We sit down with Egor Sharay – Dubai-based journalist, cultural analyst, and popular influencer – to talk about his latest work, Dubai: The Art of Wealth. But don’t let the title fool you. Sharay isn’t selling another tale of supercars and skyline views. His book is a layered narrative – part economic anthropology, part cultural travelogue – that reframes Dubai not just as a city of spectacle, but as a living organism of creativity, ambition, and global vision.
“I was drawn to Dubai not just by its skyline or luxury, but by the essence of ambition that permeates its air,” Sharay tells. “The city doesn’t offer guarantees, but it does provide a stage, a spotlight, and a chance for those willing to dance with destiny,” he writes in the opening chapters.
At a time when the world debates the meaning of soft power and cultural identity, Sharay’s book positions Dubai – and by extension, the UAE – as a new kind of cultural capital: one that doesn’t merely mimic Western art capitals but writes its own script.
A Journalist Becomes a Cultural Translator
Sharay’s journey began in 2008, arriving in the UAE long before the art fairs and architectural icons became international talking points. “Living here changed everything,” he says. “Dubai trained me to think not just as an observer, but as a cultural translator.” His journalistic rigor is matched with a storyteller’s flair, blending statistical insight with poetic metaphor.
“I utilize both quantitative methods… and qualitative methods, such as text analysis, interviews, and observation,” Sharay explains. “My goal is to describe and, more importantly, to explain contemporary cultural processes.”
A Curated Mosaic of Voices
‘Dubai: The Art of Wealth’ isn’t a solitary meditation – it’s a conversation. Sharay’s methodology in crafting the book was grounded in one core principle: credibility through lived relevance. “I followed curiosity and credibility. My choices were based on impact, not just visibility,” he says.
From conversations with museum directors and architects to emerging artists and underground curators, Sharay weaves a narrative that feels like walking through Alserkal Avenue with a philosopher guide.
“This book takes inspiration from insightful conversations with a diverse spectrum of voices in the art world, spanning writers, gallery owners, and beyond,” he adds. “I wanted the book to be a mosaic – personal, informed, and artistically alive.”
The City as Canvas
Sharay’s lens captures Dubai’s metamorphosis not just in numbers, but in emotion. “The UAE’s growth isn’t abstract to me – it’s something I’ve internalized,” he says. “From dusty roads to highways filled with electric cars, I didn’t just witness change; I lived through it.”
In the book, he argues that Dubai’s cultural transformation is not merely decorative -it’s foundational. “The rapid transformation of Dubai is not only economic but deeply cultural,” he writes. “Culture here is not a static museum piece, but an active experiment in identity.”
Influencer and Forecaster
Beyond being a chronicler of events, Sharay also steps into the role of cultural forecaster – an unusual but fitting mantle for someone so deeply embedded in the ecosystem he documents.
“Do I think Dubai will influence global art trends?” he asks. “It already is. The UAE isn’t just importing art; it’s creating models like the Jameel Arts Centre and Art Dubai, which opened a window into a world many didn’t even know existed.”
His predictions for the future? Less about spectacle, and more about sustainability -emotional, artistic, and economic. “The next decade will focus on wellbeing for creators,” he says. “It’s not just about what we produce, but how we live while creating it.”
Beyond the Skyline
So what does Sharay hope Dubai: The Art of Wealth achieves with an international audience? “Curiosity, first. Then, respect,” he says. “I hope readers come away understanding that every project, every building, every symbol in Dubai is… a metaphor for a new world where tradition intertwines with innovation.”
And while Dubai may still glitter, Egor Sharay reminds us that behind the gloss lies something more enduring: a city trying to tell the world its own story – on its own terms.
The book can be downloaded in English on Amazon and in Russian language on Litres.
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