Ants invade Dubai financial hub

Giant golden ants as long as eight metres brought traffic to a standstill at the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Rubberneckers appeared stunned at the spectacle of behemoth ants digging into the grassy area of the roundabout between the DIFC and Emirates Towers - one ant could even be seen emerging from a large hole in the ground.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Isabelo Malinay, 47, standing near a massive Queen ant as seven of her workers stood guard. "This is, well, very, very unusual."

Although the scene looked like it was ripped straight from the pages of the latest fiction novel, the display was a crowning moment for American sculptor Susan P. Cochran who has loaned her artworks for display in Dubai.

The bronze sculptures were unveiled Monday in a splashy arts opening after they were reassembled and gingerly lifted into place by heavy crane.

"This is all about people having fun," said Cochran, a self-taught artist who only started sculpting six years ago. "I don't want people to be too darn serious."

Cochran was extremely modest about the two-years-plus project.

"This is what seniors do when they sit around and make things," she told XPRESS at the opening. "You could call it, 'Granny Gone Nuts.'"

A resident of Palm Beach, Fla., Cochran it was good to see the shiny critters assembled together after they were shipped via a long voyage aboard sailing ship from the United States in two 15-metre long cargo containers.

The appearance of the ants was in large part due to a chance sighting by Dubai arts supporter Bashar Al Shroogi who is opening Cuadro Fine Art Gallery in May at the DIFC.

Al Shroogi caught a glimpse of the large ant sculptures from the air last last year when he landed at the Palm Beach airport and tracked down Cochran to see if he could bring the works to Dubai for a public display.

Cochran’s ant sculptures were buffed, painted and shipped to Dubai for the three-month outdoor display at DIFC. The works will likely spend another nine months in a public park before they return to the US, said Al Shroogi.

"Thes ants have a social message, they work together to build a strong community just like people are doing here in Dubai," Al-Shroogi said. "This is so appropriate."

The works will also have an educational component to their visit to the City of Gold, he said.

Several classrooms from across Dubai are planning field trips to the outdoor art display to learn about nature, ants and building a stronger community.

Students will participate in a contest to name each of the ants and there will also engage in a drawing contest, he said.

The visit by the giant ants is important as well, he said, because it emphasises the need for public art, the need for creative works to be shared by everyone and not just for those who frequent indoor galleries.

"We're bringing art out into the streets," Al Shroogi said. "Public art has to be accessible. Sometimes an art gallery can be intimidating."