This is part 2 of the film series ‘The Spaces Between’ with the artist Fink. It’s a short documentary navigating the art world of Dubai in a time of crisis. I created the film series to highlight the parts of Dubai that may get lost amongst the headlines and larger than life tales. The down to earth, human side is real, and is a vital part of the fabric of the city. #dubaiculture
Happy lucky 13th anniversary to @akankshagoel If it wasn’t for her I would be living in a remote rural area trying to grow my own food experiencing late stage malnutrition.
The world sees headlines. We live in the spaces between. Here is a shorter version of the film ‘The spaces between’. If you would like to see the longer version I have linked it here. I really loved filming a story about community and resilience in the place we call home, Dubai. If you know of any similar stories of awesome people doing awesome things - I would love to hear about it and make more. Please DM me. Special thanks to Hattem Mattar and his community for allowing me to film with them. Music by @reinererlings #dubaiculture #community #dubailife #realdubai #thespacesbetween
When things get tough, we don’t build higher fences. We build longer tables. ‘The spaces between’ is a short reflection on what it means to call Dubai home, filmed at a community potluck hosted by @hattemmattar It’s a reminder that no matter where we are from, we aren’t on this trip alone. Special thanks to Hattem and his community for letting me film and for speaking with me. And thanks to @alishagraj for working with me on the edit to really make it sing. Stay safe everyone. Sending love.
This was when it started to feel real. The white puffy cloud is actually the remnants of a missile that was intercepted above Burj al Arab. Being directly under it while it happened was surreal to say the least. Seeing such an icon of the city under threat was not on my bingo card for 2026. But a lot of what has happened so far this year wasn’t. It’s not just Dubai being attacked but the idea of Dubai as well. For so long myself and many others felt we were living in a bubble, immune to the troubles of our neighbours. Today is a reminder that no place is immune to global tensions. But I am hugely grateful to the Dubai I have around me. My friends and family checking in on each other. The security guards, delivery drivers, metro workers all keeping the city running whilst under enormous pressure. Most of all the Dubai’s missile defense system which is doing a stellar job with what is being thrown at it. As I settle in for what could be a long night, time feels slower. Today has felt like two days. I guess that’s what heightened awareness does — constantly listening for anything out of the ordinary or checking my phone for new information. But this is human. And that’s what I want to hold onto — now more than ever. Stay safe. Sending love.
2025 has been a strange year. The year of the snake. The letting go and shedding of our skin. And if I’m honest this process has been difficult for both me and AK. Both of us have been struggling with a loss of identity but in our own equal and opposite ways. AK has talked openly about her struggles with losing her work identity after selling her company. Her journey in entrepreneurship has gifted her all parts of herself - she knows who she is completely - but that gift requires a lot of energy to sustain it. And I feel she wishes she could just switch some off some parts of herself sometimes.
I on the other hand, am far more reluctant to discuss my challenges with all but my closest of friends. But I too have struggled with a loss of identity after seeing a decline in my work output. Some of which could be attributed to outside industry forces but also a loss of passion and drive and getting distracted by external worldly events. I feel like I don’t have all parts of myself with me and yearn to find these dormant hidden parts of myself and switch them on because then I would be ok - I would be enough. And this search exhausts me in a different way.
I don’t know what 2026 will bring but I’m glad it’s coming. The hardships of 2025 seem ready to dissolve and make space for something new to emerge. I am optimistic (I hope that statement doesn’t age poorly) and do feel like I have turned a bit of a corner. I pray AK feels the same as she takes time in her happy place. I’m so glad she is here.
