestyle brand showcased

a host of London’s best up and

coming designers such as

Ara Jo who have designed for

celebrities such as Lady Gaga.

The organisers also introduced

an ‘Emerging Talent’ show for

five young aspiring designers

who were chosen from dozens

of applications to showcase

their designs at the main

event.

Walking away with the award

for “Emerging Designer of

the Year 2010’ sponsored

by Charles & Keith were

Ali Salah and Haya Turki

who opened the doorway

for other young designers

to take action to make their

fashion dreams come true.

UK singer/songwriter Kazz

Kumar (singer of the Official

BFW track entitled “Fashion”)

wowed the audience with live

performances throughout the

event, and Amazing Thailand

promoted the culture of the

beautiful country.

was media partner of the event

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COLLECTIBLE

FUNCTIONAL

ARTWe bring you two unique standout pieces from the house of London-based Katharine Pooley. These rare pieces not only add glamour to your interiors, but also serve you well outside...

The Picnic HamperIt’s that time of the year when the country is experiencing pleasantly cool climates and what better way to revel in

the magic of the season than to go out on a picnic. Now, no picnic is possible without a hamper, is it? This is where

Katherine Pooley has come up with the perfect solution and brought out a hamper like no other.

This luxurious briefcase style picnic hamper comes with an exquisite detailing, including leather corners, elegant

handles and fixings. The entire case is made in leather, which makes it both durable and gives its design a classy

edge. Everything slots into the leather strap holders in to this very functional objet d’art. The four-person hamper is

available in black or tan leather and makes for the perfect companion for the outdoor.

The Camel Standing just under a metre long and half a metre high, ‘The Camel’ makes a

spectacular and eye-catching addition to your interiors. It was painstakingly crafted

in Asia over a period of three months and is made from solid sterling silver and

teak root wood with the eyes made from exquisite tiger eye stones, known for their

mystical and healing properties. As well as being an impressive piece of sculptural

art, the Camel has a variety of uses and could be used as a fruit bowl or table

centrepiece. The piece is available exclusively through Katherine Pooley.

For more details log on to http://www.katharinepooley.com/

MESSAGE IN THE

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EXCLUSIVE

BOTTLE

19

From the House of Amouage comes a fragrance that not only fills up your senses, but also gives you a sense of purpose. Christopher Chong talks to Signature on Opus IV

The Library Collection already has three editions, why the decision to add a fourth one?“The Library Collection is

designed to be a growing

collection. There will be

many releases in the coming

years because this collection

is all about exploring new

ingredients and accords

without any trends or

cultural restrictions. It is all

about placing freedom of

thoughts and creativity above

everything else.”

Opus IV has been specially crafted to increase global awareness on HIV / AIDS. What is Amouage’s rationale behind adopting this cause?“It is still a growing problem

that affects a lot of people

around the world. We

believe that the best way to

support this cause is through

education and empowering

others to spread a positive

message. Therefore, with the

dissemination of knowledge

and creating awareness,

we hope these small steps

will help to eradicate

misunderstanding and

discrimination.”

The legendary scientist Albert Einstein once

said, “Nothing that I can do will change

the structure of the universe. But maybe, by

raising my voice I can help the greatest of all

causes - goodwill among men and peace on

earth.” But then quoting someone is always

easy, following what they say is not. It takes

the courage of conviction to stand up for a

cause; especially, when one decides not to

tread the beaten path and create something

different such as a fragrance. The House of

Amouage has done exactly that.

This December, Amouage is uniting the

world against AIDS with the global release

of Opus IV from its Library Collection.

Creative Director and Amouage’s guiding

light Christopher Chong, laboured with

renowned perfumers in Grasse to give the

world their latest inspiring creation, which

is a special tribute to the cause of HIV / AIDS

awareness. And that’s not all. Amouage is

also donation 50 per cent of the worldwide

profits from Opus IV to the National HIV / AIDS

Prevention and Control Programme (NAP) in

Oman, an initiative supported by the Ministry

of Health, World Health Organisation, United

Nations Children’s Fund and United Nations

Population Fund.

Christopher Chong gives us an exclusive peek

into the birth and journey of Opus IV

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SPORTSEXCLUSIVE

Can you take us through the making process of Opus IV, right from the formation of the concept, to choosing the ingredients?“Everything I do begins with a

feeling and I enjoy dreaming

big. This thought came

upon me one sleepless night

when my mind overworked.

I have always wanted to

use my skills and position

to give something back to a

charitable cause. I thought

The Library Collection theme

would be perfect because

it is all about sharing and

spreading knowledge.

“Choosing ingredients has

always been a very mind-

boggling task. I needed this

fragrance to epitomise and

to represent a future with

hope so I decided to select

a citrus accord with an

eternal brightness to open

the fragrance. In the heart,

I felt it should symbolise the

red colour of AIDS caused by

infusing a spicy overtone to

the citrus shine. The base

represents the long struggle

that we have had and still to

endure, so I immortalise this

hardship with a sweaty woody

accord.”

In a world of constantly changing trends, what makes an Amouage creation like Opus IV any different? Why would one would want to own a bottle?“What makes Amouage so

different is that it’s a brand not

defined by trend. Opus IV does

not make any claim to be a

directional or edgy fragrance.

Opus IV is above all those

conventional claims.

It is a fragrance with a purpose

and a direction to help others

inflicted with this fatal

virus. By buying Opus IV, the

customers will be helping to

take a step closer to finding a

cure one day.”

What’s your favourite memory during the making of Opus IV?“It has to be the first feeling

and to be able to give

something back to society.

It is an extremely powerful

sensation to be able to do

this. By using one’s skills

and knowledge in order to

help a greater cause is very

satisfying.”

If you were asked to create an ad concept for Opus IV for us in three words. What would they be and why?“Belief - Everything begins

with a belief.

Knowledge - Knowledge

comes from experience.

Collective knowledge helps

society to be progressive

and eradicate any

ignorance.

Empowerment – There’s only

so much one can do. It is

important to empower others

to take the journey further.”

THE LIBRARY COLLECTION Opus IV opens with luminous and invigorating notes of Lemon, Mandarin and Grapefruit with a warm spicy mantle of Coriander Oil that awakens the senses. The heart is characterised by the sharp and exotic Elemi Oil, Cardamon and Cumin that pervades to a sweet blend of Rose Berries, Rose and vibrant Violet Leaves. This inventive fragrance finishes with woody and smoky undertones of Labdanum, Frankincense and Musk.

The Library Collection which now includes Opus I, II, III and IV, is a celebration of integrity, creativity and virtuosity. Inspired by the knowledge and experience drawn from the art of living, the Collection unfolds a contemporary face to Amouage while preserving the elegance and effortless classicism synonymous with the brand

The Library Collection is designed to be a growing collection. There will be many releases in the coming years

22

YACHT LOVERS AHOY!SAYYID NASR BIN BADR BIN HAMAD AL BUSAIDI, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF VISIONARY OFFICER, GO MARINE, TALKS TO SUSHMITA SARKHEL ON ART MARINE LLC THAT PROMISES TO TAKE LUXURY YACHTING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

FEATURE

Oman has been abuzz

with enthusiasm

ever since ART

Marine, one of the

largest luxury yacht

dealers in the region,

launched operations

in conjunction with Go

Marine last month.

ART Marine is

renowned all over

the Middle East for

offering world-class marine services including the sale and

charter of luxury motor yachts and marina management. It is

an exclusive distributor of Azimut-Benetti yachts in the region,

one of largest builders of motor yachts in Europe and has been

awarded the Best Azimut Yachts Dealer Worldwide twice in a

row. It also won ‘Marina Operator of the Year’ at the prestigious

‘Arabian Gulf Yachting Awards 2010’. Today yachting enthusiasts

in Oman can enjoy the best of leisure yachts. Enjoy a cruise

along Oman’s striking coastline in an uber-chic Numarine 55ft

motor yacht and indulge in some snorkelling and diving, a quiet

candlelight dinner aboard the luxury yacht ‘Karya’ or even a

special excursion only for the ladies complete with female spa

therapists and exquisite cuisine in a private bay away from the

hustle bustle of the city.

Sayyid Nasr bin Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi,

President and Chief Visionary Officer, Go

Marine firmly believes that this move will also

have a great impact on promoting tourism in

Oman. “The reason why ART Marine stands

out is because they have expertise in marina

management. So they will be promoting the

development of marinas in and around Oman

and will also be encouraging a lot of the yacht

owners to come and vacation in Oman at the

marinas that they manage in the country.”

A prime example of this is the boutique marina in Zighy Bay

at Musandam, which is being successfully managed by ART

Marine.

ART Marine has a vast experience on a global level when it

comes to marina management and Go Marine will be providing

the local know-how. This combination according to Busaidi will

be pivotal in promoting the marine industry in Oman. “We are

aiming to promote the industry through ART Marine’s network.

23

We will be pulling in yacht

owners and vacationers alike.

It is a strategic partnership

and we are happy to have

found a fitting partner.” There

will also be a strong focus

on training the youth and

furthering capacities. “Many

Omani yacht owners want to

find an Omani skipper who

is capable of captaining a

50m yacht. Although we have

people, there is a need to

develop this area more,”

adds Busaidi.

We take a step back to

where it all started. Busaidi

has always been a diving

enthusiast. “It was back in

1995 when I was vacationing

in Saudi Arabia that my uncle,

Sultan who was a passionate

diver, introduced me to

diving. And ever since, I’ve

been hooked,” says Busaidi.

From diving came the love

for boating, and love for the

sea and adventure. From the

Great Barrier Reef in Australia

to the Maldives, Busaidi has

managed to log more than

2000 dives since he started in

1995. The Daymaniyat Islands,

just off the Batinah Coast,

however, is his favourite spot.

The idea of starting a diving

company developed in New

Zealand where Busaidi was

pursuing his undergraduate

studies. It was there where

he met Daryle Hardie, (now

CEO of Go Marine). Go Dive,

the brainchild of Busaidi and

Hardie was then established

in 2008. “After establishing

Go Dive Oman we pooled

our ideas together and

took the decision to make

ourselves more competent

within the industry. And thus

we established a successful

relationship with Go Marine

(which is our mother company)

and now ART Marine.” Go

Marine also has a non-profit

arm that focuses on protecting

the environment. Says

Busaidi, “What we basically

do is involve our divers in

assisting environmental

research and provide

training to NGOs and certain

Government sectors. We also

OVERNIGHT AND LIVE-ABOARD PackagesHideaway Tour - 1 day/1 nightHemingway Tour - 2 days/1 nightAqua & Terra - 6 days/5 nights

Day ExcursionsDolphin Watching and SnorkellingCoastal TourCandle Light DinnerPrivacy Guaranteed!

For detailed information about these packages and for reservations you can email stefanie@artmarine.net

Sayyid Nasr bin Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi aboard the Numarine

encourage people with special

needs to try out diving.”

Busaidi is extremely

enthusiastic about the future

of yachting in Oman and he

believes that ART Marine will

play a vital role in creating

and promoting this lifestyle.

With Oman’s beautiful

seascapes and diverse marine

flora and fauna, we are sure

that the yachting lifestyle is

here to stay!

24

ACCESSORIES

25

GEMSTONE AESTHETICSO N J E W E L L E R Y A N D E X P L A I N S H E R L O V E F O R A L L T H I N G S S P A R K L I N G …

N E W - Y O R K B A S E D D E S I G N E R K A R A R O S S A N S W E R S D E E P A R A J A N ’ S Q U E S T I O N S

26

ACCESSORIES

She began designing jewellery at the age of 13, today Kara Ross

is much more than a name. A Gemological Institute of America-

certified gemologist, Kara has spent five years designing

elegant pieces with character and imagination. She has won

over style mavens across the world with her minimalist and

elegant designs. In her own words, “Her pieces are not only

strong enough to stand up to any scrutiny and an incredible

level of fashion, but they are also designed with every day wear

in mind. The Gemstone aesthetic is constant across a range of

differently sized pieces and different stones, so it can really be

tailored to personal style.”

Kara Ross talks to Signature on jewellery, her latest collection

and much more…

How and when did you begin designing jewellery? “For me, everything begins with gemstones, more so than just

jewellery - the first piece I ever designed was around one that

I chose on a family safari to Africa. That experience guided my

design interests and led me to appreciate working with natural

materials. Jewellery was the obvious direction to go in, although

I specifically chose to expand later with exotic skin handbags

because they require the same level of expertise and thought.”

Who would you say were your inspirations and how have they influenced you? Who inspired your Gemstone collection.“I derive great inspiration from my travels. The architecture I

have encountered through them, especially that of Sir Norman

Foster, particularly influenced the new line. I also looked at

stained glass and the way light refracts through the panes, and

wanted to include elements that would pick up on that light and

movement.”

How do you begin your design process? Do you have a particular muse for say your Gemstone collection?“My design process begins with a spark of an idea – seeing light

play on a pane of glass, or visiting a bazaar in Turkey and being

amazed by the intricacy of needlework on a vintage coat. As

such the Gemstone Collection doesn’t have a muse per se, but I

think you can really trace certain origins through it.”

How did the collection come about? What are the features of the range that will make women covet a piece? How does it differ from other collections?

“My origins are in fine jewellery design, and it felt like the

right time to move back to that. I wanted to approach it slightly

differently, though, and make fine jewellery for daily life. It’s

more tactile and visually arresting than anything on the market,

but has the same level of quality through the sterling silver, 18k

gold, and gemstones.”

What aspect of your job do you enjoy most?“Oh, it’s definitely wearing samples of each new collection long

before they reach stores! Such a guilty pleasure.”

What is the design philosophy that makes Kara Ross the brand? And, where do you see the brand placed, say five years from now?“Kara Ross the brand is about being elegant but unexpected,

strong, and always luxurious. Five years from now I really just

see strong growth in all lines. Maybe even my own boutique in

New York!

Do you have a favourite jewellery era? From your experience in this field, what do you remember as being a truly stand-out piece of jewellery?“Less an era than a person – I would say that Suzanne

Belperron’s work, especially from the 1950s, has been extremely

influential. Like me, she didn’t believe in logos and let the gems

make the statement.”

What is your favourite stone to work with and why? “I really can’t play favourites with the stones…it’s a joy to think

of ways to accommodate each stone’s natural properties.”

We have heard that you have a pretty amazing collection of vintage clothing. Any favourites, among both your clothes and designers?“I respond to Geoffrey Beene, really, every time. It’s genius.

Vintage shopping in general is a favourite of mine – my mother

introduced me to it when I was young and it’s really shaped my

expectations of quality.”

Five years from now, what kind of jewellery do you think people will be wearing? “Possibly one of the most intriguing things about jewellery is

that it is largely impossible to predict, much like other aspects

of fashion. Is it all cyclical, still? Of course - but it’s not literally

interpreted. Yes, in five years we will probably still enjoy the

MUST HAVES IN A WARDROBE

Clothes – Whatever makes you feel best

Shoes –As long as you can walk in them, go for it!

Jewellery – Kara RossHandbags – Kara RossCosmetics – Jo Malone

FACETINGBrilliant and scintillating – words used to describe a beautifully faceted gemstone. The Faceted collection features prominently displayed faceted gemstones surrounded by vivid sapphires that enhance the stone’s natural colour, or are set in sterling silver or 18K gold for a more simple appearance

STAINED GLASSUsed by architects as early as the 4th century, stained glass was created in order to emulate the appearance of gemstones in the windows of churches and monasteries. Mimicking the panelled appearance of a stained glass window, rings, earrings, necklaces and cuffs are embellished with ornate patterns of colorful gemstones and sapphires set in sterling silver and 18k gold

You can buy a Kara Ross design at Eye Candy, Muscat.

same classics, but every year new techniques and technologies

will have changed the way I think about even my own classic

designs. We shall see!”

What are the aspects that one should keep in mind while buying jewellery?

“Well, if you’re truly buying a heritage piece, there are certain

things you do want to look at. That being said, I think the

biggest is whether you respond to the piece emotionally.

Jewellery is art, and should incite the same passion.”

28

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASSHH Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al Said on ‘the journey’ of photography. As told to Deepa Rajan

INTERVIEW

Someone once said, “To

take photographs means to

recognise – simultaneously

and within a fraction of a

second – both the fact itself

and the rigorous organisation

of visually perceived forms

that give it meaning. It is

putting one’s head, one’s

eye and one’s heart on the

same axis.”

When one looks at the images

captured by His Highness

Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al

Said, one gets the impression

that here is a photographer

who cares enough to put

his head, eye and heart on

the same axis. Sayyid Tarik,

Director of Tawoos LLC and

Renaissance SAOG, has been

capturing the hues of life

for the last 30 years and this

is the first time that he has

chosen to share the results

of his passion with the rest

of the world in an exhibition

at Bait Muzna gallery. All the

proceeds of this exhibition

have been earmarked for the

Environment Society of Oman

(ESO).

Titled ‘The Journey’, this

exhibition is not just a

collection of images. In fact,

one would not hesitate to call

them moving pictures for each

image frames the movements

in nature and translates them

into moving compositions that

narrate a story.

Sayyid Tarik talks to

Signature on The Journey and

photography…

What is your exhibition, called

‘The Journey’, representative

of? To what are you referring

to in the title?

“The Journey is what we do

with our lives, the memories

we accumulate, which in turn

shape our view of the world.”

Henri Cartier-Bresson once

said that in photography, the

smallest thing can be a great

subject. The little, human

detail can become a Leitmotiv.

What would you say is your

leitmotiv in your photographs

and why?

“I must admit I had to look

up ‘Leitmotiv’. Using the

definition, ‘a leading motive’,

I would respond that over the

years my motives change, in

fact they sometimes change

during a single session. I may

be carrying my camera with

no preconceived idea of what I

might shoot, then as I interpret

the scene around me, possible

compositions flash through

my mind, I try to imagine

how things would look

through the lens rather than

actually limit my vision by

peering through a viewfinder.

By transforming the scene

from its 3D reality into a 2D

image you have to imagine

everything being flattened

and stacked. Using a lens

with powerful magnification

actually reduces the

distances perceived between

clearly visible objects in

the foreground middle and

background. You can create

a sort of collage and make

some aspects more prominent.

This deconstruction process

amongst other things

motivates me.

29

Car Casse (Al Hail, Oman)

Desert in the sky (at 4,500m, Atacama, Chile)

“As for subjects that motivate

me, I’d rather not become a

specialist, I would like to take

more people shots, but need

to work on the skills needed to

put people at ease and extract

from them a look that would

later inspire a story.”

Is there a difference in the

perception of a photograph if

it is taken in black and white,

as opposed to colour? Which

do you prefer, and why?

“Nowadays, I sometimes find

myself removing the colour

from an image If I feel that

the colour is a distraction. I

realize however that if you

are going to shoot in Black

and White, you should make

that commitment up front, so

that you think in black and

white. I have a preference for

colour, but I retain respect

for black and white and the

statements that can be made

in that medium. It can be

used to change the mood or

emphasise or de-emphasise

an aspect of the composition.

Has something been lost in

both professional and amateur

photography with the move

to fully digital cameras and

reproduction? Did it require a

different kind of person and

commitment to develop your

own photos using chemical

solutions and dark rooms?

“My own youthful dark

room tinkering was driven

by novelty, curiosity but

mainly the ability to take

control of a vital part of the

process. In the days of analog

manipulation you needed to

be inventive and sometimes

physically construct devices

to achieve whatever your

desired effect was. Today

the digital dark room allows

similar control over the end

product, but the possibilities

seem almost infinite. In the

digital darkroom all the

30

constructs are in your mind

and expressed through

mastery of the software, and

how you utilise it in new and

original ways. I prefer to have

my digital images developed

using an analog process

because I don’t think printers

and inks are as yet up to the

task.”

“I was an early adopter of

digital cameras back in 2000

perhaps a little premature,

but it totally changed the

way I shoot, simply because

there was no incremental

cost to each picture, and you

had the instant gratification

of seeing your composition,

which until then only

Polaroids could offer. As hard

disk space and processing

speed increase exponentially

the photographer’s problem

becomes the sheer quantity of

images that he or she has to

sort through.”

In the digital age, it is all too

easy to erase imperfections

in a photograph, be they in a

person’s skin or otherwise. Do

you think that this has made

photographers lazy in terms

of taking the right picture,

and is it a reflection of a facile

trait within society in seeking

perfection where there is none

to be found? Do you encourage

‘touching up’ of digital images

with software such as Adobe

Photoshop?

“As mentioned in the response

to the previous question, there

are many similarities between

today’s digital darkroom with

its algorithms and pixel by

pixel manipulation, versus

the analog darkroom with

its interplay between light

and chemicals. I don’t think

that there is a right or wrong

answer to the question,

“How much Photoshop?”.

However there is common

Hard Corner (Glacier Des Diablerets, Switzerland)

2 Pee or not 2 Pee (highway between Sinaw and Khaluf, Oman)

INTERVIEW

31

ground among observers as

to whether an image looks

right after its been altered.

Some photographers may get

lazy and use Photoshop as a

crutch, but that just allows

others to sprint ahead of them

by leveraging the technology

to attain new heights of

artistic originality. One thing

that I am grateful for, is the

ability to salvage images

(thanks to Photoshop) which

you may never be able to go

back and take again.

“Society’s narcissism is an

entirely different subject

which is the subject of many

books. It is inherent in us, and

is exploited by advertisers

who wish to associate their

products with dream like

perfection, and unattainable

lifestyles. The creation of

fantasy landscapes is fun I am

sure, and we are all at some

point or other seduced by such

synthesized images, which is

fine as long as we remember

to enjoy our journey and not

obsess about our destination.”

Of all of the locations,

situations, circumstances and

people you have captured

in your photographs, which

stands out as most memorable

to you, and why?

“Most recent in my memory

are the images taken in Chile

this summer, the national

parks devoid of human

encroachment were a marvel

to behold. It reminded me

of the importance of these

institutions and the enormous

power they have to attract

tourists as well as preserve

biodiversity. There is no

reason why Oman cannot

continue to contribute to, and

manage its beautiful natural

heritage for generations to

behold and benefit from.”

Pebbles the Size of Houses (Majlis Al Jinn, Selma Plateau, Oman)

Prepositional Plants (Dhofar, Oman)

32

The History MakerCONTINUING OUR EQUESTRIAN SERIES, IN THIS ARTICLE WE FOCUS ON THE ARABIAN HORSE.

LARA HANSEN DELVES INTO THE LINEAGE OF THIS ALLURINGLY ENIGMATIC BREED…

FOCUS

All i

mag

es: L

ynne

M. G

leas

on

33

The Mystery The Arabian horse emerged

from the ancient deserts of

Arabia. Over the centuries,

this horse would change the

equine world, and human

history forever. The impact

this horse has had on the

development of art and culture,

warfare, and ultimately, on the

structure and organisation of

Eastern and Western societies,

is hard to overestimate.

However, unlike virtually

every other breed of horse, the

precise origin of the Arabian

horse remains unknown.

Although it is understood

that this breed is completely

original and unique (i.e. not

developed as a result of cross-

breeding), its history remains

veiled, leaving us with few

clues of exactly where it came

from. Some experts claim

that the origins lie in Iraq’s

Fertile Crescent while others

have argued that it most likely

came from southwestern

Arabia. Due, however, to the

antiquity of this horse and the

complexity of tracing such

beginnings, it is unlikely that

the precise area of origin will

ever be known.

A Sacred BlessingThe Prophet Mohammed

(p.b.u.h.) clarified the mystery

to his followers with his

declaration that the Arabian

horse is a holy gift bestowed

by Allah to the people of

the desert. The Prophet

Mohammed (p.b.u.h.) further

explained that, as Allah had

gifted them the Arabian horse,

those people who treated it

well would be rewarded in

the afterlife. The Prophet’s

instruction is supported with

the Holy Quran’s warning

that “no evil spirit will dare to

enter a tent where there is a

purebred horse”. The Arabian

horse has been accordingly

revered through the centuries

and carefully protected to

preserve its distinct features.

Unique CharacteristicsAfter studying the bones of

Arabian horses over 3,500

years old, experts have

determined that the purebred

Arabian is, today, virtually

the same as that existing

in ancient Arabia. Over the

centuries, the Arabian tribes

safeguarded the natural

characteristics of their horses

and so maintained the

distinctive dished nose with

large, efficient nostrils, wide-

set beautiful eyes on a broad

forehead; small, curved ears

and powerful, but compact,

body. The Arabian horse is

also defined by its robustness,

its renowned endurance, and

intelligence. Because of the

mutual interdependence of

horse and Bedouin living

in harsh desert conditions,

the Arabian adapted to his

relationship with man and

is particularly gentle and

affectionate.

Paving the wayIndeed, over time, the

Arabian horse had become

necessary for the Bedouin

people’s survival in the

desert. Not only did this horse

provide an efficient mode of

transportation, and for sending

communications across

distances, he also stepped

into the battlefield when

necessary and so became the

original war horse. With his

help, societies of such distant

lands as the Indus Valley

civilizations were united

with Mesopotamian cultures.

The empires of the Hurrians,

Hittites, Kassites, Assyrians,

Babylonians, Persians and

others rose and fell under the

hooves of the Arabian horse.

The use of his strength and

courage made possible a

cooperative organised society,

such as the Roman Empire. It

is fair to say that the Eastern

world was largely structured

and, to an extent, united by the

work of the Arab horse. But he

did not stop there.

As Arabian horses were

eventually transported

westward, they were bred

with the large European

heavy horses to create lighter

horse breeds. Accordingly,

the concept of a light, efficient

cavalry took hold across

Europe changing the way in

which wars were fought and

won. In this way, the Arabian

horse had a significant impact

on the structure of Europe

up to the 20th century. Over

the centuries, the Arabian

horse became essential to

the development of important

European breeds. Between

1683 and 1730 a revolution

in horse breeding occurred

when three Arabian stallions

were imported to England.

Through the breeding of these

three horses, known as the

Godolphin Arabian, the Darley

Arabian, and the Byerly Turk,

the Thoroughbred breed was

established. Today, every

modern Thoroughbred can be

traced to these three Arabian

sires. Since then, by direct

breeding, and through the

blood of the Thoroughbred, the

Arabian has influenced every

light breed of horse.

His role todayThe modern Arabian horse

is still as active as ever,

influencing the world of horse

racing, dressage, jumping, the

military sport of tent-pegging,

and, particularly, endurance

riding. He remains valued for

his beauty and remains, as he

has been over the centuries,

the subject of art, literature

and, now, cinema with major

motion pictures such as King

of the Wind, and The Black

Stallion depicting his mystique

and capturing the romance

of this amazing horse breed.

Even as so much time has

passed, the fascination with

the majestic, beautiful Arabian

horse never seems to wane

To be continued...

34

Etched in nobility BAIT AL BARANDA IS HOSTING A SPECIAL EXHIBITION ON ARABIAN HORSES BY ARTIST LYNNE M. GLEASON. DEEPA RAJAN QUIZZES HER ON HORSES AND MORE…

Lynne Murray Gleason has

had a lifelong passion for

horses, but her epiphany with

them came while she and her

husband Howard were living

in a London flat overlooking

the Royal Household Cavalry.

She began painting the

Queen’s horses and Royal

Guards which she could

observe from her balcony. Her

works caught the eye of the

Commanding Officer of the

cavalry, who then provided her

with a studio in the barracks

with unprecedented access to

the stables, training sessions

and royal performances. In

due time, a magnificent book

illustrating Lynne’s drawings,

watercolours, and paintings

of the British Ceremonial

Horses was published, and

in the following years, she

was invited to work with

the military and ceremonial

horses of France, Holland, and

Austria.

A series of happy coincidences

and the possibility of a

significant commission work

in Oman led Lynne to work

on paintings of Arabian

horses and even though

the commission did not

materialise at that time it

did result in an invitation to

visit Oman in late 2009. Her

paintings were purchased and

installed in a grand building

in Oman.

Now, One year later, Lynne’s

works of art have been

exhibited at the Bait Al

Baranda as part of the 40th

National Day celebrations.

Lynne says: “I am very excited

about exhibiting in Oman. I

had the distinct pleasure of

spending two weeks in Oman

the last few days in December

2009 and the early part of 2010.

I was honoured to be able to

experience Race Day and to

get to know the City and a

number of Omanis associated

with horses and with the arts.”

Titled, ‘The Noble Horse’, the

exhibition also coincided with

FOCUS

35

the royal visit of Her Royal

Highness Queen Elizabeth II to

the Sultanate of Oman.

In a short interview with

Signature, Lynne talks about

her passion for horses and

art…

How and why did you choose the Arabian horse as your subject?“I shifted my focus from the

ceremonial horse of Europe

to the Arabian Horse, when I

was offered the possibility of a

commission to paint the horses

of Oman. But what really

turned it around for me was

my beautiful white Arabian

horse named Whisper, which I

boarded at a friend’s Arabian

breeding stable. Whisper

taught me great many lessons.

She captured my heart with

her sensitivity, intelligence

and agility. The elegance of

the Arabian horse has always

attracted my eye. It was

exciting to focus intensely on

the attributes of this amazing

breed.

How does one capture the free spirit of the horse in a painting?“With love and respect, it

is possible for my spirit to

connect with the spirit of the

horse – the essence – the soul.

During my work experience

with Riding for the Disabled,

I was witness to the healing

quality, intelligence and

intuition of the horse. These

are integral parts of a trusting

relationship. While painting it

is important for me to establish

the eye of the horse – the

window to its soul. I attempt to

always paint from the horses’

point of view, whose nature is

an expression of freedom; a

spirit of complicity with man,

but never servitude.”

Apart from horses, are there any other subjects that you like to paint?“The creative path has taken

me in various directions

leading to a great variety of

subject matters – from abstract

explorations of the universe

to realistic and symbolic

renditions of the human form,

landscapes and other subjects

have captured my attention for

periods of time. Each different

journey has led me to study

and appreciate the works of

other artists of each genre.

When I was immersed in

abstract expressionism, I was

attracted to the mysticism

of Rothko and Motherwell. I

was able to study their works

in museums as well as read

their written expressions.

While I have moved on to other

creative expressions, abstract

considerations are always an

integral part of my paintings

and sculpture. At this time I

feel the horse has led me on

the most interesting paths. I

plan to continue interpreting

and expressing this subject

until I feel the need to move

on.”

How would you define your art?“Visual art has always

been my primary means of

expression. When creating,

one becomes aligned with the

Creator. This enlivens and

energises me and infuses my

work with the power which is

transcendent. I feel that my

best work shines through when

I have stepped aside and the

work has a life and power of

its own”

36

In

the

f

as

t l

an

e

F1 CALENDAR

Round Race Title Grand Prix1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain GP2 Qantas Australian Grand Prix Australian GP

3 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix Malaysian GP

4 UBS Chinese Grand Prix Chinese GP5 Turkish Grand Prix Turkish GP6 Gran Premio de España Spanish GP7 Grand Prix de Monaco Monaco GP8 Grand Prix du Canada Canadian GP9 European Grand Prix European GP10 Santander British Grand Prix British GP11 Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland German GP12 Eni Magyar Nagydij Hungarian GP13 Belgian Grand Prix Belgian GP14 Gran Premio Santander d’Italia Italian GP15 Singapore Grand Prix Singapore GP16 Japanese Grand Prix Japanese GP17 Korean Grand Prix Korean GP18 Indian Grand Prix Indian GP19 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Abu Dhabi GP20 Grande Prêmio do Brasil Brazilian GP

2011 RACE CALENDAR

3737

Circuit Date Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir 13 March Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne 27 March

Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur 10 April

Shanghai International Circuit 17 April Istanbul Park 8 May Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona 22 May Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 29 May Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 12 June Valencia Street Circuit 26 June Silverstone Circuit 10 July Nürburgring 24 July Hungaroring, Budapest 31 July Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa 28 August Autodromo Nazionale Monza 11 September Marina Bay Street Circuit 25 September Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 9 October Korean International Circuit, Yeongam 16 October Jaypee Group Circuit, Greater Noida 30 October Yas Marina Circuit 13 NovemberAutódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 27 November

38

MAKING HIS MARK

BONHAMS RECENTLY AUCTIONED A RARE IMPERIAL JADE SEAL FROM THE QIANLONG COURT. FRANCES WOOD DESCRIBES HOW THE EMPEROR USED IT

TO STAMP HIS AUTHORITY ON HIS SPRAWLING DOMAINS

ART

Apart from

high officials

and those at

court, no one

ever saw the

Qianlong

Emperor. When he left the

Forbidden City, whether to

travel to the south of China

on a ‘tour of inspection’ or

to one of the many garden-

palaces and hunting parks in

the vicinity of the capital, he

travelled inside a yellow-silk

sedan chair. Ordinary citizens

were ordered off the streets.

The Jesuit painters at court

such as Giuseppe Castiglione

and Giuseppe Panzi saw

him briefly when he sat for

portraits, and some of the

only physical descriptions

of his appearance are those

made by members of the first

British Embassy to China.

Lord Macartney, who led the

Embassy, described him as

“a very fine old gentleman,

still healthy and vigorous,

not having the appearance

of a man of more than sixty…

His manner is dignified but

affable.”

When he conversed through

a Jesuit interpreter, he asked

Lord Macartney “the age of my

king and, being informed of it,

said he hoped he might live as

many years as himself, which

are eighty-three”. Macartney’s

valet, Aeneas Anderson,

expanded upon the Emperor’s

appearance and dress when he

came to see the display of gifts

from George III laid out at the

Yuanmingyuan. “The Emperor

is about five feet ten inches in

height, and of a slender but

elegant form; his complexion

is comparatively fair, though

his eyes are dark; his nose is

rather aquiline, and the whole

of his countenance presents a

perfect regularity of features,

39

which by no means announce

the great age he is said to

have attained: his person is

attracting and his deportment

accompanied by an affability,

which, without lessening the

dignity of the prince, evinces

the amiable character of the

man.”

However, it is clear that his

affability was combined with

a shrewd intelligence. When

Panzi was painting his portrait,

the Emperor asked Panzi if he

was a painter first or a Jesuit

first, which suggests that he

understood the Jesuits’ method

of ingratiating themselves at

court – by sending the sort of

craftsmen they thought would

appeal to the Emperor.

The reign of the Qianlong

Emperor, which lasted from

1736 to1796, is viewed in China

as the high point of the Qing

dynasty, which lasted from

1644 to 1911. Internationally,

the Emperor’s name is

synonymous with luxury and

elegance, with fine porcelain

and paintings and enamels. He

was unquestionably a brilliant

man and an interesting one,

demonstrating considerable

skill in Chinese and traditional

Chinese culture, modelling his

calligraphy on that of the late

Ming master Dong Qichang.

He may not personally have

written the 42,000 poems

attributed to him, but his choice

of inscriptions for his many

seals shows that he had an

understanding of classical

Chinese thought. One of his

imperial jade seals – which

will be offered at Bonhams

New Bond Street in November

– bears the inscription Zi

Qiang Bu Xi, which in rough

translation means “self-

strengthening never ceases”.

The Qing emperors were

Manchus, not Chinese, and

40

ART

Qianlong was perhaps the last

of them to enjoy mastery of

both cultures, for his successors

were increasingly weak. The

Manchus valued the skills of

riding and archery, and from a

young age the Qianlong

Emperor practised both.

When out hunting at the age

of 12 with his grandfather,

the Kangxi Emperor, he was

greatly admired for his courage

when his pony was attacked

by a bear. His bravery in battle

was real, although his self-

proclaimed “ten great victories”

owed something to his gift for

self-publicity.

His conquests in Central

Asia brought Xinjiang into

the empire, but the cost of the

campaigns was huge.

Even at the end of his life, the

Emperor remained intensely

busy and active, even hunting

until he was 86 years old. He

was described as rising at

six in the morning and taking

breakfast at eight before

spending the morning with

his officials and ministers on

state business, responding

to reports and promulgating

decrees with his official seal,

which obviated the need for

an imperial signature. After

another light meal at two, he

spent his afternoons painting,

writing and inspecting artefacts

from the imperial collections.

These activities often involved

the use of seals, which were of

crucial importance in keeping

the bureaucracy running

smoothly. The Emperor affixed

seals inscribed with the phrase

“suitable for posterity” on

items he valued highly in the

imperial collection. Other seals

41

were also used to indicate

the hall in which they were

stored – indeed, the objects

often inspired the name of the

hall. His studio, for example,

in which he spent much time,

was entitled ‘The Studio of the

Three Rarities’ in a complex

series of references to moral

virtue (three-fold striving)

and the immensely venerable

works by the fourth-century

calligraphers, Wang Xizhi,

Wang Xianzhi and Wang Xun,

that were stored there. The seal

with the name of the studio

was stamped fairly centrally

on Wang Xun’s handscroll

letter, with the “suitable for

posterity seal” at the top near

the end. Apart from seals

indicating location or aesthetic

assessment, the Emperor could

also employ seals celebrating

his longevity to cover any bare

spaces on an imperial painting.

He reached the ages of 60 and

80, both of which are especially

celebrated in China. To honour

these landmark birthdays, he

ordered special seals to be cut

in commemoration.

But then the Qianlong Emperor

had a ruthless political side

to him. He projected an image

of himself as a successful

warrior and an aesthete who

appreciated the finest art. But

he also used these attributes as

a cover for other less laudable

motives. In 1772, he ordered

titles within the imperial

collection and other unique

or rare editions collected

throughout the empire to be

copied as the Siku quanshu

‘The Complete Library in

Four Branches of Literature’.

More than 10,000 works were

reviewed for inclusion and

in the end nearly 3,500 were

copied (in 36,000 slim volumes).

Behind this admirable project

lay a more sinister literary

inquisition, for the Emperor

was hunting for anti-Manchu

sentiments, which were strong

when the Qing first conquered

China. Thousands of books

were destroyed or banned as

anti-Manchu and dozens of

authors were executed. The

scale of the enterprise and

its results, both positive and

negative, were characteristic of

the era.

Knowing nothing of the motives

behind this literary inquisition,

Lord Macartney described the

Qianlong Emperor as “Solomon

in all his glory”. He was clearly

awestruck by the architecture

and landscaping of palaces

and temples, their spacious

courts and magnificent bridges.

Peking was “justly to be

admired for its walls and gates,

the distribution of its quarters,

the width and allineation of

its streets, the grandeur of

its triumphal arches and the

number and magnificence of

its palaces”. He was similarly

impressed with Chinese

fireworks and the “diversity of

colours…which the Chinese

have the secret of clothing fire

with”.

For all the grandeur of the

empire, for all the intelligence

of its elderly ruler, Lord

Macartney was uncannily

prescient in predicting that

this glorious age would not

long survive the death of the

Qianlong Emperor. “Who is

the Atlas destined by him to

bear this load of empire when

he dies is yet unknown but

on whatever shoulders it may

fall, another transmigration of

[Buddha] into the next Emperor

will be necessary to enable

him to sustain it on its present

balance; for though with the

serene atmosphere of the court,

everything wears the face

of happiness… it cannot be

concealed that the nation in

general is far from being easy

or contented…The Empire of

China is an old, crazy, first-rate

man-of-war, which a fortunate

succession of able and vigilant

officers has contrived to keep

afloat for these one hundred

and fifty years past, and to

overawe her neighbours merely

by her bulk and appearance,

but whenever an insufficient

man happens to have command

upon deck, adieu to the

discipline and safety of the

ship. She may perhaps not sink

outright, she may drift some

42

ART

SEAL OF APPROVAL

Guo Fuxiang from The Palace Museum, Department of Palace History, Beijing, describes the importance of this rare imperial seal

The Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) was the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty and his reign (1736-1796) is considered to be one of the most glorious periods in Chinese history. Over the course of his lifetime, the Emperor celebrated a number of significant anniversaries, of which various mementoes survive. Among these artefacts, the most iconic of the survivals are the Emperor’s personal seals.

The white jade seal, which bears the inscription ‘Zi Qiang Bu Xi’ (Self-Strengthening Never Ceases), is intimately intertwined with the celebrations that marked the Emperor’s 80th birthday. This particular seal is a Yajiao zhang – used specifically to mark the corners of the Emperor’s calligraphy.

Traditionally, the commissioning of imperial seals was an essential component in commemorating the event. According to the records of the Neiwufu Zaobanchu Huajidang (Archives Concerning the Administration of Arts and Crafts of the Imperial Household Workshops), it was reported, “On the 25th day of the 12th month in the 57th year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign [1793], the eunuch Mei Jinbao reported that the Chief-Administrator Zhang Jixi has happily presented a set of three pieces of white jade along with three sheets of paper each containing a yinshou type seal impression facsimile…the last one bore the inscription Zi Qiang Bu Xi.”The Qianlong Emperor’s choice of inscription was intended to express his determination not to slow down – to be always mindful and diligent, and to do his best to govern his subjects before relinquishing power. Despite his old age, he believed himself still healthy with no signs of frailty or mental weakness. He declared that he “would not rest until he has served his subjects to the best of his abilities”. Although he was profoundly excited about approaching his 80th birthday, the Emperor’s writings give us an insight into his intimate thoughts. The pledge ‘Self-Strengthening Never Ceases’ served as a constant reminder for the Emperor, urging him on.

time as a wreck and will be

dashed to pieces on the shore;

but she can never be rebuilt on

the old bottom.”

And so it proved. China had

over-stretched its resources

and the over-reaching imperial

ambition to extend the borders

of the empire proved its

undoing. During the next 100

years, China fell into a steady

decline, culminating in its

humiliation at the hands of the

western powers

The author is Curator of

Chinese Collections at the

British Library. As published in

Bonhams Magazine

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44

MUSIC

45

Sibling RevelryNEW-GENERATION SAROD PLAYERS AMAAN AND AYAAN ALI KHAN LEAD THE WAY… A SIGNATURE REPORT

They come

from a family

where music

is not just a

tradition, but

a way of life.

Amaan and

Ayaan Ali Khan may be the

sons of renowned sarod artiste

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, but the

brothers are today not only

known as sons of an illustrious

father, but as torch-bearers of

Indian classical music.

The duo was in Oman recently

for a concert organised by

Soorya, a non-profitable

organisation dedicated to the

cause of popularising Indian

art forms worldwide. ُThe event

was organised in association

with Oman UAE Exchange.

The siblings are

conventionally good-looking

and could easily pass off as

young Bollywood stars. They

are also charm personified.

At a press conference, they

fielded questions with ease,

and wowed the media with

‘smart and intelligent’ answers

and some lively banter.

And it was Bollywood that

broke the ice and took the

conversation to interesting

levels. When asked whether

the glamour of films could

be used to popularise Indian

classical music, Amaan

explained, “Cinema is indeed

a popular medium and

musicians like Pandit Shiv

Kumar Sharma (legendary

Indian santoor player) and

Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia

(popular Indian flautist) have

teamed up to give great film

hits, unfortunately, it does not

work that way every time. It

is an industry where ‘good’ is

decided by a hit and ‘bad’ is

decided by a flop. And this is

something we do not believe

in. Indian classical music is

about achieving excellence

first and being popular later.”

The dialogue continued in

the same vein as Amaan and

Ayaan were asked whether

they ever considered a career

in acting. “We are not against

it. If we have a script that

we believe in, we will surely

take it. But then, I recollect

an amusing incident that

happened when I was at the

gym recently. A person came

up to me and said that why

did Amaan and I not consider

acting as were quite good

looking. I could only say that in

a country like India where 500

million people want to become

actors and maybe, just 10

aspire to become musicians, I’d

like to remain where I am. But

jokes apart, I would consider

a good film if it were to be

offered to me.”

The duo speaks of Indian

classical music with a lot of

passion and fervour. Amaan

elaborates: “When I say Indian

classical music, I wouldn’t

like to differentiate between

various forms like bhajan, geet,

etc. But the core is classical. It

has its own place in a world

that is dominated by ‘popular’

music. He goes on to add that

it is an acquired taste. He says,

“It is like butter chicken and

sushi, everyone can appreciate

a butter chicken but few can

develop a palate for sushi.”

We couldn’t agree more. For,

we believe that music is not

just mere notes strung together.

It is a feeling that lifts us from

the ordinary to the sublime and

touches both heart and soul.

Ayaan and Amaan Ali Khan

best exemplify this emotion

and through their dedication

and passion, enrich a music

that will continue to enthrall

generations to come

46

BON APÉTIT

ALL IN A DAY’S BRUNCH THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO SPEND YOUR FRIDAY AFTERNOON THAN UNWINDING AT THE BEACH RESTAURANT, THE CHEDI MUSCAT, SAYS BREGJE VAN BAAREN AS SHE TAKES MICHAEL AND IEVA HORUP ON A DELECTABLE JOURNEY OF FRESH FOOD, SEA, AND REFRESHING CONVERSATION

In many ways, expatriates

are modern nomads, who

travel across the world

for work along fixed

routes. Michael Horup

could easily be one of

them. Given his work in

the telecommunications

industry, Horup’s life has

been all about ‘mobile and

fixed’ in more than one way;

business has taken the

Danish Horup from Eastern

Europe to Kuwait. At present,

his destination is Oman.

Horup is the GM – Strategic

Marketing & Branding,

Oman Telecommunications

Company.

When Signature meets

Horup and his wife Ieva at

the comfort zone called The

Chedi Muscat for the famed

Friday Brunch at the Beach

Restaurant, Horup tells us about his first visit to the luxurious

hotel. In Oman, on an official visit some five years ago, he got

a chance to taste the foie gras at The Restaurant. Upon return

to what was then his ‘home’ in Kuwait, he even gave his wife a

brochure of this romantic getaway of a hotel, hoping one

day they would have a chance to visit this ultimate destination

for couples.

Well, his wish did come partly true. We met Horup and his

charming Lithuanian wife at the lovely lobby of The Chedi

and headed towards one of the hotel’s many pieces de

resistance; the Beach Restaurant. The restaurant offers a

magnificent view over the sea and is one step away from a

private, secluded beach. The wooden interiors of the petite

charming ‘open air’ restaurant, soft breeze ruffling the

curtains, the soothing music and a ‘typical’ mixture of Arabian

47

MIC

HAEL

AND

IEVA

HOR

UP W

ITH

ANDY

KUN

Z

48

and Asian architecture,

make a calming haven, far

away from the traffic and

sometimes hectic daily city-

life. Andy Kunz, Executive

Assistant Manager at The

Chedi, who has kindly agreed

to host us for this brunch as

well, tells us the story of one

client who came to stay at

the hotel following doctors’

orders to take a much-needed

rest. Horup and his wife

love the warm weather here

in Oman and the fact that

there is a nice breeze today,

enables us to sit outside

and enjoy the panoramic

view of the sea. According to

Horup, the atmosphere and

friendly service make dining

at The Chedi a remarkable

experience. Being in the

service-industry himself, he

knows what it takes to keep

a customer happy. Kunz, for

whom tasting and trying new

types of food is part of his

job, agrees with Horup that:

“fine dining (in a restaurant)

is based on the overall

experience”.

The Beach Restaurant is

famed for its wide selection of

local and international fresh

fish dishes. Being Danish in

origin, Horup has experienced

a multicultural fusion in food,

“though the Danish do tend

to eat heavy food,” he tells

us. Horup also enjoys seafood

and especially sushi, the raw

Japanese delicacy.

BON APÉTIT

50

The Chedi Friday brunch,

a beautiful buffet, offers

guests Fine de Claire

oysters from France, salads,

shrimps and Omani Crab

and Lobsters that are

even sold in the trendiest

restaurants as far as in

New York. One cannot help

thinking it is a luxury that

many of these dishes are

the day’s catch by one of

the many local fishermen.

The menu also features the

finger-licking grilled lamb

cutlets served with truffle

potatoes; seared salmon in

olive salsa and the delicious

sauté garlic prawns with a

flavor of sweet chili sauce;

amongst other delicacies. This

palette is enriched by the free

flow of sparkling beverages

and fruit juices that is served

throughout the dining

experience.

As per our guest’s wishes, we

also order sushi à la carte

with tuna from both Oman

and Japan. During the brunch

one can try out different fish

(and meat) dishes – if someone

likes anything in particular

they can make a special,

customised order.

While eating the exclusive

Omani crab, Horup happily

claims “This is the best crab

I have ever eaten… the taste

is a bit sweet, but so rich and

very delicious.” Fish is not all

there is on the menu though,

the lamb from New Zealand

is also considered to be ‘very

tender and nice’ by our guests.

The tuna sushi appears to

be one of Horup’s favourites

though, so the restaurant

keeps them coming. After

two hours of tasting and

pampering our taste buds with

different dishes, it is a miracle

that we still have space in the

stomach time for a selection

of the sweetest chocolate and

fruity desserts, halwa, and

coffee. The couple tells us how

impressed they are by the

various exotic fruits available

in the country as we tuck in to

the scrumptious desserts.

Frederick W. Hackwood once

said that a good meal soothes

the soul as it regenerates the

body. From the abundance of

it flows a benign benevolence.

The brunch in its rich

abundance does exactly

that. Of course, what adds

to the food is the fact that

atmosphere is as serene

and heart-warming. It is no

wonder then, that even as we

left the Beach Restaurant, the

well-sated couple lingered

behind. We last saw them

headed for a romantic stroll on

the beach…

The Chedi Friday brunch is served from 1pm to 4:30pm and is priced at Riyals 45++ per person. A 50 per cent discount applies for children. Prior reservations required: Call on 24524343 or mail thebeachrestaurant@chedimuscat.com

BON APÉTIT

52

DANCE WITH

ME

FOR SOME PEOPLE DANCE IS A WAY OF ENJOYMENT. FOR SOME, IT’S A WAY OF LIFE. SPANISH DANCER ANTONIO NAJARRO BELONGS TO THE LATTER, DISCOVERS SIGNATURE

RETROSPECTIVE

When asked to describe the

essence of flamenco in three

words, this Spanish performer

uses the words passion, life

and charisma. But then these

words also describe the artistic

ingenuity that is Antonio

Najarro. Signature met Najarro

before his recent performance

for the Royal Opera House’s

Asdaa’ Musiqiyah…

The ProdigyAntonio Najarro, lead dancer,

choreographer and Artistic

Director of the Antonio Najarro

Company began his career at

a tender age of seven at the

Real Conservatorio Profesional

de Danza in Madrid. Being

born in a family of dancers

and performers, dancing

came naturally to Najarro.

At the academy he studied

diverse dance forms such as

classical ballet, Escuela Bolera

Spanish ballet, contemporary

dance and much more. He

graduated cum laude and

began his professional career

at 15 with the Rafael Aguilar

Dance Company (Ballet Teatro

Español de Rafael Aguilar).

The PerformerSoon after joining the dance

company, Najarro gained solo

roles like that of Lucas, the

handsome torero, Carmen

54

falls in love with. As word

spread of his immense talent

famous choreographers such

as the likes of Mariemma, and

Alberto Lorca began pursuing

Najarro. He soon found himself

performing in productions

like Goyescas, Homenaje a

Madrid and for prestigious

dance companies like Ballet

Antología, Teatro Lírico

Nacional de la Zarzuela and

Compañía Antonio Márquez

choreographed by the revered

José Granero. Then in 1997

Najarro, joined the National

Spanish Ballet (Ballet Nacional

de España) and within a very

short span of time, Najarro was

appointed ‘First Dancer’ and

performed in ballets such as

Ritmos, La Vida Breve, Poeta, y

Bolero. In Carmen, Jose Antonio

Ruiz specially choreographed

the role of Don Jose for him.

Najarro believes that dancing

is a way of life. However, he

adds that being a performer

isn’t cakewalk. “To become a

dancer, first and foremost, you

have to love dance because

it is hard work. You have to

practise for six to seven hours

each day and because of

that you don’t get to spend as

much time with your friends

and family.” Dancing, Najarro

believes is a fine balance of

physical agility and theatrical

finesse. “But if you love it, it’s

a beautiful way of life,” adds

Najarro with a radiant smile.

The ChoreographerAs much as Najarro enjoyed

being first dancer, in his

heart of hearts he wanted to

open his own dance company

and choreograph his own

productions. “I’ve had the

chance to work with the best

choreographers in Spain and

since I was 15 and started

dancing professionally, I

enjoyed the whole concept of

choreography and wanted to

do some of my own. Through

choreography I wanted to

portray my feelings, my life

and my ideas.” His major

break came when he was 24

and was asked to choreograph

for the Spanish National

Ballet. Although he’d been

doing small choreographies

by that time, this was big and

Najarro was the youngest

choreographer in the Spanish

National Ballet.

In 2002, he teamed up with

Pascal Gaona and founded

Talent Danza. Their first

production was Tango

Flamenco in December of

the same year at the Scene

Nationale du Sud Aquitaine

festival. Reminiscing about

his first show, Najarro admits

it was the most memorable

moment of his life, “I finally

saw my dream on stage that

night.”

Najarro took over the company

in 2004 and named it Compañía

Antonio Najarro and in 2006

he introduced his second

production: Flamenco Oriental.

Since then Najarro and his

troupe have successfully toured

across the globe bringing the

enticing flavour of flamenco far

and wide.

So how does he manage being

both the dancer as well as

choreographer, we wonder.

Says Najarro, “I now realise

that if you want to create new

shows you have to decide

whether you want to be the

dancer or the choreographer.

On one hand I love

choreography and creating

shows and on the other I love

dancing. It’s extremely hard to

do both, but I try my best.”

As a choreographer Najarro

doesn’t want to create new

styles of dance. “I have worked

with a lot of dancers and

choreographers alike and

think that in the dance world, a

unique style is already created

with the personality of each

RETROSPECTIVE

choreographer. When I work

with my dancers I don’t only

show them the steps, I love

to take elements from their

personalities and their artistic

elements and fuse them with

the dance. It is a hard process

but that’s what I love about

choreography.”

And it’s not only the dancers,

Najarro creates his shows

keeping in mind his audience

and the cultures of the country

in which the production

is being performed in. “I

create my shows with a lot of

elegance and respect and try

to get the audience captivated

from the beginning till the end

of the show. That’s the mark of

a good choreographer.”

Najarro’s style and flair as

a choreographer is clearly

reflected in his shows. He

combines elements of classic

ballet, flamenco as well as

some contemporary dance

moves. His dance moves have

a lot of energy as well as a

good dose of theatricality. “I

want to show love, passion and

all other different emotions.

I think a good choreographer

combines all these techniques

in perfect synchrony with

emotions and music.”

Choreography On IceNajarro’s fame as a

choreographer soon spread

world over and in 2006 the

producers of Champions on

Ice asked him to choreograph

the figure skaters’ routine.

Although he’d never done

anything like it before,

Najarro heartily accepted the

challenge. Next thing he knew,

Najarro was choreographing

a routine at the Olympics in

Salt Lake City in 2002 - which

won gold. “On ice flamenco

is completely different. It was

something completely new for

me but I love trying out new

things and so I said yes. At

the end of the day, we have to

remember, be it on ice or on

stage, they are still artists. And

the most important thing is to

know how to bring out the artist

in each skater.”

And the result? The

introduction of a whole new

language in the skating world.

But, that does not come as a

surprise. Najarro’s genius is

such that it transcends all

mediums and platforms and

brings to the mesmerised

audience a whole new world of

dance. It’s almost as if through

his performances, Najarro

seems to be serenading us with

a soulful rendition of ‘Dance

with me’

Dec 21, TuesdayOman Auditorium, Al Bustan Palace

InterContinental Muscat

Warsaw Chamber Opera’s ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera K.196’ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s La finta

giardiniera (The Pretend Gardener),

K196 is a Dramma per musica in

three acts. This opera is said to be

the first mature comic opera (opera

buffa) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756-1791). He was 18 years old, an

astounding achievement for that age.

56

DRIVEN BY PASSION

There are cars and then there are niche cars, but the Wiesmann is certainly one-of-a-kind. Deepa Rajan speaks to Friedhelm Wiesmann on why his car is

‘individuality’ in its purest form

CARS

M

57

Martin and Friedhelm Wiesmann grew up around

cars. Says Friedhelm, who was here in Oman

for the launch of the first Wiesmann dealership

in Oman, “My parents had a car dealership, so

we were always around cars. But my brother

became an engineer and worked for a company

developing and designing industrial pumps

- nothing to do with cars. And I worked in a

company producing children’s clothes, which

was something completely different.”

But, the fates intervened. A visit to the 1985

Essen Motor Show provided the kick-start for

an ambitious goal: the realisation of a sports

car with a fascinating old-fashioned shape,

but with state-of-the-art modern technology.

Friedhelm says, “They had great designs,

but very bad quality engines in the cars. The

cars exhibited in Essen did not arouse the

feeling that one expected of a sports car of

this class: passion. And, we thought that there

must be space for a German company in the

niche market that produced sports cars. So we

decided to build our own car.”

“We began in 1985 in the cellar of Martin’s

house. It was a long journey and eight years

58

CARS

later, in 1993, our first car

was ready to roll out (with all

papers and everything). The

first car, Roadster MF 3, a 6

cylinder version (v6 cylinder)

was sold to a Minister.”

It has not been an easy

journey and there was a lot of

risk involved. “It was a risk for

sure and therefore we needed

something else to earn money.

We knew we needed a long

time to develop and sell a

car. So we began producing

hardtops for convertibles

(which they still do). It was a

good business and I still had

my clothes manufacturing

company.

“It has been a rocky road.

But then, if it were easy then

many other companies would

also be doing it. Today we

are unique; the only such

company in Germany that

60

THE LOGO“The Gecko was my idea. When we

founded the company in 1988 we

had to find a logo, we checked the

patents worldwide and looked over

various designs, bearing in mind

that it had to be something unique.

We went through books looking

at different animals. We found the

gecko to be a very dynamic creature.

Moreover in Europe it is considered

a lucky sign. The car is on the road

like the Gecko on the wall.

When you see it on the wheels even

as they turn the Gecko is always a

Gecko, other symbols and logos

may appear upside down, but the

Gecko is always the right way up

in any position and the logo looks

good on everything from the car to

the merchandise.”

His favourite 5

1) BMW Alpina B5

2) Ferrari 599

3) BMW X5-M SUV

4) Mini Cooper S

5) Wiesmann Roadster

makes handmade purist

sports cars.”

But what makes a Wiesmann

different? You can hear the

distinct pride, in Friedhelm’s

voice as he explains, “Our

cars are a combination of

classic design and modern

technique. Our designs are

ageless. Handmade every

inch of the way, each car is

individualistic (specialists

spend about 350 hours to

make each Wiesmann one

of a kind); exotic, yet modern

and accessible technology

that makes it easier for the

customer when the car needs

servicing.

“Of course, as individualists

we believe exclusivity is very

important. There is only one

way to survive. You have to be

different otherwise you have

no chance in the market. We

now have about 1,350 cars and

we make about 200 a year. Our

target is to sell 500 per year in

the next 10 years.”

So how many cars do they

hope to sell in Oman? Says

Friedhelm, “Our normal sales

strategy is to show our cars at

exhibitions. But, in Oman we

sent out invitations to around

300 people to show our cars.”

According to Friedhelm, “Once

the car is on the road, that’s

the best marketing tool that

you can have.” We could not

agree more.

Someone once said that, “No

other man-made device since

the shields and lances of the

ancient knights fulfills a man’s

ego like an automobile.” This

is all the more true when it is

a purist sports car such as a

Wiesmann

CARS

Wiesmann cars are available at Fair Trade Auto LLC

It’s time again…It’s time to return to your hard-driving style. The stage is set for the 7th edition of OER CEO Golf – Corporate Oman’s most intense encounter outside a boardroom.

See you on the greens on 3 February 2011.

Contact Kush on 99253729 or 24700896 ext. 261 or email kush@applauseeventsme.com

PUBLICITY PARTNERS MEDIA SPONSORS CATEGORY PARTNER

OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

www.applauseeventsme.com Participation by invitation only3 FEB I MUSCAT HILLS

NAWRAS BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

62

Realistic REALIST ARTIST DAVID WILLIS’ PAINTINGS WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION AT THE BAIT AL BARANDA MUSEUM THIS MONTH. SUSHMITA SARKHEL CAUGHT UP WITH HIM...

It is popular belief that

art imitates life. And

in the case of David

Willis’ works, nothing

could be further from

that truth. You need

only view the images that

Willis creates to understand

the admiration and respect

that he holds for the cultures

and traditions of Oman and the

rest of the world. Resonating

with realism, Willis’ paintings

speak of life, movement and

light. And although his prime

focus is on paintings, Willis

also has a passion for wildlife

photography and filmmaking.

Willis has been living in

Oman for a good 24 years and

has been greatly influenced

by Omani traditions. He

works with a variety of media

including oils, watercolours

and graphic art and is greatly

revered among the local

community. This month, after

20 years Willis will be holding

a Retrospective Exhibition

of some of this works till

date. Curious to know more

about the man behind the

extraordinary paintings, we

met up with him for a chat.

Beginnings“I’m a self-taught artist and I

took up painting as a hobby

around my home in Australia.

On a journey to Europe where

I painted in several countries

I found that people actually

wanted to buy my work. So it

sort of carried on from there.

My travels took me to India

and Nepal and I did paintings

on the way. When I returned

to Australia and had a small

exhibition in my home town

and I managed to sell most of

the paintings. Then I decided

to take a trip to Papua New

Guinea. I went there for one

month and stayed for two

years. By that time, I had

started to paint people as well

as landscapes and my works

were popular amongst the

PEOPLE

t Reflections expatriate community there

who wanted to take something

back with them when they left.

From there I went to Spain,

North and South America, and

Africa. It was in Kenya that

my wife and I met someone

travelling who mentioned

Oman. I had never heard of

Oman before and was keen on

visiting. I made a visit here in

the late 70s but it wasn‘t until

1986 that my family and I came

to Oman to live. And we’ve been

here ever since.”

An artist’s life“As an artist in Oman life is

really good. Oman has a lot of

variety. I don’t just specialise

in one thing, I like to paint

many different subjects and

use various techniques like oil

and watercolour painting and

graphic art. As I am a realistic

painter and like to paint

traditional and natural things

I have found that Oman has

so many interesting things to

paint. Oman and all the world

is changing, but nonetheless

there’s still enough subjects that

interest me to paint here.”

Art is life “Since I haven’t gone to art

school or studied under a

teacher I’m not steeped in

modern art and not influenced

by a teacher. I started painting

because I like to see and

capture the natural world,

the light and the colours. So it

wasn’t the influence of going

to art galleries or going to art

school. Of course, I learnt a lot

by looking at other people’s

work and also learnt during

my travels. I am still learning.

Actually I have done most

of the paintings of my life

in Oman. When I paint I try

and capture the essence of

the place and I think people

buy my works because of this.

Probably what I’m best known

for is movement and light, like

people in markets, camel races

and horse riding.”“Lately, I

have also been doing a lot of

videoing and films. My son and

I were involved in making a

film on Arabian leopards. We

have always been interested

in wildlife and when I heard

there were leopards in Oman,

we decided to go down south to

Dhofar and try and photograph

them.”

Getting retrospective“I have been thinking about

having an exhibition for years

but couldn’t gather enough

paintings together. I decided to

have a retrospective exhibition

instead. So we’ll be showcasing

some of the paintings that I

have done over the years before

I came to Oman, as well as a

few recent paintings I’ve done

here. Some of my patrons have

also very generously offered

to lend the paintings for the

exhibition. Hence there won’t be

that many paintings for sale.”

64

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL

LIFECHRISTIAN DOOSE OF P&G’S COLOR

COSMETICS DIVISION SPEAKS TO

REKHA BAALA ON WHY HE IS EXCITED

TO BE PART OF THE CONSTANTLY

EVOLVING BEAUTY BUSINESS…

BEAUTY

65

Being a man in the beauty

business is not easy. Christian

Doose, managing director of

Color Cosmetics (with brands

like CoverGirl and Max

Factor), a division of P&G will

tell you that. But he will also

tell you that it is exciting, fun

and a wonderful industry to

work in. Christian admits that

in the beginning, he did not

even know what a kohl pencil

was. Eight years down the

line, he has taken the beauty

business to great heights with

top brands like CoverGirl and

Max Factor becoming the most

sought-after worldwide.

In a recent visit to Oman,

he spoke to Signature on

the ‘fun’ element of his job,

the challenges and how he

perceives the Middle East

market.

How long have you been in the beauty business?“I have been working with

Proctor & Gamble for the

past 16 years. P&G is all

about brands attempting

to improve consumer lives.

Many are chore-oriented, like

dishwashing, dry cleaning,

household care or baby care

and I have worked with most of

them. I moved into the beauty

division, Color Cosmetics

around eight years ago and

find it a whole lot of fun.”

start smiling. It certainly gives

you a level of radiance and

confidence you have never

experienced before.”

In a world where everyone is churning out new beauty products, what do you think is your toughest challenge? “The toughest challenge is

finding new and meaningful

products for the consumer. For

instance, many women would

love to have longer-lasting

lipsticks. Though we have

them, they would still like

them to last longer, almost like

a lip tattoo, but removable, of

course! We would like to look

into the skincare aspect of our

products and also work more

closely with fashion designs

and trends.”

Do you think Jane Austen pre-empted a surge in the men’s cosmetics industry, when she called men ‘beautiful’?“I think the concept of

‘beautiful men’ has been

prompted more by David

Beckham and the whole idea

of metrosexuality. And that’s

what has made cosmetics and

fragrances for men popular.”

As managing director for Color Cosmetics, what is your vision for the company?“My aim is to be able

to continuously satisfy

consumer needs thereby

enabling the company to

grow. That would in turn

mean reaching out to new

consumers in new markets

and also reach out to more

people in the markets we

operate in. I want to make

CoverGirl and Max Factor

more attractive to consumers

so that they choose us instead

of our competitors.”

How is the Middle East different from other markets?“The Middle East is a ‘different’

market in every sense. Here,

everything from desires,

habits to colour choices are

dramatically varied. What

is good though is that we

have products that appeal

to consumers. Here, we find

that women look forward to

products that can make them

look ‘fair’. Sometimes, even

the lightest shade is not light

enough. We will continue

to look at products that are

specifically favoured by

women in this region.”

What would you say to women and men who want to look and feel beautiful?“The ultimate feeling of beauty

is confidence, so find out what

can trigger that. It could be

anything from clothing, a new

grooming style, a change in

hairstyle and a lot of other

things that could make you

look and feel confident.”

What are your favourite brands?“I am a big fan of sports and

car brands. Porsche has always

created a certain desire in

men of my age. Apple is a

phenomenal brand. When it

comes to beauty, I would say

brands like Yves Saint Laurent,

Dior and Chanel because they

are all personality-driven. I

think that is what distinguishes

Max Factor as a top brand.

Max Factor made make-up for

Hollywood when he realised

that women looked pale under

camera light. He created a mix

that would make them look

better. And the result? Women

not only look more beautiful

but the confidence makes them

radiate a strong inner beauty

as well.”

So, according to you, beauty is a ‘fun’ business?“For me, moving to Color

Cosmetics and big brands

like Max Factor and CoverGirl

has been fun because it offers

a completely new learning

experience. I am a non-expert

here and have women telling

me what to do and how to work

better and that’s a fascinating

aspect to the job. Each day is

a learning experience and I

am humbled by the fact that

I don’t know everything in

this business. Each market

teaches me something new,

in fact, every store has a story

to tell. It is a vast, dynamic

and flexible territory and the

beauty business has a lot more

scope for innovation. We have

fashion associated with it and

that means constantly evolving

trends and designs. We also

work with celebrities like

Rihanna and Ellen DeGeneres.

“Our brands itself are varied

and cater to a specific

consumer niche. CoverGirl is

for the ‘magazine cover girl’,

for those women who want to

make a statement; while Max

Factor brings every woman

make-up artists’ expertise to

help them achieve confidence

in being beautiful.”

How would you sell the concept of beauty?“I think beauty is an

experience and should be

available for everybody. You

can look at it from different

angles. It’s true that inner

beauty matters a lot, but

how you look on the outside

is also equally important.

For me, looking and feeling

beautiful would be a mix of

inner and outer beauty, each

influencing the other. Look at

it this way. You can be given

an outstanding new look by a

top make-up artist. You look

at yourself in the mirror and

66

TRAVEL

WHY WAIT TO TAKE THAT WELL-EARNED BREAK?

FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING EXTRAVAGANT, THIS TIME OF YEAR IS PERFECT FOR A RELAXING LUXURIOUS HOLIDAY TO LAS VEGAS,

EUROPE, OR EVEN MEXICO. SIGNATURE

PICKS FIVE TOP PLACES TO VISIT.

Winter Wonderlands

67

mexicoThe best time to visit Mexico is before December 23 and after January 15, when it’s considered off-peak season;

rates are at their lowest. Premium, all-inclusive resorts are opening up in the Riviera Maya area - this means

you can get your food, drinks, entertainment, activities, and even ocean-view upgrades included in your

rate. Cancún was just a small sand barrier some 35 years ago when the plan began to develop it into the

vacation haven of the 21st century. Today, Cancún consists of a medium-sized coastal city and a long thin

island connected to the mainland through bridges. Featuring excellent resorts, hotels, clubs, and malls it has

something for everyone, from an all-day fun party beach to an isolated, tranquil island.

68

europe Big-city vacations are on not a ‘break the bank’ occasion any more. All over the world, you can find competitive rates

including in Europe. It is a great place to visit any time of the year, and winter is ideal if you want low prices on luxury

hotels and fewer crowds to deal with. Most cities are comfortably enjoyable during the slower season, including Paris and

Madrid, since the weather isn’t extreme, and there’s plenty to do indoors and out. Think Paris, think fashion, Paris has more

shops than you can imagine and will tempt you with the opportunity to splash out on the best clothes, shoes, accessories

and much more. Or think Madrid and experience museums, monuments, accommodation, and gastronomy. If you’re looking

for a city break, beach holiday or long haul adventure, Europe will have everything you’re looking for!

TRAVEL

70

California, USATry going west all the way to California this winter. If you do, you’ll find huge discounts on top luxury hotels up and down

the coast. You can save as much as 50 per cent on an upscale hotel experience, especially over the holidays when business

travel is light and hotels need to lower rates to fill rooms. Spend the holidays stress-free in a relaxing, fancy hotel for much

less, than you’d expect. Look for migrating whales along the coast, or schuss down Sierra slopes. All this, in addition to the

must-sees like cable cars clanging up San Francisco’s hills, celebrities strolling on Malibu beaches, amazing shopping,

unforgettable restaurants, world-class museums and, of course, magical lands of make-believe and films. Explore the

Golden State and you’re sure to find a sweet treat indeed.

TRAVEL

FFFrrreeeeeeeeeellllaaaaaaaannnnnnnccccceeeerrrr

AuAutotomamatic c chchc roronon graphPoPoPP wer r rereservve: 4 46h6 WWateter resisiststanancece: : 10100m0m / 330ft Sapphire crystal with antitiglglararee treatmentFolding clasp with double push-security system

www.raymond-weil.com

7272

las vegas, USAThe luxury hotel scene in Las Vegas has been booming since the 90s, and the last few years are no exception. Five star

hotels continue to open despite the economic downturn and it is you, the traveller who benefits - the larger number of

empty rooms, the bigger the competition to drop rates to secure bookings. Hotels like the Venetian and Aria continue to

offer unbelievable deals, and with the 3,000-room Cosmopolitan Hotel opening its doors on New Year’s Day 2011, it will

only get better. Las Vegas, an ever-changing fantasyland city, has seen unbelievable expansion since it emerged from the

desert just over 100 years ago. Millions of visitors every year enjoy the sights and sounds of Las Vegas who stay in some

of the most glamorous, unique hotels in the world. Vegas will dazzle you, but the sheer number of things to see and do can

seem overwhelming. A little advance planning will help you to enjoy your true Vegas trip.

TRAVEL

dominican republicThis may be news to you, but the Dominican Republic is actually a

high-end resort hotspot in the Caribbean. This Latin island offers an

extremely good value on four and five star resorts. Before the word

gets out, take advantage of amazing luxury stays that are still at a low

price. Go all out with an all-inclusive stay, which includes all your

meals, drinks, and activities. There is no place quite like the Dominican

Republic just because its history is the result of an unlikely mixture of

influences; nowhere else will you find a blending of European, African,

and native Taíno Indian cultures. These distinct cultures still drive the

social identity of the people today. Every aspect of their food, music,

art, sports and religion provides a unique insight into the development

of their country. In a single day, you can experience both ancient and

modern cultures from around the globe.

Signature gets geeky and checks out which phone can either help you or make you…

Signature gets geeky and checksout which phone can either help

GET SMART

74

TECHNOLOGY

A CUT ABOVE THE REST! (IPHONE 4)Rarely do smartphones create such uproar as the Apple’s iPhone 4 did

when it entered the smartphones market. The retina display, video calling features, access to thousands of applications and the ease

of multitasking were a few of the features that made this phone stand out among the others. The display on Apple’s iPhone 4 is easily the sharpest and most clear display Signature Bahrain has seen amongst smartphones. It features a 960 x 640 pixel resolution, which holds no

comparison to the 480 x 320 resolution that is found on its predecessor, the 3GS. With such a high resolution, your eyes

are unable to see each pixel on the iPhone 4, which results in a much clearer, crisper and more enjoyable display. It’s easily one of

the best smartphones available on the market and is several steps ahead of its competition. But it’s easy to get caught up in the vast selection of high-end features offered on this phone; the basic features do provide the highest quality. This is really what a smartphone should be. We bet it will be quite some time before anyone can truly match it.

1

As a busy person, you know the importance of staying a step ahead of your clients. You also probably

know the feeling of being tied to your desk just so you don’t miss that important email or phone call

and to maintain convenient access to essential data - proposals, schedules, contact information,

business news or even the stock market. To take a little bit of the stress away, we believe that owning

a smartphone is a clever way forward.

Many of these devices allow you to sync with your desktop computer meaning you can store, view,

and work on documents directly on your handheld you can also receive and respond to emails as they

arrive in your inbox on your home computer with real-time push email. These products can also serve

as multimedia devices, so your entertainment goes with you...

75

A CORPORATE GEM (BB TORCH OPEN FRONT)BlackBerry has single-handily lead the smartphones market when it comes to multitasking and accomplishing business-oriented tasks. And the BlackBerry Torch 9800 keeps BlackBerry lovers happy with a few improved business and organisational features, but that’s about it. The BlackBerry Torch features a touch-screen and QWERTY keyboard, an improved operating system and an average multimedia system. When it comes down to the design of the BlackBerry Torch 9800, it is impressive, compared to other smartphones – the real eye candy! Featuring a 3.2-inch touch-screen and a slide-out keyboard, this device was designed to make navigation simple and quick. Below the touch-screen there is a track-pad. Track-pads are popular amongst other BlackBerry devices but the touch-screen on this model is large enough to enable easy navigation without the need for one. The Torch has a few new features, such as the BlackBerry OS 6, but it still doesn’t feel quite up to par with other smartphones. Users who just want to perform business tasks will appreciate this phone, but if you want a few more smarts on your smartphones, this model isn’t the best choice for you.

A GEEK’S CHOICE (NOKIA N900_20 & N900_38)

Nokia’s N900 is an interesting kettle of fish. Part mobile phone, part singing and dancing mobile computer, it is the logical successor to the N810

Internet Tablet. But it is so much more than the N810 ever was, largely because it sports a new operating system which is designed to cater for developers’ flights of fancy. We think you’ll need to be a bit of a geek to

get the most out of the N900, but if you are prepared for that, it could end up being a really useful little device. The tech specs are very

impressive, and there are a few surprises among them. Overall we found the N900 a mostly satisfying device, due to the fact it’s fast

and responsive - the processor seems well up to the task. Switching applications is easy, we love the web browser and visually the user interface is a treat. Let’s hope the range of apps available are plentiful and varied, otherwise the likes of the already app-rich Android handsets and

the iPhone might knock the N900 to the sidelines.

THE CREEPER (HTC-DESIRE-HD)The 4G network is about to become fully fledged, and it’s bringing America’s first 4G phone, the HTC EVO 4G with it. The EVO is just another Android out

on the market at the moment, and doesn’t scream Signature! However, it isn’t just a phone to be set aside and ignored. This HTC phone has many advanced

features, such as the 8MP (mega-pixel) camera, ability to connect to an HDTV and the latest version of the HTC Sense User Interface making it a strong

player on the Android team. The EVO not only has increased speed and power compared to other Droids, but also increased size. This HTC is a big and

thick phone. With the generous screen-size of 4.3-inches, this phone needs to be bulky and firm to deal with the demand media it likes. Sharp colours

and vibrancy are also important with such a grand display, and the EVO will not disappoint with a screen resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, which is the same

sharp resolution you will find on both the Nexus One and Droid Incredible. Even though the 4G network is getting all the hype, until it expands to a

broader area, it is hard to get too excited.

multitaskTorch 9800organisatscreen anmultimedit is impre3.2-inch tonavigatio

2

3

sapponot disp resosharven thEv4

76

“I can’t spend all my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead.”

Barack Obama (on rumours he was not born in US)

If geek means you’re willing to study things, and if you think science and engineering matter, I plead guilty. If your culture

doesn’t like geeks, you are in real trouble.”Bill Gates

“I’m an optimist. I think I will return to Tibet with a Chinese passport.”

The Dalai Lama (on China’s letting him return to Tibet)

“I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which

didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” Stephen Hawking (on consequences of

aliens visiting Earth)

We are now, I fear, in the early stages of a third depression. The cost to the world economy and,

above all, to the millions of lives blilghted by the absence of jobs, will be immense.

Paul Krugman

As the year draws to a close, Signature walks down the memory lane of the most quotable quotes….

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