A 3D artwork that merges figures of two Dubai leaders

Visitors are trickling into Dubai Design District (d3) like never before after videos of an art installation went viral on social media and became the talk of the town.
The giant artwork that displays portraits of Dubai's two noble leaders in one piece is even alluring pedestrians to stop by the d3 to have a glance of the unique creation.
The installation is a fusion of layers that merges figures of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his son Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; into one big 3D multidimensional sculpture.
On Friday, both Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan visited d3 to see the artpiece titled 'Vision/Mission, commissioned by Kart Group for Dubai Design Week 2018.
Mustafa Khamash, managing director of Kart Group, told Khaleej Times that the installation, which presents both leaders back to back, invites visitors to reflect on the culture of leadership across generations. Made as a technique of placing a copy of an image within itself (mise en abyme), the installation aims to reflect that the sense of authority and responsibility originates from the same familial source inherited from father to son, which is what any nation would need to expand and prosper.
"The installation was accomplished by playing with layers, simplifying the contour lines of the Sheikhs' portraits, yet modelling enough details to express a depth and an intriguing confusion to give maximum realistic effect."
Made of aluminum metal sheets assembled in layers on a stainless steel main structure, the art piece weighs 1,600kg with a height of 2.7 metres and width of 1.7 metres.
Khamash said it took two weeks from the team to get the concept and design, while the entire production took two months to complete.
"We received enthusiastic reactions from the audience, for the innovative contemporary art installation, that is displayed in an open-air museum in the urban context on the occasion of an international event that celebrates design," added Khamash.
It remains unconfirmed whether the piece will remain permanently positioned at D3, but the team hopes it becomes part of the area's urban context.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com