Canvas and community: Contemporary artmaker Tanveer Akbar’s social brush
- Last updated: August 9, 2025 | 09:44
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Tanveer Akbar, born in 1999 and raised in Dubai, is a contemporary artist, curator, philanthropist and social worker. He embraces many forms of artistic expression, from painting and drawing to sculpture, and has as of now, showcased his work in exhibitions in places ranging as far as USA (Chicago), UAE (Dubai), and India (multiple locations). He uses his artistic talents to inspire and educate people, especially those with special needs, driven by a strong commitment to giving back to the community. He actively shares his knowledge and love for art with special needs children and communities worldwide, striving to make a meaningful impact through creativity and compassion.
For Tanveer, art is not only about visual expression; it is about transformation too. He is deeply committed to using art as a medium for communication, dialogue, and empowerment. He actively conducts art workshops and outreach programmes for children of determination and underserved communities, both in the UAE and overseas.
The initiatives are grounded in his belief that creativity is a universal language, capable of fostering empathy, self-worth and joy, in those who perhaps need it most. Tanveer has also curated charity auctions through elite exhibitions, featuring some of the greatest names and legends of modern and contemporary art like M.F. Husain, Akbar Saheb, Pablo Picasso, F.N. Souza, Tayeb Mehta, S.H. Raza, Amrita Sher-Gil and others, in private shows in exclusive art estates.
One of his acclaimed curatorial projects was Chronicles of India’s Growth and the Prime Minister Series, featuring paintings by Akbar Saheb. It was organised in collaboration with the Indian Prime Minister’s Office and the Government of India. It debuted at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA New Delhi), Lalit Kala Akademi, Maharaja Sayajirao University Fine Art Gallery in Vadodara and was inaugurated and attended by Chief Ministers and top officials, including the then Union Minister for Culture, G. Kishan Reddy. Over 10,000 guests visited the travelling exhibition.
Tanveer was born and raised in an environment where art was not just practiced, but was lived. Growing up amid a fusion of cultures in Dubai, India and USA and under the mentorship of his father, noted artist Akbar Saheb, Tanveer developed an early sensitivity to aesthetics, narrative, and emotion. “This upbringing instilled in me both artistic courage and intellectual curiosity,” he says. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), is renowned globally for its rigorous approach to conceptual and contemporary art. There, the artist honed his visual language, embracing its culture of critique and work practices, immersing himself in diverse artistic methodologies.
Manipal University, Dubai, from where he did his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), equipped him with entrepreneurial acumen and strategic thinking. The dual education reinforced his core belief that art must be elevated not only through creation, but also through engagement with the outside world, through context, presentation, and thoughtful curation.
Tanveer’s art journey thus spans continents and cultures. His time in Chicago and London introduced him to conceptual rigour and Western avant-garde movements, while his work in India reconnected him with symbolism, myth, and artistic intuition. His life in Dubai has shaped his ideology in growing art in a region, where art was relatively unknown. Global experiences have sharpened his instincts and enriched his artistic vocabulary, enabling him to navigate and respond to a wide spectrum of cultural aesthetics and dialogues.
Tanveer’s art is a convergence of Surrealism, Modernism, and Depthism. The last, pioneered by Akbar Saheb, emphasises the illusion of depth through the application of three-dimensional elements. The technique creates visual impact by making the artwork appear to extend beyond a flat surface. Tanveer’s compositions are often symbolic, inspired by experience, emotion, literature, history, psychology, and inquiry. He employs contrasting textures, visual paradoxes and dream-like imagery, to put viewers in a contemplative state.
His works are less about what they show, and more about what they reveal in the viewer himself. His curatorial approach is both reverential to the past and progressive vis-a-vis the future, rooted in storytelling and cultural memory. He often uses exhibitions to connect historical legacies with their contemporary relevance, sparking new conversations across generations.
Tanveer credits his father, Akbar Saheb, as his foremost influence, both in spirit and in artistic philosophy. “My father’s uncompromising authenticity and emotional vulnerability on canvas has laid the foundation for my creative path,” he says. He also draws inspiration from Salvador Dalí’s surrealism and theatricality; Tanveer’s work echoes Dali’s fascination for the subconscious, dreams, and the unseen. He remains an active learner, constantly refining his practice by attending biennales, gallery openings and virtual art forums. For him, real artistic growth comes through dialogue, collaboration, and a “willingness to unlearn”. His work continues to evolve not by chasing what is trendy and popular, but by staying true to what is eternal and meaningful.
Looking ahead, he envisions building a legacy that goes beyond personal acclaim. He aspires to establish a global, inclusive art institution and NGO for philanthropy, which will be a physical and ideological space for exhibitions, serving as museum, and a platform for mentorship, charity work and outreach, accessible to all. The envisioned space would be dedicated to empowering the next generation of artists, particularly those from underserved backgrounds. His long-term mission is clear: to use art not only as a mirror, but as a map, for healing, questioning, and for change.