UAE artists convey message of Hope at ZeeArts show in Dubai
- Last updated: May 8, 2021 | 12:52
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Global art incubator ZeeArts, in collaboration with Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai, has launched a Ramadan art exhibition, with a strong message of Hope, engaging with UAE-based artists. The artworks illustrate creativity through myriad of mediums by artists coming from different parts of the world. Each of the works resonate with the theme and have been executed in mediums such as oil, acrylic, mixed media and ink. It is a tradition for ZeeArts to present a Ramadan Art Exhibition every year.
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“Ramadan is the time to connect with family and friends; we at ZeeArts believe that Arts is a connector that brings people together. As we are in the middle of the pandemic, we are all desperately looking for Hope and Healing. “Amidst the current pandemic, where our social, cultural ties, our environment and education have been shredded, Art has survived. It remains at the helm and has proved to be a universal language. It spreads a spirit of Healing, Happiness and Hope. “This exhibition is not only be aesthetic, but also engage with guests coming for Iftar,” says Zaahirah Muthy, curator and ZeeArts Founder.
Nestled in Dubai with a mission to connect creatives of disparate disciplines through artistic initiatives and projects, ZeeArts annual calendars are saturated with programmes, including exhibitions and art fairs, artist empowerment programmes, arts and cultural retreats, art talks and socially engaged art projects that place artists, curators, art dealers and writers, collectors and the private sector, on the same page. “We would like to thank Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai, for supporting this initiative and promoting Arts with the vision to make Dubai an Art Hub,” says Muthy. The exhibition can be viewed daily May 1 – 15 at Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai. Located at the ground level of the hotel, it is a visual enhancement to the grand Iftar buffet also on offer, at a reasonable price!
Participating artists include Khaled Zaytoun and Mohamed Alshimi from Egypt who have done many shows in Egypt and Saudi Arabia; Linda Mohamed from Egypt, a self-taught artist who works with materials and styles such as resin, textured art, sculpture art and portrait and Pari Sagar from India, whose source of inspiration is Nature.
“Nature has its own playful dance which reflects vibrant emotions such as love, romance, peace and tranquility with a touch of spirituality,” she says. “The textures, lines, and forms are designed to convey the message of being in touch with Nature.”
Alia Medhat from Egypt is interested in showing human feelings in her artwork. Anna Z Alexandra from Ukraine specialises in abstracts, using acrylic. Her inspiration comes from both her life experiences and the colours and forms of Nature. She is determined to explore emotion as a visual language in her work. Esma Stasiak from Poland is particularly interested in abstract painting, which she likes to present in large formats on canvas. Tania Nasir from Pakistan says that “my genre lies in the revival of old traditional art that was practiced in the illumination of manuscripts. I try to bring back this tradition in contemporary art form.
“This form art has been used in Art Nouveau and in Ottoman and Mughal ateliers. To me, art is a form of mediation that takes your imagination where reality cannot. Art speaks where words are unable to go.”
Shadab Khan from India is also exhibiting her works. Her art is characterised by vibrant colours, contrasting shapes and bold compositions. Valia Abou Alfadel from Syria says that “love is my message. Love makes everything more beautiful.” Cristina Grigore from Romania lives in Dubai. She likes to experiment with different mediums and styles and through her work, tries to express the feeling of freedom. Nevine Meguid is Egyptian-Australian, residing in Dubai.
She draws inspiration from design elements in Arabic calligraphy. Masooma Razvi from Pakistan is an avid observer and explorer, whose paintings carry inspiration from the simple things that surround us. The message she wants to give through her work is that of ‘Awakening’ and ‘Introspection.’ She uses Turkish dervishes as her symbols of expression, and infuses Arabic calligraphy into compositions, to give more depth to her concepts.
Bushra Malik mainly works in oils and acrylics; she aims to capture movement and life in her paintings. She has always been intrigued and inspired by mysticism and spirituality. The idea behind most of her paintings is the struggle or longing of the soul to connect to a higher being. Dr Hoda Gharib from Egypt is a professional artist who specialises in printmaking, drawing and illustrations.
She has been a professional illustrator for a number of comic stories, book covers, weekly magazines and has illustrated story series for a number of reputable publishers in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Yasmin Naeem from Pakistan is influenced by her Saudi and Pakistani roots and is a versatile artist and Arabic calligrapher. She has a passionate interest in the arts of the Islamic world.
Naeem’s work is a culmination of abstract, modernistic painting techniques, incorporating ancient arts of Islamic illustration, arabesque patterns, calligraphy and sacred geometry. Anastasie Akibode from France was born In Senegal, and is a French artist with African roots. Her exposure to different cultures is the driving force behind her search for a common, universal art framework. It also unifies her style.