Flowers and colours mix and match at Summer ’22 Group Art Exhibition.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Summer ’22 Group Art Exhibition at Gallery Vibes (June 18 – 25) is on in full swing at the Mall of the Emirates.  During the lockdown in 2020, all seven artists taking part in the show were stuck inside their homes - but their dreams, visions and talents couldn’t be confined. 

They showed their works online. It led to many of them discovering a new realm in the art world.

The change is visible in the works they show: since their stepping back outside, they are indicating how they have grown as artists, in many ways.

“Dubai is blessed with a beautiful summer and the effect of sunshine during this period is indeed vibrant,” says Pari Sagar, an artist who is closely associated with the exhibition. “It is said that all you need to overcome a negative mind-set is a happy thought and that everything good and magical happens when you pursue that thought. And what better time than summer, when the sun is shining in all its glory, to pursue happiness?”  

Dubai-based visual art teacher and artist, Paulomi Rana and her husband, Kirit Rana, who is a businessman, sculptor, and artist, studied together in M.S.U. Fine Arts Faculty, in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.  They and their daughter Sharmin Rana, who is also an architect and artist, are inspired by the art and culture of Dubai. The senior Ranas came to the Emirates in the 1990s.

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Their inner wish was to host an art exhibition in Dubai — which has come true with Summer ’22. They are sharing their dreams, feelings and passion through it.  In their leisure time, they had chatted, talked, worked for art and shared their ideas relating to different art genres and techniques. The family often visited art exhibitions and enjoyed meeting artists, to share thoughts on art and present opinions. 

“The artist in me is always alive and this passion pushed me to finally be able to achieve my lifelong dream of being a full-time artist,” says Paulomi. “I have visited international art exhibitions and met artists. Dubai is a big hub for art and culture activities. When we see other artists on board with us, I have felt great contentment.”

When Paulomi shared her action plan with others, they were also motivated and came forward to join her in her venture. That paved the way for her and her family to achieve their wish to organise an art show, along with a group of talented individuals, on one platform. Paulomi is nature lover and likes to spend time with nature and likes to paint the various moods of landscapes, in different mediums. She has been a visual arts teacher in Dubai schools for over two decades.

 Lighting the way at Summer ‘22 Group Art Exhibition.

Kirit majored as a sculptor in university. He enjoys creating something new out of the ordinary, which includes utilising discarded materials. He plans to create garden sculptures as he transforms into a full-time artist.  Sharmin specialises in both traditional and digital art. As an architecture student, she got the opportunity to explore art and creativity in different fields. It was a combination of design and art that roused a drive in her to express her ideas artistically.

Others featuring in the exhibition are Reena Dhiman; Anjana Ajith; Moni Shyam and Dr Sangeeta Parashar. Dhiman is an eco and contemporary artist. She expresses herself with colours and multiple art forms. She felt that art was her destiny when she realised that her one time hobby had become an integral part of her life.

With a Master’s Degree in Commerce and a teacher by profession, the self-taught artist has now made art her passion and profession. “It gives me sense of peace and pleasure whenever I paint. It just takes me to some other world which cannot be explained in words,” she says.

She has shown her works in many exhibitions and paints in oils, acrylic and coffee, among other mediums. Ajith is a graphic designer and artist who aims to incorporate traditional art in her creative work. She has participated in several art competitions since she was 15, and now pursues her dream of becoming a full-fledged artist.  Shyam is a homemaker with a passion for painting. She loves to use bright hues and over the past few years, she has introduced herself to different mediums and discovered new methods to expand her horizons and talent.

Dr Sangeeta is an abstract resin artist. She is a doctor by profession, but creativity is her ultimate passion. She realised her potential for art during the pandemic when she pursued her passion and spent time learning from others as well as practicing resin art herself.

Why resin art? With resin art, you can create works of art that enchant with their clarity, luminosity, brilliance and depth. Human use of plant resins has a very long history that was documented in ancient Greece, ancient Rome and especially in the resins known as frankincense and myrrh, prized in ancient Egypt. The word “resin” has been applied in the modern world to nearly any component of a liquid that will set into a hard lacquer or enamel-like finish. An example is nail polish.  Resin is not only used in industry and boat building, but also in art. Thus, besides kitchen counters, floors, tables, paintings, jewellery or sculptures can also be cast! At the inaugural, the VIP guest was Abdulla Al Mubarak and Isha Qureshi, former Miss Universe 2019, was chief guest.