Virtual exhibition raises actual hope

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Dubai-based self-taught artist Rowaida Hakim has decided to stage a major exhibition online with the scope of bringing hope and positivity to people around the world.

The month-long virtual exhibition being showcased on a specially designated site using virtual reality technology so that viewers can almost have the same experience viewing the paintings as they would physically. Besides this, a number of selected paintings from the exhibition are also being displayed at Rowaida Interiors Gallery in Jumairah Lake Tower (JLT).

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Talking to the Gulf Today, Rowaida Hakim said that “the main drive behind staging this large-scale virtual exhibition was to send a message to everyone that we can and achieve our goals and dreams at any time.” She further highlighted that whether it be coronavirus or any other obstacles, we the residents of Dubai under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai are able attain our aspirations if we believe we can do so with a positive vision and manner.”

Working in an abstract and expressionist style, Hakim’s works on canvas combine vibrant colors with her signature use of gold leaf and metal leaf. Once again, in this virtual exhibition, titled Hope, she explores themes relating to positivity, humanity, cultural understanding, peace and the beauty of nature, and specifically, the need to find positivity and motivation.

The painting that symbolizes the theme of the show, also called Hope (2020) filled with cherry blossom flowers painted on a blue painted canvas, each with its distinct colour and form, with gold mountains in the background. “I love this work because it transmits a very warm feeling of happiness and it reflects how the flowers open after the winter,” she said and added that “it took almost 6 month to do, and I had to do it in a very intricate style.”

And the Universe collection, features a large acrylic abstract painting with 24-carat gold leaf, real diamond stones, rubies and emeralds, in a replication of the beauty of the galaxies and our solar system. Other previous works on show feature rich and expressive slabs of colour across the canvas, sometimes in the form of colorful rows of squares and other times through anamorphic indeterminate shapes in 24-carat gold.