Jumeirah Creekside Hotel announces Marie Theres Madani as resident artist

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, one of Dubai’s leading arts and lifestyle destinations, has announced its third Artist in Residency programme, inviting guests and visitors to discover expressive abstract paintings. Austria-based artist Marie Theres Madani (b.1993,Vienna), is the third artist to take up residency in the urban art hub. Madani’s motivation behind her art is ‘the creation of a dialogue’, which allows visitors and guests to connect with the artworks and independently interpret them. She has drawn inspiration from her three months stay at the hotel, creating bespoke pieces inspired by it and the city. Madani’s series of artworks will be on display from May 6 - 29.

The exhibition complements the hotel’s art collection that is spread across the guest rooms and public spaces, adding to the hospitality experience. Andy Cuthbert, General Manager at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, said: “Taking from art and design as key pillars of the Jumeirah brand, we continue with our motivational Artist in Residence programme at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel.

“As such, we aim to further deliver truly unforgettable moments for our guests through the medium of art, give them the chance to discover new works from exciting names and support emerging artists from around the world, hence reinforcing our position as an art hub and creative destination.

“We are delighted to welcome Marie Theres Madani to our hotel and look forward to connecting guests to the emirate and to continuing with our inspiring residency programme series.”

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Madani said that “I am excited to be part of the Artist in Residence series and to be bringing my art to new audiences. The space at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel is perfectly aligned with my desire to connect with my audiences and evoke an emotional connection through sharing my experiences of the emirate and its heritage, creating expressive and creative art works.”

She works primarily in photography and painting and has found a way to combine the two mediums, to synergise elements of both into a single work. The result is the creation of a new perspective.

“How do my works find a start?” she asks. “With a feeling,” she answers. “Not with a concrete vision or an exact plan for the results, but rather, with an emotion. The goal is to share this initial emotion impulse with the viewer. I hope people can find their personal inspiration in my works.” 

Says Nicholas Wilton, Founder, Art2Life: “What strikes me about Marie’s work is how strong the feeling and voice of it is. Every painting feels spacious and wild.

Marie Theres Madani beside her artwork.

“Abstract art has always had a hold on her because there are no limits to what emotions you can express. She wants people to see themselves in her work and formulate their own interpretations.

“Many artists try to plan out what their work will look like before putting brush to canvas. While there is nothing wrong with planning things out, it is the antithesis of how Marie approaches her work.

“She doesn’t have a fixed concept of what she wants to paint but rather works off of intuition and what she’s feeling in the moment. For Marie, making art is all about the process. Her favourite part of art-making is seeing how the composition grows and evolves with the process itself.”

Which thought is seconded by Madini. “With every stroke of the brush,” she says, “with every small change, a new basis emerges for the next steps. The process leads me much more than I lead the process and I really don’t know where the road is headed, until the road exists.”  Launched last year, the Artist in Residency programme is an ongoing initiative of Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, set up to support international and regional artists in advancing their skills through dedicated spaces, enhanced visibility and endorsement, while providing an inspirational setting from which to create original pieces of art - and enjoy living in one of the most diverse cities in the world.

The city hotel is home to one of the city’s largest art collections. With the aim of connecting guests to the culture and heritage of their surroundings, the hotel attempts to shine the spotlight on the region’s vibrant art scene; it houses 482 specially commissioned pieces by 51 artists, with roots from across the Middle East.

It further features some of the world’s most celebrated design houses across its grounds, including custom-made furniture by Sawaya & Moroni, Walter Knoll, Poltrona Frau, B&B Italia, Frag, Se London, Matteograssi and De Sede.

Tom Price, an internationally recognised creator renowned for his sculptural works, was commissioned to create 88 red Meltdown Bowls, which are dotted across the hotel as part of a limited-edition collection.  Guests can view Madani’s artwork when her exhibition launches May 6. “In the meantime,” advises the hotel, “check out the wider art collection while staying connected via our social media channels. Don’t forget to tag us in your posts with #TimeExceptionallyWellSpent and @jumeirahcreeksidehotel.” Jumeirah Group, a member of Dubai Holding and a global luxury hotel company, operates a world-class 6,500+ key portfolio of 25 luxury properties across the Middle East, Europe and Asia.   It includes the iconic flagship hotel, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, lavish Arabian palaces across Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, a contemporary Maldivian island paradise at Olhahali Island and art-inspired dolce vita on the island of Capri, Italy.