Home is where the art is

As we enter a newly opened art studio Next Chapter in Tashkeel, Al Bastakiya, we find two artists scribbling something on a sheet. Our presence does not deter their resolve to bring to life a world that exists in their imagination. It is world as Abdulla Lutfi and Asma Baker see it. Much like real life, it is populated with humour, grief, happiness, disappointment. The two artists of determination, who are also cousins, complement each other in the themes they represent. Abdulla is known for his lighter takes on the Emirati way of life, while Asma offers a deeper insight into human emotions. Theirs is a story that deserves telling — and retelling — not simply because it offers hope, but shows what self-assurance can achieve.

It was at the age of four that Abdulla was diagnosed with autism. It was around the same time that he discovered art. His mother Amal Baker, who is also present at the studio, tells us that he could not speak for the longest time and would instead point to things he wanted or drew them in a sheet of paper for her to understand. What began as a means of communication gave Abdulla a larger purpose — art. He began to etch out the details of the subjects he was drawing. Today, the 28-year-old artist’s intricately drawn Emirati figures have found a following in the local art scene; in fact, one of his artworks even features in Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport. Working mostly in black and whites, one would imagine there is an artistic vision that informs his choice of medium. Far from it. “It’s quicker to sell… Also, it’s easy,” he says, while pointing to his new work that portrays the challenges thrown by Covid through an A-Z nomenclaturing. So, what did art change in him? “It changed his behaviour. Mostly, he would isolate himself from people. But art helped him communicate more,” says Amal.

anamika@khaleejtimes.com