UAE: Meet 9-year-old Emirati artist who wowed art fraternity with her thought-provoking work

Nine-year-old Maitha was beaming with pride as the Emirati child artist witnessed the inauguration of an art gallery exhibiting her work. Maitha Khalilabdul Wahid was the youngest artist at the launch and establishment of the MRK Contemporary Art Gallery, which aims to celebrate and promote the works and masterpieces of Emirati artists, including child prodigy artists, to preserve the rich diversity of Emirati culture.

Inaugurated by Mohammed Al Murr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation and former speaker of the UAE FNC, the launch saw the presence of renowned Emirati artists, such as Dr Najat Makki, Abdul Qader Al Rayes, Faisal Abdul Qader, and Khalil Abdul Wahid (Maitha's Father).

Promoting works of pioneering Emirati artists

Maitha, along with two more Emirati child artists, wowed the art world cognoscenti with their thought-provoking works that were done in digital art forms.

Explaining her art pieces that were primarily digital sketches of girls displaying their different emotions, little Maitha said, "My art works display different phases we girls experience in our daily lives and how we want people to understand us. Just drawing these different forms makes me happy. My father, who is also an artist, always encourages me to draw what I love. Today is one of the most memorable days of my life as this is the first time my artworks are being displayed at such a reputed gallery."

Hailed as a painting prodigy, Maitha displayed around 10 artworks, some of which also showcased her concern about the Earth in the wake of global warming and pollution.

Another self-taught Emirati teenager, Aisha Abdul Karim, displayed around nine artworks that focused on fashion illustrations showing women from various backgrounds, colours and ethnicities. The 14-year-old says her focus on art is realism and fashionable women and girls.

"I am glad and nervous at the same time as this is the first time my works are being displayed publicly and are being appreciated by some reputed artists from around the world. Art motivates me and encourages me to take up new challenges. If I feel satisfied with my artwork, my day goes well, and I want to keep the creativity going. It just makes me very happy," says the teenager, who aims to become an engineer when she grows up.

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