Are You Living Like a Master or a Slave? with Ahmed Al Yafei
“When there is a change, there is a chance. Understand the change and what it leads to because it’s always who can face it better.” -Ahmed Alyafei
Would you rather be a master or a slave? Your freedom starts with your decision. This week, I sat with Ahmed Alyafei, the Founder of Abu Dhabi Art Hub. Ahmed shares what life can be like when you follow your passion, and in his case, art. Learn why talent needs support and how to help artists even when times are tough and some don't appreciate it anymore. If you need inspiration, Ahmed also shares amazing crafts they exhibit at art fests. They are so beautiful, you won't believe what they're made from! Artists are born in unexpected times. And this worldwide change happening now is your next masterpiece. Tune in, create, and inspire the world!
Highlights:
02:41 Life is Interesting
07:13 Are You a Master or a Slave?
12:19 Talent Need Support
16:20 Bridging Differences
21:20 Art Not Waste
26:09 Art Appreciation Then and Now
31:01 Change is a Chance
Watch it live:
Quotes:
003:28 “Something interesting in life is to be following your passion but at the same time, survive.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
12:46 “Talent needs support because artists have talent, but they don't have the economic empowerment.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
16:26 “One of my objectives is to open and create bridges. This bridge cannot be spoken, it needs to be lived.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
24:00 “Artists are very creative. And their creativity is not only in the work we make but also in the vision.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
31:39 “When there is a change, there is a chance. Understand the change and what it leads to because it’s always who can face it better.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
33:15 “Space is no longer an issue. You just have to see that the links are still there.” -Abhishek Sharma
Connect with Ahmed Al Yafei:
Ahmed is the Founder of Abu Dhabi Art Hub, a space for artists to "Live, Create, and Exhibit." Ahmed believes that everyone is born an artist and his passion is about helping everyone find their creative voice. He is set on building a bridge between cultures, races, and tongues through the power of art- a bridge that is not spoken, but lived.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Abhishek Sharma: Hi everyone, this is Abhishek from shakethecosmos.com. I'm really excited for today's episode. And if you're listening and watching this, hit the subscribe button or follow button. My guest today is Ahmed Al-Yafei, the CEO and founder of Art Hub. Thanks so much for being on the show today. Oh, my god. I am so excited to be here. So if someone doesn't really know you and they want to learn a little bit more about you, can you just give a little bit background about yourself for someone who's watching?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Okay, as a person or human, I am a chemical engineer by degree. I work in many fields. I've been in many countries. And I ended up being [inaudible]. And 10 years ago, they decided to basically flow in my own collection, trying to find a nice way of making businesses. And at the same time, follow my passion.
Abhishek Sharma: Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing that. What is that passion that you were trying to follow or did, sort of change over time?
“Something interesting in life is to be following your passion but at the same time, survive.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, it's something interesting in life is to be really, in your daily life, doing and following your passion. But at the same time, survive.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Because, this is a very interesting statement. When I was in Japan, I lived in Japan for three years. And I was in that time in oil and gas.
Abhishek Sharma: Okay.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Technical, but I was really more to the soft side of the work.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Office decoration. What do you call these things related to the appearance of our project? So it's not really online or focused in, what I suppose.
Abhishek Sharma: So there was a disconnect between--
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Well, yeah, it's kind of being your passion and being you as a person in charge of something.
Abhishek Sharma: I feel like there's so many people that can relate to that.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, there's so many people in life, I think they are not aligned with themself. Anyhow, I met this senior Japanese guy and he told me it's good. It's good that you are doing things different than your passion at the beginning. Because it's always better to start, is always better to invest in what you like, rather than start with it. So with the shop, if I'm passionate about art. And I start my career, my work in art because it's my passion. I will sacrifice because I want to keep my passion. But from technical point of view, control point of view, mastering the things will fail because he didn't have a skill. But let's say for example, you'll be in this, and this, and this, and this, and this. And then you end up doing what you are passionate about, you have a lot of skill that you learn that will allow you to control and to manage, and to do, and to execute what you are passionate about in a better manner.
Abhishek Sharma: Yeah.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So that's things about passion.
Abhishek Sharma: I love that. One of your passions is Art Hub. What's the story behind that, and how did it get started?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So basically, as I told you before, I was working in different positions, government, work through real estate [inaudible]. I felt that, 10 years ago, that I really needed to be --because I am one of these, maybe we're people they believe that a walk is a slaven.
Abhishek Sharma: Okay.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So what's the difference between being a slave in the middle age where the master cannot control you, the master tells you what to do during the day.
Abhishek Sharma: It's a very straightforward way of looking at it.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So when you're an employee or staff, asleep, the master will tell you, oh, your boss, do that, do this. You can enter your working area, you have no choice, you have to put your finger. So when you put all your life in this, and then you are retired with the end of your age, so basically, you are a slave all your life. Oh, yeah. So I thought that I want to be free, 10 years ago, and decided to be free. So then I said, Okay, what do I want to do? So I came to my family business and other things. And then at that time in Abu Dhabi, they were talking about the culture district in Soviet.
Abhishek Sharma: So culture district Soviet?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So they want to build museums and other things. So I said, okay, so they started to think like this, maybe two, three years, we will be in the award map of business. So it's a new field.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: I like to do something in art, so then why didn't I start to do an art project?
Abhishek Sharma: So that it kind of just feel in place?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: No, then the challenge.
Abhishek Sharma: Okay.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, I mean, what to do?
Abhishek Sharma: How to start? Open a gallery.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Open a gallery, and then you can buy art, sell art. So then when I asked my friends, [inaudible] Yes. No, but maybe some. This is maybe a good way. I said: "Okay. Maybe the gallery was not right."
Abhishek Sharma: Something different, did you change something?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. That I said: "Okay. What do you do?"
Abhishek Sharma: Hmm.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Is there anything that I can make about art, but not a gallery? And you have to make a short, consultants, something interesting about visibility. They didn't do it in a traditional way. Where is it? Oh, I want to make this project. They do financial, they do all these things. They do it in a kind of what's called survey.
Abhishek Sharma: Okay.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So you will say, I want to make [inaudible]. You'll make a survey. How many Italian restaurant in the region, in the area? Either they will tell you which one succeeds and how it is. And then you can feel, what is the nature of this business. So when I was thinking about art, then they try to make some kind of survey within the region, which is UAE and GCC. And then also they study what? What kind of work, business, activities in art world life?
Abhishek Sharma: It's a lot of information.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, yeah. What sort of example, or what sort of structure, yeah. And it was really interesting--
Abhishek Sharma: Good insights, I have some good information.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: For example in US, for example an old factory that they converted to an art center. There is also in Europe, some kind of old heritage, castles or something become our center. And sometimes, even in downtown collapse, or all buildings and then they create something. So that was an interesting field to explore.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: And to bring something may be relevant to hear. They also make some kind of interesting coloration of why, why, for example, art and flourish.
Abhishek Sharma: Was a really important question, why a certain type of art just is--
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes. And why this [inaudible]?
Abhishek Sharma: Even more important. Because you're saying that things were shutting down, things were coming.
“Talent needs support because artists have talent, but they don't have the economic empowerment.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
Ahmed Al-Yafei: I also hysterical. For example, if you go to civilization, like Greek or Roman, or if you go to, for example in Florence, there was a massive, let's say art activities. You can see there is a basically, it's come when the talent needs support. Because artists have a talent, but they don't have economic empowerment.
Abhishek Sharma: Totally. I mean, even like to record this interview today, I needed some support, like technical support. So it's huge.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes. So imagine if you can't have all kinds of support, and you will be, as an artist, then become free to do your talent.
Abhishek Sharma: That's huge.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So when the system was like this, so basically, the idea was to create the Art Hub. That means, a point where things coming, going and so on. And our slogan was called Live, Create and Exhibit.
Abhishek Sharma: Live, Create and Exhibit.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So the first one led me to create a community. Meaning, I have an artist, they live together, they become a community. And the next stage where they will do, they create. So they create all kinds of art and so on. And then of course, you need to move into the third stage where they exhibit
Abhishek Sharma: And there is this concept of live, so it's like residents?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes. I built it for that show. [inaudible] furnished apartment attached to it, and down there was a big hall as an exhibition place.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow. So do your art live near art, it's the hub?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. So when artists come here, that artist has no time limits. They cannot work, like sleep.
Abhishek Sharma: Yeah.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: The model here is to have an artist live in a place attached to his room, his place, so that he can come out, create whatever he wants. So this is how I would work. Along with that, to make it dynamic, we create a concept called art [inaudible].
Abhishek Sharma: Art pike--
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Art [inaudible].
Abhishek Sharma: Oh, okay.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Which means, you will try to make it every month [inaudible], and we link it to the embassies. Okay guys, we are opening for this, anybody interested? Oh, okay. We want to take March for our artists. Indian visit, we want to have october.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Some other country, we have our national day is in September. We want to have our artists to come in September so that they can attend our reception. So we invited so far using this program and other about a thousand other artists.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow. And what's like been your, these thousand artists are coming? It sounds like globally, people are coming from all over the world. What's been like your personal just favorite part they've just loved about this?
“One of my objectives is to open and create bridges. This bridge cannot be spoken, it needs to be lived.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. This has now become a very complicated subject which link to, one of my objectives is to open and create bridges between different cultures, bridges between different, let's say countries, between different race, between different religion, between different people. So this bridge cannot be spoken, need to be lived. So when these arts they come, they live. They live among themselves first. Because sometimes, in many cases, these artists come from different regions. So it's time to see who that is. That they come and they live in another culture, that they explore more, then they will try. It is always committed at work or something as a creativity from their experience. In this case, we will have two objects. One artists will create always new things because they have a new inspiration. And for us in the UAE, that I would have artists from all over the world, different school from different backgrounds, from different techniques that they try to look to some of the subjects, and this is what is unique about our collection of more than 5,000 artists. And its [inaudible] by different kinds of artists, most of it is about us.
Abhishek Sharma: About UAE.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Sometimes UAE, sometimes link between UAE and their others.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow. And that's the bridge?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: That's the bridge.
Abhishek Sharma: It's fascinating. Was there any guidance on that, or is it just naturally started kind of naturally?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: The process or the work itself?
Abhishek Sharma: The work itself.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: The artist has no, let's say restriction. But it's over to the subject, open to how they created an art.
Abhishek Sharma: Which is great on how the mission is coming together is in the art itself.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes. Actually, it's developed farther, and that's why I started. And then artists, when they came here and said, okay, it must be important to orient them to the surrounding. We take them to different places.
Abhishek Sharma: And there's different locations that art--
Ahmed Al-Yafei: [inaudible], different things. And the most important things is [inaudible]. I also have a very interesting place in the empty quarters visit. The quarter is a big, huge, because that is the largest continuous sand desert.
Abhishek Sharma: Oh, wow.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: [inaudible]. And what is different about this place? And the sand can go up to 1000 feet.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. So we take the artist there, why did we stay there? Then I created a lot of programs for the desert only. So the artist come and stay in the desert. We call it art festival.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So the art festival here is a different concept. We take a subject, and they come from all over the world. But they will be presenting or creating art about this, for this one. So we had something called a series of school Upcycle.
Abhishek Sharma: The Upcycle Art Festival.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: The word UP is to do with the fact that normally, when you recycle, you'll take back to the originality. But when you convert a waste plastic to an art, then you have a [inaudible]. So for example, we did upcycle for oil and gas business, for aviation and for plastic. So for example, this one is about oil and gas. And what we did is we ask oil companies, okay, guys, give us your waste. Give us your waste. And then when I take this waste, yeah, and then we told the artist, guys, these are the waste in your hand. And we create the theme called patterns of unity. And after that, the artists create all kinds of art for this waste.
Abhishek Sharma: This is awesome.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. And this one for the plastic. This is all plastic of the ocean. So again, the artists came, they went and they collected. They went to the ocean, all this plastic. And then after that, they went to the desert, and then they create.
Abhishek Sharma: And I'm seeing it through like this stuff, there's tools and stuff. People are using different kinds of tools to create the art. So the festival has all these resources or some support so people can do that.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So yeah, of course. Tools, equipment, facilities.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow, I can't recognize the original thing based on that. It's pretty awesome. Thank you for sharing that. As you've been on this journey, and the artists are coming globally, thousands of them, what's the feedback been like from them? Had there been any like aha moments? What kind of aha moments have you had?
“Artists are very creative. And their creativity is not only in the work we make but also in the vision.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, I think first of all, artists are very creative. And their creativity, not only the work we make, but also in the vision, and in theory. I find that it's really interesting to listen to them, and to try to empower them with support, and then to see the outcome.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So for example, when you talk about Upcycle, that artist will try to only to use the material as a canvas, as an element. But they want to make sure that the spirit of art is passed to those people working there. So as an engineer working in oil and gas, [inaudible]. But when he see the valve that he turned every day, [inaudible], or the element that he used to work become an art piece, then there is a big [inaudible]. Art can come back to their life because as you know, art an artist--
Abhishek Sharma: Art and artists are not what they used to be.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: I mean, before middle aged, art and artists used to be the whole media. They are the one that promote.
Abhishek Sharma: Yeah. Now, there's all these, there's different, the control is different.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes. So they used to be like the newspaper, they used to have the tv because they are the one who can, physically before. The wealth, the portrait of the evil, you're the only one. So they used to have, not only wealthy people, for example. As we go in the digital revelation, and then that becomes this endless, now with a telephone, with the internet and so on. A 10 years old kid plays with this program, creates something, sends it to the printer, and then you have something. Okay, I am an artist. Then you have to, we have to work something to close it. What is he as a result? Nobody. You should have thought and creativity. An artist can record an art. So what do you see now in terms of what you call the creative artists, which is a reflection of light on. But now, how can you convince somebody to spend money to buy art? I have a house, I can [inaudible].
Abhishek Sharma: Yes, take the photo and send it to the printer.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yes.
Abhishek Sharma: It creates a dilemma.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. So now, if you will try to convince, that's why we say aviation that's mean, aviation business [inaudible], we talk to oil and gas, when you talk about for example marine and so on. So hopefully artist can be appreciated by different field sectors, and they can, say giving a chance to raise up again and be an element of joy, make life more enjoyable when you have these creative people in the system.
Abhishek Sharma: And what is your vision for like, maybe let's say, what do you want to look like Art Hub in like five years from now.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah. It's always a question of what's next so after this. The one and new one, I created another one--
Abhishek Sharma: I've heard great things about Hatta.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Hatta, yes, yes. Now I want to create a place where it can be a destination for residency. Residency will be a place that, again, can empower parents or the artist to be there, and then to have all the facility to make them create, inspire. So in addition to Liwa, a greater place in Hatta, and now, we have also in the mountain of Hatta. There, we add yoga and meditation, and aerial sharing to the activities. So it's a way now to move or to develop this concept of artist residency to talent residency in terms of locating different places in UAE. The next step is to go abroad and try to find also.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Okay. Of course, after residency is everywhere, but the way that you are doing is more attractive. Artists residency, most of it, they just have a space for artists to do their project. We want to make sure, no, we interact with them and go more facilitate their need more so that they can be more creative.
Abhishek Sharma: Wow. I'm just thinking that in the environment we live today, like it's tough with COVID and everything. A lot of artists are going through some tough, like, what would be your advice to artists? Just in general, or just what would you say to artists?
“When there is a change, there is a chance. Understand the change and what it leads to because it’s always who can face it better.” -Ahmed Al Yafei
Ahmed Al-Yafei: So always when there is a change, change, there is a chance.
Abhishek Sharma: I like that. Whenever there's a change, there's a chance.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Now, the sooner that you understand the change and what it leads to, and how can you take it, because always, who can face it has a better chance. So this fast diversion, I'm sure that will affect so many. Of course, artists are one. There is no more exhibition, there is a risk, but this is how they are created. They have to use their creativity to crawl under the stand with this change, and then try to bring something that people would need it. So what's happened now dealing COVID-19? The people becoming more at home?
Abhishek Sharma: Yes, yeah. They're remote, everything is remote.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: You need to attend the settlements. And see, how can you get in? How can you get it?
Abhishek Sharma: The audience is still there, but you just there's a change.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Instead of coming over, they settle. At the same time, they are linked. The technology now, you can link to millions.
“Space is no longer an issue. You just have to see that the links are still there.” -Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma: Yes. Space is no longer an issue like, Oh, this is how much I can--
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Yeah, they are settled.
Abhishek Sharma: That's true. You just have to see that the links are still there.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: What can come, what would be, then if you need some kind of creative thought, I think I'm sure that somebody where they grow in this drama by creating some kinds of programs for those people, so they succeed. Terrible business, especially in house for that type of online classes, online programs and so on. So really, your artists really need to take this as a chance to maybe create something that it will help them not only to sustain, but maybe to grow.
Abhishek Sharma: Yeah. And the situations can change, and changes the chance, changes is an opportunity. I love that. So how can, people are watching or listen to podcasts, how can they get in touch with Art Hub?
Ahmed Al-Yafei: Okay. We will give all our contact.
Abhishek Sharma: Awesome.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: We are very active on Facebook and Instagram, and also on Twitter. We are physically in Abu Dhabi and also in Dubai.
Abhishek Sharma: Yes, of course.
Ahmed Al-Yafei: But we didn't stop. For example, last month we are at the artist residency component. Next month, no this one, have four artists from Czech Republic. And there is in the pipeline, many art residency.
Abhishek Sharma: Still working, still happening making it happen. Well, I'll be sure to include that information about Art Hub in the description. So if you're listening, if you're watching, check out the description. But thank you so much. I just really appreciate your time.
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