The Winner "Contemporary Majlis" Design Competition INDEX 2009, Dubai
11:30am, Sunday, November 15, 09 marked a turning point and a tremendous achievement in our design career.
Zain mustafa Interiors WON the first INDEX design competition for our unique and ground breaking vision of a ‘’contemporary majlis’’.
The 4 interior design firms that were invited to participate in this competition included a couple of the regions large and well respected design muscle: Hirsch Bedner Associates, Etcetera Living and (the not as established newcomers to the industry) House of Zunn.
Thanks to the jury for selecting us for this prestigious award: Chuck Wood (Rockwell Group), Lena Moosa (Inside-Out), Hadia Said (Sayidaty), Victoria Redshaw (Scarlet Opus) and Dennis Jarrett (Gulf Interiors)
Zain mustafa Interiors WON the first INDEX design competition for our unique and ground breaking vision of a ‘’contemporary majlis’’.
The 4 interior design firms that were invited to participate in this competition included a couple of the regions large and well respected design muscle: Hirsch Bedner Associates, Etcetera Living and (the not as established newcomers to the industry) House of Zunn.
Thanks to the jury for selecting us for this prestigious award: Chuck Wood (Rockwell Group), Lena Moosa (Inside-Out), Hadia Said (Sayidaty), Victoria Redshaw (Scarlet Opus) and Dennis Jarrett (Gulf Interiors)
http://www.indexexhibition.com/page.cfm/Action=Press/PressID=81
http://www.indexexhibition.com/page.cfm/link=118
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NATIONAL/711159872/1139
http://www.middleeastevents.com/site/pres_dtls.asp?pid=8221
http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/11/Pages/15112009/11162009_85080b2328c74037ac8dd87ee7d2a4d7.aspx
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/newsdetails.asp?Sn=INT&artid=170444
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/arabic/573680
As the accolades keep flowing in from as far as Santa Fe (New Mexico, USA), New York, London, Beirut and Bangladesh and the celebrations start rolling out over the next few weeks, we wanted to take this opportunity to look back at the journey we made from the first invitation phone call from Richard Lewis at DMG World Media to the moment we received the award.
It has been an incredibly educational, character building and enlightening journey to bring us here today. We are very proud of our achievement but are also very aware of the fact that it could not have happened had we not been supported by some true visionaries, role models and unsung heroes in the industry.
First of all I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of myself and my team of designers to Mohannad Sweid, Chairman DEPA and Muna Al Gurg for believing in me and supporting our work always.
Thanks to Mr Sweid, the uber-efficient and professional team at DECO was mobilized, very last minute – Hugh Bigley, Paul Martin, Jason Hastings and his team at DECO along with the installation team rose elegantly to the occasion to deliver a slick product to us, effortlessly and on schedule. We can’t thank you all enough for this kind of support.
In a similar vein, Muna Al Gurg mobilized her team with Ajai Dayal to involve DULUX’s expertise through Sunil Gudur, Murtaza Challawala and painter Nasir’s team on site to create the Rothko-like wall gradation and OFIS products through Rehan Khan and his troops that laid a tri-colour parquet floor with a precision to the geometric design that was surgically accurate.
Thank you James Davies-Yandle for a timely introduction to another well respected established icon in her own industry, Jayne Reader, Prolab Digital, who along with Daniel supported our design by providing us with the coolest wall vinyl.
The team that rolled up their sleeves with me, got into the blood, sweat and tears element of the production, no questions asked, just to support us in creating the new direction for design, in raising the bar, in bringing a breath of fresh air into the interior design industry are unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes like Yolanda Ramos of Mainline Interiors who provided us with the recycled fabrics, John Joel Peter of Milad furniture who stitched it all together, Vinod at Nabeel Printing Press for the beautifully printed flyers and cards and Gassan Farra of Gustronomy for the sensitively prepared, layered date cake cubes.
Those who are curious as to what the two 7 foot tall architectural monsters were, thanks to Gautum Duseja at AVL and my Gallo Speakers at home, we were kindly lent these beauties for the event – Nina Simone, Maria Callas and Billie Holiday couldn’t have sounded better amidst the open air hum drum of the exhibition hall.
A very special set of thanks must also go to my dear friend David Gardiner (working with FINO on the Armani Hotel, Burj Dubai) who has supported all my design ideas, proposals, endeavours and madnesses with the utmost trust, belief and faith in my imagination, regardless of scale of project – be it a hotel development in Panama, or an art installation. We couldn’t ask for a more unconditional believer in our work, who put in more time and effort in helping with the production of this project than anyone else. Dave, we owe you big time!!
Another unsung bundle of silent but driven energy who loves the chaos and intensity of such projects is Christopher Purslove (aka Chippy). Thanks a million Chippy for being there for me and for us throughout and for taking the beautiful photos of all our work.
For all the visitors that received our unique, recycled,’’ trinket’’ giveaways, thanks to the calm, ever-smiling, beautiful Ulricke Hocke and her award winning housekeeping team at Qamardeen/Al Manzil Hotels, Southern Sun, Dubai who collected the items for us to tag and pass on to the world coming through our majlis.
Lest one forgets, thanks to the fired up team at DMG World that gave us this platform to display our talents, bring change to INDEX and the interior design industry and in turn allow us this opportunity to win the award – Bernard Walsh, Richard Lewis, Lu Buchanan, Julia Juettner and the lovely Fifth ring team - Beth Lewis and Camellia Bojtor .
Martin Dufresne (U&A International) thanks for your supportive architectural proposal for The Caisson Project’s arm to this project and of course our branding guru Craig Stott (Progress Creative) for ensuring all the branding for the majlis was perfectly aligned!
Last but not least, thank you to my design team – Sabah Khan and Enez Alemao who never give up. I could not ask for a more devoted team. Creative, organized, passionate about their own work and the company’s brand philosophy, they rarely get their due credit but Zain mustafa Interiors would not be here today without them. Thank you girls for keeping alive our signature spirit of a young, talented, solid, grounded, earthed and edgy, non pretentious environment. I look forward to years of growth together!!
Finally, I thank God, my mother, aunt, grandmother my Dubai family and friends and of course our friends worldwide for your blessings, love and endless support.
We look forward to this being the first step in other such successes as we grow as a company and a region in the world of international interior design.
Our award winning concept:
Welcome to a new age of the majlis….
http://www.indexexhibition.com/page.cfm/link=118
http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/NATIONAL/711159872/1139
http://www.middleeastevents.com/site/pres_dtls.asp?pid=8221
http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/11/Pages/15112009/11162009_85080b2328c74037ac8dd87ee7d2a4d7.aspx
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/newsdetails.asp?Sn=INT&artid=170444
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/arabic/573680
As the accolades keep flowing in from as far as Santa Fe (New Mexico, USA), New York, London, Beirut and Bangladesh and the celebrations start rolling out over the next few weeks, we wanted to take this opportunity to look back at the journey we made from the first invitation phone call from Richard Lewis at DMG World Media to the moment we received the award.
It has been an incredibly educational, character building and enlightening journey to bring us here today. We are very proud of our achievement but are also very aware of the fact that it could not have happened had we not been supported by some true visionaries, role models and unsung heroes in the industry.
First of all I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of myself and my team of designers to Mohannad Sweid, Chairman DEPA and Muna Al Gurg for believing in me and supporting our work always.
Thanks to Mr Sweid, the uber-efficient and professional team at DECO was mobilized, very last minute – Hugh Bigley, Paul Martin, Jason Hastings and his team at DECO along with the installation team rose elegantly to the occasion to deliver a slick product to us, effortlessly and on schedule. We can’t thank you all enough for this kind of support.
In a similar vein, Muna Al Gurg mobilized her team with Ajai Dayal to involve DULUX’s expertise through Sunil Gudur, Murtaza Challawala and painter Nasir’s team on site to create the Rothko-like wall gradation and OFIS products through Rehan Khan and his troops that laid a tri-colour parquet floor with a precision to the geometric design that was surgically accurate.
Thank you James Davies-Yandle for a timely introduction to another well respected established icon in her own industry, Jayne Reader, Prolab Digital, who along with Daniel supported our design by providing us with the coolest wall vinyl.
The team that rolled up their sleeves with me, got into the blood, sweat and tears element of the production, no questions asked, just to support us in creating the new direction for design, in raising the bar, in bringing a breath of fresh air into the interior design industry are unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes like Yolanda Ramos of Mainline Interiors who provided us with the recycled fabrics, John Joel Peter of Milad furniture who stitched it all together, Vinod at Nabeel Printing Press for the beautifully printed flyers and cards and Gassan Farra of Gustronomy for the sensitively prepared, layered date cake cubes.
Those who are curious as to what the two 7 foot tall architectural monsters were, thanks to Gautum Duseja at AVL and my Gallo Speakers at home, we were kindly lent these beauties for the event – Nina Simone, Maria Callas and Billie Holiday couldn’t have sounded better amidst the open air hum drum of the exhibition hall.
A very special set of thanks must also go to my dear friend David Gardiner (working with FINO on the Armani Hotel, Burj Dubai) who has supported all my design ideas, proposals, endeavours and madnesses with the utmost trust, belief and faith in my imagination, regardless of scale of project – be it a hotel development in Panama, or an art installation. We couldn’t ask for a more unconditional believer in our work, who put in more time and effort in helping with the production of this project than anyone else. Dave, we owe you big time!!
Another unsung bundle of silent but driven energy who loves the chaos and intensity of such projects is Christopher Purslove (aka Chippy). Thanks a million Chippy for being there for me and for us throughout and for taking the beautiful photos of all our work.
For all the visitors that received our unique, recycled,’’ trinket’’ giveaways, thanks to the calm, ever-smiling, beautiful Ulricke Hocke and her award winning housekeeping team at Qamardeen/Al Manzil Hotels, Southern Sun, Dubai who collected the items for us to tag and pass on to the world coming through our majlis.
Lest one forgets, thanks to the fired up team at DMG World that gave us this platform to display our talents, bring change to INDEX and the interior design industry and in turn allow us this opportunity to win the award – Bernard Walsh, Richard Lewis, Lu Buchanan, Julia Juettner and the lovely Fifth ring team - Beth Lewis and Camellia Bojtor .
Martin Dufresne (U&A International) thanks for your supportive architectural proposal for The Caisson Project’s arm to this project and of course our branding guru Craig Stott (Progress Creative) for ensuring all the branding for the majlis was perfectly aligned!
Last but not least, thank you to my design team – Sabah Khan and Enez Alemao who never give up. I could not ask for a more devoted team. Creative, organized, passionate about their own work and the company’s brand philosophy, they rarely get their due credit but Zain mustafa Interiors would not be here today without them. Thank you girls for keeping alive our signature spirit of a young, talented, solid, grounded, earthed and edgy, non pretentious environment. I look forward to years of growth together!!
Finally, I thank God, my mother, aunt, grandmother my Dubai family and friends and of course our friends worldwide for your blessings, love and endless support.
We look forward to this being the first step in other such successes as we grow as a company and a region in the world of international interior design.
Our award winning concept:
Welcome to a new age of the majlis….
Our Contemporary Majlis Design competition for INDEX 2009, in Dubai, is a response to a regional need for a design-identity revival, a renaissance of sorts, for the art of dialogue, conversation, communication and the sharing of ideas. Using the language of interior design we have created a synergetic, holistic design experience. The attempt is to layer the various elements and scales of design in a single space demonstrating the need and vibrant result of simultaneous design practices operating towards one end.
The majlis has been inspired from a bisymmetrical Islamic motif iconically used in mashrabiya patterns over centuries and across the muslim world. The seating has been extruded to float off the floor to regular chair height. The patterns with which it folds around the space is a liquid, organic yet geometric distortion of the motif below. It retains the spirit without becoming a mere decorative surface. It talks to the world of deconstruction whilst retaining its inherent structure within, in an invisible casing.
Inspired by the traditional, nomadic, Bedouin floor seating styles, the core of the design is the comfortable, flexible, mis-matched fabrics, shapes and sizes of cushions that grow from back rests into day beds, almost comforter-like in certain sections allowing time to be as elastic as the user pleases it to be while inhabiting the space. Tables exude light, light is sandwiched between the couch and the floor, the wall fades from stark to a dreamy charcoal blur at eye level.
The tiniest of detail is expressed, be it in the chic, seamless architecture of the villa it would belong to or the architectural towers of sound or the delicately balanced date flavours wrapped in a modern cake format. All the senses are tickled, at the same time.
We believe that in the present climate of global recession, found objects can be recycled into a new era of luxury.
These are the ideas and design directions we have explored with our concept for the contemporary majlis.
Craig Stott, Dave Gardiner and myself
Having freshly received the crystal oscar-like trophy, looking a tad shell-shocked, photographed with BMG World Media team in front of the Majlis.
The design team: Sabah Khan, Enez Alemao and I
The David Gardiner. Yes, he needs ''the'' in front of his name for all the tireless support he has provided us with.
DSS 2009 ART OASIS - WAFI MALL INSTALLATION: "CAROUSEL"
At the heart of this years Art Oasis at Wafi is Interior Designer/installation artist, Zain Mustafa’s award winning, site specific, interactive piece: Carousel.
Carousel, made from his signature set of 18 white, muslin, unisex kurtas from Pakistan circles the eye of Horus located at the centre of the show it is art that connects to the viewer, gives back to the community by allowing you to take it with you. Viewers to the show are encouraged to participate in this trading experience.
To take a kurta with you, to walk away with a piece of the art, you are requested to replace your selected kurta with an item of clothing from your own wardrobe. As long as its not brand new or black any color will do. T-shirts, blouses, tank tops, gym gear, oxfords, shirts, Kunduras etc anything that you have worn for a while. The idea is to give while you take. All the kurtas have a personality to them because of the story that each one carries. Write your story too, on cards provided at the show and leave your garment as a piece of art to hang there. (There is Jamjar staff on site to help you coordinate when you can pick up your item after selecting it).
Zain Mustafa will paint your traded-in garment with the same word in calligraphy as the one you take with you. When another viewer comes to trade, taking your item with them, they will follow the same sequence of events.
The show will continue as does the cycle of life. As one story ends, another will begin. You will be a part of the performance. A part of the art. You too will become an artist. A part of the art of giving back to a community of people you may never know, but the connection will live on through these inscribed garments of clothing whose lives will change as they move from one owner to another.
Come, join us in being a part of the Carousel of life.
The white muslin kurta, a tunic worn by both men and women, of all ages, classes, creeds and religious beliefs, inherent to the clothing history of the sub continent even through its pre occupation centuries, is a part of the regions story.
It is a simple, pure, usually hand woven organic cotton ‘’mulmul’’ garment that has transcended all of fashion’s trends. In its unisex spirit it also transcends gender roles and power play between patriarchal and matriarchal societies. It is truly democratic. Born from dust like us and unto dust will go.
This installation detaches the ego of the inaccessible, pedestalled art and turns these simple Duchampian skins into a performance piece that is completed only with the mark of the public hand on it. Its desire is to be regenerated, transformed from one energy to another. To end one life and start another. To go from the skin of one onto the skin of another. Worn with equal pride. Equal dignity regardless of social heirarchy, skin color, income bracket or faith.
It is a trade of one common object of clothing with another. Taking one, giving another. Taking from one, giving to another. And then again. Spreading the community connection without knowing where the garment has come from and not knowing where it will go. The magic of time, continuity and the lyricism of anonymity.
Each germ 18 kurtas will be marked with the artists Pakistani spiritual and philosophical signature from Iqbal’s 1937 poem that have left a deep impression on the artist’s mind and his work:
‘’Hazaroon saal nargis apni bey noori pay rothi hay,
Bari mushkil say hotha hay chaman mein deedawar paida”
‘’For thousands of years Narcissus weeps at her ugliness.
It is with great difficulty that someone is born in the garden (of Eden) with eyes.’’
Each kurta has one of these words written on it by the artist. Each traded garment will then have the same word written on it as was on the kurta that it replaces, for its further travel into Nature’s organic recycled continuum.
