An unorthodox rule for visitors to “Negus” — an audio-visual installation at Dubai’s The Third Line in collaboration with festival operator Sole — is that you have to have your phone locked away in a small pouch. The intention is to allow you to be completely immersed in a space where music meets art for 28 minutes without distractions. Lights off, headphones on.
The eight-track recording — currently unavailable for download outside of the installation — was created by Brooklyn-born hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey (previously known as Mos Def), known for his hard-hitting tracks on topical concerns, including police brutality and racism.
“Negus” is making its Gulf debut here, having formerly been in installed in Marrakech, Hong Kong, and New York.