Winner of the International Young Design Entrepreneur Award in 2009, self-taught curator, artist and founder of design studio Traffic at only 30 years of age, Dubai-born Rami Farook is no stranger to achievement.
Yet his career in the creative fields came later in life. After studying business at Boston University, Farook joined the family business, Farook Stationery, where he doubled sales, tripled profits and implemented improved HR processes. He also started an investment portfolio for the family, including stocks and real estate.
But in early 2007, he began collecting art from around the world in what became the reputed 300-piece Farook Collection. The same year, he established Traffic as a design gallery and studio. Traffic has evolved into a centre for contemporary art with a library and three galleries — hosting solo shows, exhibitions, screenings, lectures and competitions. Now, the ambitious Emirati plans to move into publishing, film and music. “I’ve helped artists get studio space, publish books and create websites. I also want to give musicians a platform to perform, to help them record and film their work,” he says.
Farook’s current project, called The State, offers a socio-historical documentation of the state of the world today. Exhibitions include Social/Antisocial, which deals with behaviour and socialisation, while the upcoming show The Coming Interaction touches on people’s emotional reaction to certain mass injustices such as the Arab Spring. Farook has also launched thestate.ae, a socio-historical journal and forum, where commissioned writers can get published.
He is pleased that The State has sparked off interest, and not just from art buffs. The opening show hosted a class from Emirates International School, while university and school tours keep coming in. “In the arts, growth is organic,” he says, “but it’s great to see it increasing. I’d love to see over 100 people coming every day”.
Farook sees his work as a way of returning the favour to a country that’s been good to him. He enthusiastically tells me how lucky he feels to live in the UAE. “We’re blessed with a facilitative government that provides opportunities to explore, learn and grow. I call it the Arabian dream because this country gives us so much hope,” he concludes.
