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Indian artist makes Sheikh Mohammed's portrait with Expo logos

Dubai - The artist used stamps of four sizes to create a very detailed and intricate portrait of Sheikh Mohammed.

A Dubai-based Indian artist has used an unusual medium to create breathtaking portraits of UAE leaders - the Expo 2020 logo.
As a tribute to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the upcoming Expo 2020, artist Ashok Kumar Nathabhai Jadav has painted a portrait using stamp impressions of the Expo 2020 logo.
The artist used stamps of four sizes to create a very detailed and intricate portrait of his hero Sheikh Mohammed, and hopes to gift it to him some day. "I must've stamped the canvas with Expo 2020 logos at least 125,000 times to create the portrait. Sheikh Mohammed is an iconic leader, and an inspiration for millions like me," Ashok told Khaleej Times.
He has also created portraits of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, using newspaper clippings and other paper collages as a medium.
An Indian businessman and artist born and raised in the UAE, Ashok has been a resident of the UAE since 1989. "We are originally from Gujarat. My father bought our family here to do business," said the 44-year-old. A former student of the Gulf Indian High School, Ashok is now married to Mital Ashok Kumar and has two boys aged 16 and three.
Outside of being an artist, Ashok also runs an equipment rental business. "Most of my art work is commissioned and I present it to my clients. My father launched an interior business which we discontinued, and a lot of knowledge about art and medium I learnt while working with him," he said.
The artist said since he didn't do well in school, he had to give up painting and start work with his father's business. "I've loved art since the very beginning. In 1997, I joined my father's business and since then art took a back seat," he said. However, in 2009, with encouragement from his wife Mital, he started painting again. He re-launched himself as an artist my painting his wife Mital's mural.
"There was a lot of improvement in my work, and I was able to relaunch myself as an artist. From oil to acrylic and textured mixed media, I do all forms of art. Most of my works are large-scale murals," said Ashok.
Speaking about the Expo 2020 mural, Ashok said, "There were no colours used in the stamp work. I created four stamps of the Expo and used them in different shades and sizes to create an accurate painting. It took me two months to complete the work, and I used no other paint of drawings while creating this portrait."
Ashok said he has been drawing portraits of rulers for six months and he has begun his work with Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan. "I was raised here and spent most of my adult life here in the UAE. I am inspired by Sheikh Mohammed and I hope someday I will get to meet him."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com