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Expressing culture, history through art

DUBAI - Dubai’s cultural and historical footprints, in photographs, digital illustrations and paintings, have found their way into the hearts of residents and visitors.

The art exhibit of Carpet & Art Oasis at the Dubai International Airport Expo Centre which displays over 40 pieces of artworks for 32 days, is part of the Dubai Customs’ participation in the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the world’s longest festival ever of shopping, winning and entertainment.

Maryam Shamsi, art coordinator of the Carpet & Art Oasis, told Khaleej Times that the exhibition is aimed at encouraging local artistes to showcase the beauty and importance of their heritage and culture.

She said that all the pieces of art displayed at the exhibition are done by Emiratis. “Thirteen Emirati artistes have expressed their personal view and outlook of their culture, tradition and history through drawings, paintings, illustrations and handicrafts.”

Ali Adulla Al Sharif, one of the art exhibitors, captured the culture and heritage of the Emiratis through his lenses. “I love to show people — foreign and local alike — how Emiratis lived in the past as demonstrated in the design of the doors and windows of their house. They made varied designs without studying them in schools. Yet, looking at the changes from the oldest door design to the most recent, we can see that this indeed is an Emirati heritage to be proud of,” Al Sharif said.

Al Sharif has taken 12 of his many collection of photographs of Emirati doors and windows in A3 size to the exhibition hall. “I expect people, especially young Emiratis, to see how our people worked hard to make different designs from what they believe a door or a window should be during their time.”

The oldest door Al Shamsi photographed was from an old house in Ras Al Khaimah. “It was all made of wood,” he said pointing to the photograph. “No door knobs. No locks. Our people just made a strip of wood to be the handle that could open and close it. It is really amazing.”

Maysoon Al Ali, an artist whose art grows from calligraphy to graphic designing to digital illustration, told Khaleej Times that her subject would always be something about UAE’s or Dubai’s history.

Two of her works are displayed at the Carpet & Art Oasis. The first is a conversation between Shaikh Rashid and Shaikh Zayed to transform the country from a mere desert nation to a developed, growing economy. The second is the UAE’s falcon, with calligraphy on the death of Shaikh Zayed done by Dr M’anea Saeed Alotaibah, Assistant of Shaikh Zayed. This is digitally illustrated on a canvas of 2m x 50cms.

More than history and tradition, artiste Nadrah Badri, is specialising on pure Arabian horses. “The artworks I put on display are photographs of all the winning Arabian horses of Shaikh Ammar bin Hamid Al Nuami in Ajman. Many of these Arabian horses have become champions in either local or world competitions.”

Framed in 90cm x 60cm, these art collections cost between Dh2,500 and Dh5,000.

The exhibition hall is open for public viewing from 10am to 10pm on weekdays, and from 4pm to 11pm on Fridays.

lily@khaleejtimes.com