Two monumental sculptures, ICEBERG and EARTH by Helidon Xhixha, were installed within the community
Dubai, UAE: Firetti Contemporary is honoured to announce the private inaugural ceremony under the patronage of Dr. Saeed Mubarak Kharbash Al Marri, CEO of Dubai Culture and Art Authority, for IMPRINT: Art for Public Spaces, featuring the placement of two monumental sculptures, standing as an astounding manifesto in support of the awareness of global warming and the melting of polar glaciers.
The continuance of IMPRINT in Jumeirah Golf Estates features the installation of two monumental sculptures entitled ICEBERG and EARTH within the JGE community, embracing the message behind IMPRINT. This collaboration falls in line with the core values of Expo 2020 – Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’ through sustainability, mobility, and opportunity.
Among the special guests are Dina Storey, Head of Sustainability Operations EXPO2020; Ermal Dredha, Ambassador of Albania; Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy; Sara Pandolfini, Honourary Italian Consul in Sweden; Khalil Abdulwahid, Director of Fine Arts Department at Dubai Culture; and artist Helidon Xhixha.
Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash said: “Dubai Culture believes in cross-cultural collaboration and is developing international partnerships to strengthen its global footprint and attract global talents through new initiatives that aim to develop the creative sector in Dubai and boost its contribution to the national economy under the overarching Dubai Creative Economy Strategy. It, therefore, gives us great pride to be welcoming Helidon Xhixha, whose work has captured the imaginations of the art world and will add a valuable aesthetic element to the Jumeirah Golf Estates community.”
The floating installation, ICEBERG by Helidon Xhixha, was first exhibited in the middle of the Venetian lagoon on the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015. four-metre-high stainless-steel sculpture captivated audiences, garnering much attention from industry professionals and the media alike as it floated through the Canal Grande and the Venetian lagoon. This outstanding reflective sculpture made a statement about global warming and the potential impact it could have on a place like Venice in the near future.
The public can imagine this floating metal block as an actual small iceberg that has detached itself from an icecap and, floating astray, arrived in the Persian Gulf. The view is shocking and aesthetically fascinating and represents an alarming ecological warning.
The UAE is classified among the countries with the highest vulnerability rate to the potential effects of climate change, resulting in warmer weather, fewer precipitations, and higher sea levels. The UAE recognises the global responsibility it is committed to and has integrated climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. The installation supports the country’s fight against this disastrous phenomenon for the well-being of future generations.
Parallel to the environmental message, EARTH provokes thoughts on the impact of climate change, a global problem that will affect every individual on each of the world’s seven continents. The installation EARTH works in conjunction with ICEBERG, acting as its terrestrial counterpoint and memorialising the continued damage we inflict upon the planet.
