Moon with a view: The PaintBrush Art Community’s show is heavenly
Mysterious Mona by Sabah Anees.
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
On October 13, over twenty five international artists inaugurated and are now showcasing their artworks of abstract, modern and contemporary styles at the Infini8 Art Exhibition organised by The PaintBrush Art Community (TPBAC), UAE. The venue is Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort Vignette Collection’s Envy restaurant and artists hailing from as far afield as Mauritius, Iran, India, Pakistan, UK and the Philippines, are taking part.
The display is on until November 10 and on view from 11 am to 9 pm daily. The event follows the live art carnival that ran for twelve days preceding the exhibition. This art festival began on October 1 on International Coffee Day. “Yes, that’s right!” says Sonal Purohit, CEO and Founder, TPBAC. “Artists performed live art sessions at the venue’s Mimo Café that is known for its fragrant coffee. They used coffee beans as a medium to paint on canvas and these are also on display at the exhibition.”
On behalf of Th8, General Manager Mohamed Elakkad said that “Th8 Palm is a unique vignette collection and we wanted this venue to be an art treat for guests and residents, as art personifies the ambience the resort offers. It is also part of our CSR initiatives.
Let me say The PaintBrush Art Community has done a marvellous job!” Named after the 8th phase of the moon and located on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah where the sky meets the sea, Th8’s design takes inspiration from the art deco and fashion of Miami Beach.
The hotel sits on the 8th phase of the moon and hence the name – which impresses Purohit. Says she: “We have always believed that art exhibitions must have a venue that suit their theme and style, and Th8 Palm was something that surprised us since the day we saw it, showing up like a moon dial that indicates lunar phases. Our exhibition displays extraordinary pieces of art whose impact is heightened on the moon dial.”
The inaugural was supported by Chief Guests Yakoob Al Ali (Executive Director & Advisor to the Maktoum family), Govind Rao Naik (CEO, JSS School) and Gopa Misra (Socialite). Guests of Honour were Madhurima Nigam, Nada Al Barazi, Ahmed Al Awadhi ‘Rukni’, Atul M Panase, Zaahirah Zabeen Muthy and Rakesh & Vaishali. The event saw Kalbelia performances by Rajasthani folk dancers, while Sandeep Soni played the guitar and poetic verses were rendered by Safa Peshimam (Kalopsia Wiz).
The event was hosted by Ridhima Purohit, who is an aspiring architect and established blogger. Artists included are Adeela Omar (UK); Alia Amin Abdulkarim, Hina Asad Khan and Anum Ali (all from Pakistan); Anita Jain, Anjini Prakash Laitu, Anupama Jain, Arti Bhatia, Debra Mascarenhas, Deepti Mittal, Dr. Poonam Chauhan, Dr. Sangeeta Parashar, Lavanya Varma, Mahi Ramchandani, Nripan Purakkat, Rujuta Sheth, Sabah Anees, Safa Peshimam (Kalopsia Wiz), Sana Bano Moin Ahmed, Sandeep Soni, Sonal Purohit, Sushma Lohit and Susmitha Dhruva (all from India); and Insho, Isabelle Alvis Da Silva Nerves (both from Mauritius) and Nelia Fabia (Philippines).
One of the highlights is the painting sent from Mauritius by artist Insho. Titled 500 Lives Mattered, it has the images of 500 extinct species. Those lives mattered! The painting is a big one, 120/180 cm in size. Also, as indicated above, Laitu is one of the artists showcasing his works in the exhibition. A few words must be said about him here.
Over eighty and hugely productive, he struck a partnership with the brush and palette only at age 60. Sometimes known as the “Colourman of the Emirates,” his works are saturated with explosive colours that immediately catch the eye, no matter in which corner of a hall they are put up. He composes seven or eight paintings a month, and has participated in shows in the UAE, India, Nepal and Qatar.
Artists and art lovers at the event.
A regular at World Art Dubai, he is also a member of the prestigious Emirates Fine Art Society and has been conferred the Golden Visa. He believes his paintings should radiate positive energies and therefore uses bold and brash colours. Art for Laitu is a passion and not a job. “By spending a wonderful time with colours and canvases,” he says, “I already recover the price of the material I have used. What I get afterwards is bonus and benefits.”
He paints three-four hours every day and sincerely likes the young to take up art as soon as they cut their wisdom teeth and not become a late bloomer like himself. “It is another blockbuster art carnival and exhibition by The PaintBrush Art Community,” says Purohit, who had her painting titled ‘The Boss’ sold on the very first day. “We have gathered immense popularity in the art world of the UAE.
Something that started here as a live art festival for twelve days continuously, followed by an exhibition for another month, has not happened earlier. You should write that we are always unique, most stylish and are moving ahead with the support and faith of the artist fraternity.
We have something new to offer with every new event – doesn’t it make us the most innovative art group?!” TPBAC is a very active cohort of artists and art lovers, based in the UAE. Its purpose is to provide a platform for artists and artisans to demonstrate their aesthetic skills and assist them liaise with similar talents.
