Noora The Divine Spark hosts show at Le Meridien Dubai H & C Centre
- 09 Oct 2024
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Noora The Divine Spark, the arts body that has been advocating for art and artists for the past many years, collaborated with Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre on the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day and hosted a group art exhibition titled ‘Meraki’. The theme of the exhibition was women empowerment and the event was inaugurated by Chief Guest and eminent UAE artist, Faisal Abdulqader — someone who is always found to have an encouraging word and a noticeable presence at most art events. Bhairavi Mistry, Curator, Noora The Divine Spark, said that the special day was dedicated to gender equality and women empowerment in the UAE. “Today holds significance throughout the UAE as an opportunity to recognise the many achievements made by the nation’s women,” she said. “It also reminds the world of the remarkable steps the Emirates has taken concerning women’s rights and equality. It focuses on Emirati women, their aspirations, challenges, accomplishments, and areas of continuing progress. These incredible women shape the nation.”
Artists from different nationalities participated in the show. Among them were Reem Alfalasi, who renders her artwork in a modern style, with bold, black letters spelling out a message representing the power of an Emirati woman. Alya Al Sayegh infuses her artworks with bright, vibrant colours; her aim is to radiate positivity. Ghia Haddad’s painting of an Emirati bride showed how she typically prepares for the week preceding her wedding, with the application of intricate henna designs on her hands and feet — a practice historically adopted from India.
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Egyptian Fatma Khorshed’s artwork ‘Twilight’ was a transition from dark to light or light to dark. The painting was about change and transition. Finnish national Rozan Awad’s artwork delicately intertwines pearls and femininity while Russia’s Viktoriia Asanova, who is a professional artist, uses oil paint, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, pencil and resin, in her paintings. Pakistani national Sahar Riaz’s painting can be perceived as a powerful representation of the strength, grace, and resilience of the women of India’s Rajasthan State. “My work shows that the true essence of a woman’s beauty lies in the fact that whatever she sees and feels, she makes it beautiful,” said Dr. Anum Ali, who is also from Pakistan.
Mahrukh Sohaib works in free style modern calligraphy. At the exhibition, she displayed a composition of a verse from Surah Ar-Rahman from the Holy Quran, done in mesmerising, metallic colours. Indian artist Mona Biswarupa’s artwork ‘The Melange of Us’, was a visual representation of the collective power of the women of UAE. It showed the beauty of diversity of multicultural UAE society. Gomathi Shiva (India) once saw a girl walking under a makeshift pathway, near a construction site. The stranger inspired her with her style of clothing and the unique path she was taking. Sonu Sultania’s artwork said that love stories are more than just words. “As long as someone believes in those words and those stories, there will always be magic in our life, for real,” she said.
Vinu Aravind’s artwork on Nature’s elegance was captivating and inspiring. It embodied the beauty and fragility of nature. Ria Shanker’s artwork on two women depicted their poise and elegance; it was a testament to the indomitable spirit of the women who have shaped Dubai, and symbolised the pivotal role of dialogue and collaboration among Emirati women in the nation’s journey. Ruchika Ramsinghani’s artwork was about growing, learning and evolving. The message was that life is like a rollercoaster ride, but there is calm after the storm too, a silver lining to be found and valuable lessons after every plight. Chandralekha Dubey’s artwork was a powerful depiction of a yogini (ascetic) that manifested the mind of a creator and the spirit of woman. Renuka Sanjeev’s artwork ‘Chasing Horizon’ narrated the story of a horse which is always moving forward, like pursuing a distant horizon.
Indian artist Mahnaz Rafiq Javid’s artwork underlined that the camel is a wonderful animal, filled with patience and a willingness to go ahead in life, despite hindrances. Mahesh Kadri’s painting depicted the spirit and hope that lies in her. The bright yellow background of the work illustrated the tension between being grounded and the yearning for exploration. During the inaugural of the exhibition, a live painting performance was done by Dubai-based Indian artist, Kiran Kumar. His artwork revealed the portrait of a veiled Arab woman with striking, expressive eyes, surrounded by a sense of mystery and cultural significance.
Nandana Suresh, as yet only 13 years old and the youngest participating artist, presented a painting of the Buddha. It exuded peace, calm and serenity — and found an instant buyer. An interactive session of painting on abayas was sponsored by Artsplash, who supported the art material. Artsplash was co-founded by Aditi Jaju and Radhika Narayan; it is an e-commerce store, selling arts and crafts products in many mediums and styles. Supriya Mendigiri, Art Ambassador of Artsplash, also showcased her artwork which was a portrayal of an Emirati woman through grace of tradition and power of progress. Co-founder Chirag Khanna of Mytripnova was the Travel Partner and photographer Saad Ahmed captured the event with his camera. “We really appreciate the support given by Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre for organising this event,” said Bhairavi Mistry. “A special thanks to team General Manager Fadeel Wehbe and the marketing team, Tijana Lazarov and Mary Yeboah.”