Bringing in an artistic performance in support of #MyDubai

Dubai, 26th March 2014 – The California T continues paving its way in the United Arab Emirates this week. And this time for a special apparition in the Dubai International Financial Center where art met the world of automobiles.

The inaugural ‘Dubai Art Season,’ the city’s umbrella arts initiative launched by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, presented a perfect opportunity for Ferrari to unveil the California T in style.

Celebrating the collaboration and technique of design and innovation, both in art and in automobiles, the launch event was marked by the spectacular backdrop of ‘live art.’

Emirati artist Rashid Al Mulla, and Dubai-based Jordanian artist Mohammed Hindash created site-specific work, transforming a blank canvas, much like the pre-design stages of a car, into a fine work of art, deriving inspiration from the link between Ferrari, the people who drive it and its presence in Dubai. The canvas captures the artists’ impression of art & culture, the lives of the people in Dubai and the multinational brand to portray their passion for the highly acclaimed initiative #MyDubai that was launched earlier this year by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. Ferrari will later display the canvas for public viewing at the Al Tayer Motors showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Guests, collectors and clients joined in for an exclusive evening to celebrate the arrival of the latest Ferrari model. The celebration took place at the iconic DIFC, where the work by the two emerging local artists was curated by Her Highness Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum, the founder of FN Designs, a multidisciplinary art and design studio in Dubai.

Rashid Al Mulla, has received acclaim for his ‘microscopic creatures,’ creating using purely recyclable material; while Mohammed Hindash, who began his career with ink drawings, has expanded his focus towards beauty portraits.

Their work offered guests the opportunity to picture themselves next to the new California T and the canvas with the guests then sharing their experiences across different social Media platforms and use the hashtag #MyDubai and #FerrariCaliforniaTDubai.

Giulio Zauner, General Manager of Ferrari Middle East and Africa said: ‘This week has been very animated for the California T in Dubai, we have presented the model to the press , Ferraristi and guests, and the response has been extremely encouraging. We are delighted to have a local initiative linked up with the model launch, Dubai being the reflection of the California T, defined by innovation yet keeping traditions alive’.

A seamless blend of sportiness and elegance, the California T is powered by a direct-injection 3885cc V8 turbo engine that punches out a massive 560 cv at 7,500 rpm, yielding a specific power output of 145 cv/l, the highest in its category, as well as maximum torque of 755 Nm in 7th gear. Figures that allow the California T sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds and deliver extraordinary acceleration – even in higher gears – and excellent fuel efficiency.

The California T will remain at the Dubai International Financial Center on Thursday the 27th for enthusiasts to have a closer look at the exceptional new mid-front 8-cylinder, practical thanks to its retractable hard top (RHT) and the signature 2+ concept which provides additional versatility for using the cabin space.

About #MyDubai:

The #MyDubai initiative was created by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, with a request for residents and visitors to join him in sharing photos, videos and stories on social media and show their experiences of Dubai. The intention is to celebrate the everyday lives of the people and communities of the Emirate and show the city that is beneath the landmarks, headlines and superlatives.

The contributions will be shared across social media platforms and in other forms of creative media such as exhibitions and art installations. Launching the initiative, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan said: “A city’s story is created by its people and it’s time to join together and show the world how 2.1 million people can create one remarkable story: together we will create the world’s first autobiography of a city.”

A selection of contributions can be seen @MyDubai on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai Culture plays a critical part in achieving the vision of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 of establishing the city as vibrant, global Arabian metropolis that shapes culture and arts in the region and the world.

The organisation has announced several initiatives that strengthen the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai. These include: The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards: The first of its kind initiative in the Arab world honouring individuals and organisations who have made financial or in kind contributions through sustained support to visual arts, performing arts, literature and film in the region; Dubai Art Season: The city’s premier umbrella arts initiatives which encompasses of Art Week (Art Dubai, Design Days Dubai, and SIKKA Art Fair), Middle East Film & Comic Con, and Gulf Film Festival, to highlight the Emirate’s growing creative landscape within the international circuit; SIKKA Art Fair: An annual art fair aimed at promoting Emirati and local artists in the UAE; Dubai Heritage Season: A six-month long initiative that aims to bring the city’s heritage to the forefront through an array of cultural activities; and Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre: An annual festival that celebrates and fosters the art of theatre in the UAE.

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