Dubai Culture Launches 1st Edition of 'Talent Atelier' Program for Emirati Designers

The program aligns with Dubai Culture's efforts to strengthen the cultural and creative industries. WAM
The program aligns with Dubai Culture's efforts to strengthen the cultural and creative industries. WAM
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Dubai Culture Launches 1st Edition of 'Talent Atelier' Program for Emirati Designers

The program aligns with Dubai Culture's efforts to strengthen the cultural and creative industries. WAM
The program aligns with Dubai Culture's efforts to strengthen the cultural and creative industries. WAM

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced the launch of the 1st edition of 'Talent Atelier' program, organized in collaboration with L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts supported by Van Cleef & Arpels.

The program aligns with Dubai Culture's efforts to strengthen the cultural and creative industries, reinforcing the emirate's position as a global center for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent. It aims to expand the horizons of creatives and talented individuals, refining their expertise in jewelry making and enriching their knowledge in this field.

The program, which will be held from 2nd September to 30th November 2024, focuses on three main pillars: the history of jewelry, the world of gemstones and the savoir-faire of jewelry-making techniques. Dubai Culture aims to develop the skills of 12 Emirati designers who will participate in a series of jewelry arts courses and workshops at the L’ÉCOLE Middle East campus in Dubai Design District.

The top six designers will be awarded the opportunity to visit Paris for five days in November to participate in an educational program organized at L’ÉCOLE France & Europe’s new campus, Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau on the Grands Boulevards. These designers will be selected based on creativity, material exploration, and application of learning.

Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, affirmed that Dubai has succeeded in establishing itself as a leading destination for design, attracting distinguished emerging talents in this field. “The Talent Atelier program embodies the Authority's cultural commitments and responsibilities aimed at supporting and empowering Emirati designers and entrepreneurs, encouraging them to unleash their talents and contribute to enriching the creative scene in the emirate," he said.

"This initiative is about building bridges between cultures, dialogues between different arts disciplines, fostering creativity, and supporting the next generation of Emirati Talents,” said Sophie Claudel, Director of L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts.



From Attic to Auction: A Rembrandt Painting Sells for $1.4m in Maine

This undated photo provided by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries shows a 17th century painting, "Portrait of a Girl," by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, which was sold at auction for $1.4 million on Aug. 24 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. (Thomaston Place Auction Galleries via AP)
This undated photo provided by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries shows a 17th century painting, "Portrait of a Girl," by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, which was sold at auction for $1.4 million on Aug. 24 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. (Thomaston Place Auction Galleries via AP)
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From Attic to Auction: A Rembrandt Painting Sells for $1.4m in Maine

This undated photo provided by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries shows a 17th century painting, "Portrait of a Girl," by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, which was sold at auction for $1.4 million on Aug. 24 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. (Thomaston Place Auction Galleries via AP)
This undated photo provided by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries shows a 17th century painting, "Portrait of a Girl," by the Dutch artist Rembrandt, which was sold at auction for $1.4 million on Aug. 24 by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Thomaston, Maine. (Thomaston Place Auction Galleries via AP)

A Rembrandt discovered in an attic sold for $1.4 million.

The 17th century painting, “Portrait of a Girl,” by Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was discovered by art appraiser and auctioneer Kaja Veilleux in an attic in an estate in Camden, Maine. A label on the back of the frame noted that it was loaned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for an exhibition in 1970.

“On house calls, we often go in blind, not knowing what we’ll find,” he said in a statement. “The home was filled with wonderful pieces but it was in the attic, among stacks of art, that we found this remarkable portrait.”

Rembrandt, born in 1606, was a prolific artist who focused on a variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes to historical and biblical scenes.

“Portrait of a Girl” was painted on an oak panel and mounted in a hand-carved gold Dutch frame, said Veilleux.

An auction by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries yielded a fierce competition on Aug. 24, he said. In the end, a European collector paid $1.41 million for the painting.