Art4sight - Dubai 2015

Art4sight 28 APRIL 2015 - DUBAI

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Noor Dubai Foundation Noor Dubai Foundation is a UAE based charity focused on the prevention of blindness and visual impairment globally. It was launched as an initiative in 2008 by the Vice president and Prime Minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and was later established as an NGO by Law in October 2010. So far, 23 million individuals from all over Africa and Asia have benefited from the free treatment and preventive programs conducted by the Noor Dubai Foundation as well as the provision of free glasses and medication. The Foundation continues to strive towards fulfilling the Vision 2020 initiative of a world free from avoidable forms of blindness.

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Art 4 sight “Art 4 Sight” is a charity art event where donated artwork is exhibited and sold in a fundraising auction to support Noor Dubai Foundation’s global programs that are focused on the prevention of blindness.

This event started with 12 year old Fatoumata from Mali who regained her sight following eye surgery performed by the Noor Dubai Team.

The young girl was fascinated by the contrast in colors and amazed the team by painting while still in the recovery phase; something that very few do.

ART 4 Sight, now in its fifth year, has flourished to be a huge success all because one girl saw beauty and went where others were not ready to go. This is what “Art 4 Sight” comes down to: dedicating art to restore the gift of sight to those less fortunate and giving them the opportunity to witness what beauty this world has to offer.

With overwhelming support from prominent international artists, local art galleries and internal auction houses, “Art 4 sight” grows bigger and more successful each year which helps increase awareness of the ongoing plight of those living in the darkness. All the funds raised from the auction will go towards our 2015 mobile eye camps in Pakistan, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Nepal.

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Zabeel Ladies Club Zabeel Ladies club was established with a vision to be the leading destination in the world of fitness, health, beauty and knowledge. It is a new and exceptional concept in the world of fitness and beauty where the club provides exclusive services that meet the needs of women in a private and friendly atmosphere.

Zabeel Ladies Club is classified under four different wings, listed below: Jude Fitness Wing; Eden Health Wing; Ghazal Wellness Wing; Oud Metha Events Wing.

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* 401 AMINA AL ABASSI (Bahraini, B. 1988) ‘’Pearls and Emeralds - ‫” لولو و زمرد‬ Mixed Media 130 cm x 130 cm Commissioned in 2015 for ART 4 Sight This work is unique

USD $ 3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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Two sisters are dancing in harmony. The radiance of emerald mingled with the luster of pearls form an unbreakable bond; A union of harmony in friendship.

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* 402 NAJAT MAKKI (Emirati, B. 1956) ‘’Takween - ‫” ت�كوي�ن‬ From the “Circle” series Acrylic on Canvas Signed by artist (lower left) 80 cm x 80 cm Painted in 2015

USD $ 8,000 – 10,000 AED 30,000 – 37,000

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“… Through the circle series, Najat Makki focuses on developing the inner and outer compositions of the perfect circle to demonstrate the complete harmony and rhythm of everything worldly in this universe as most objects rebel out of the perfect circle to mock it…”

* 403 WISSAM SHAWKAT (Iraqi, B. 1974)

In this series, the artist used aesthetics to create a body of artworks using his signature style (Al Wissam) in a very modern and abstract way by applying it to the simple word ‫حــب‬

‘’Love” From the series – Letters of Love Ink & acrylic colors on canvas Signed by artist (lower right) 50 cm X 75 cm Painted in 2014

USD $ 2,000 – 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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* 404 AYESHA ALYASSI (Emirate, B. 1997) “A Lover’s Note” Pencil sketch with crystals and pearls Signed (lower right) 30 cm x 40 cm (diptych) Executed in 2014 (Donated by Baume et Mercier)

USD $ 2,000 - 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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Inanimate objects can be used to create unique bonds between people.

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* 405 RIYADH NEAMA (Iraqi, B. 1968) “Untitled” Acrylic on Canvas Signed and dated (lower left) 140 cm x 140 cm Painted in 2013

USD $ 7,000 - 9,000 AED 26,000 – 33,000

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This work was a part of a project for the reflections of ordinary people that were looking at the clothes displayed in the windows of luxury shops and boutiques within the city, ever since the outsized displacement movement occurred amongst the inhabitants of the countryside towards the city, due to the conditions of our country, that formed distress in the state of the minds of those that faced the city’s souk.

In this work, I tried to moderate the consumer’s situation within the city’s through the introduction and usage of “jeans”, by means of simple technology and positioning it into my art piece, that expresses their views and astonishments from the prices displayed within the city’s markets.

A self portrait of the artist and her son. Her muse. Her Inspiration.

Her world.

* 406 LATEEFA BINT MAKTOUM (Emirati, B.1985) ‘’Sustaining Identity” Digital photography, archival print 26.75 cm x 37.5 cm Edition 1 of 3 Executed in 2015

USD AED

$ 8,000 – 10,000 30,000 – 37,000

Motherhood is a major transition in a person’s life. A person never knows how much they can be attached and protective about another human being until they enter parenthood. Carrying a child for 9 months, aspects of its characters are revealed even before he is born.

For the mother a beginning of a new level of training of patience begins; and an unspoken bond starts to be bound.

Its true when “they” say no one understands a child like their mother.

She reads every little gesture and knows the greater meaning behind it. She has seen every layer of what makes this human being who they are. Her schedule and life, revolves around this tiny human.

He pulls her into a realm she never knew existed; testing her mind, body and soul in ways she never thought were possible. It’s a start to a never ending story of love, friendship and understanding. May the bond never be broken insha’Alla.

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As light reflects of every surface, object and visible thing within the spectrum of color, it bounces into our eyes. Equally as important in the art of vision is the minds interpretation of the visual spectrum. It is the mind’s eye that truly gives us the sight of reason and understanding, and allows us to question any idea that we may be pushed into. We are able to strengthen our other senses when we find ourselves weakening. Just like some species which can depend on vibrations to see, we have the ability to not only survive but prosper regardless of our apparent weaknesses. We have what we call the mind’s eye.

We are not what we are, because of what we see, We are what we are, because of how we feel.

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Myneandyours (Artist from London) ‘’What We Are’’ Glicee digital print, fine art archival paper, hand deckled Signed and numbered 61 cm x 166 cm (framed) Edition 1 of 5 Produced in 2015

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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* 408 MAJID AL YOUSEF (Iraqi, B. 1974) 1 - Passion 2- Light Acrylic on Linen Signed by artist (lower right) 90 cm x 52 cm (diptych) Executed in 2014

USD $ 4,000 – 6,000 AED 15,000 – 22,000

To explore more of the hidden beauty of calligraphy, Arabic letters take a journey into the modern art movements and theories. Inspired by cubism and futurism a new perspective of calligraphy is presented in a fresh experimental style. As the eye is used to explore an artwork through time, several images register in various focus levels, angles and dynamics. The experience of observing an artwork captures many viewing scenarios and perspectives as if they were happening in the same moment. It reveals different aspects of visual aesthetics, emotions and creates dynamic dialogue with the written words, and the pure abstract contour of each letter in a way that is vibrant, energetic and communicative in a different style. The motion of the objects works as a plot for the art piece content. With calligraphy, the actual written word is physically motionless, but the eye triggers the cognitive receiver in the brain to travel around the canvas and make a dynamic and continuous motion that is presented in one frame as if it was snapshots from the visual memory, a two-dimensional surface is emerging with vivid memory prints or various angles and scales of the letters.

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* 409 SUHAILA AL NAJDI (Kuwaiti, B. 1958) “ Dialogue -‫” حوار‬ Acrylic on Canvas Signed by artist (lower left) 100 cm x 100 cm Painted in 2015 This work is unique

USD $ 2,000 – 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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Nowadays, technology takes the direct dialogue between people where feelings and sensations are not touchable and words lose their honesty. Let’s leave it for a while in our day and sit together to talk to not lose our humanity.

* 410 MANAL AL DOWAYAN (Saudi, B. 1973) “Gold Bracelets” Silver Gelatin Fibre Print 51 cm x 41 cm Edition 1 in 7 Executed in 2006

“…As our societies rapidly develop to keep up with our changing world, people cling to certain traditions for a sense of safety. Local traditions should not be left unexamined. Women represent half of our communities; therefore their potential and energy become valuable resources for a healthy society…”

USD $ 10,000 – 12,000 AED 37,000 – 44,000

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* 411 FATMA AL JOKER (Emirati, B. 1986) “Ela Al Abad” 2D Collage with digital printing 30 cm x 40 cm (4 panels) Executed in 2014 (Donated by Baume et Mercier)

USD $ 3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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Inspired by old Arabic movies, this artwork depicts a simple promise made by a man to the woman he loves as a PROMESSE to stay together and live happily ever after. The commitment made for one another brings happiness to the people you commit to from now until infinity.

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“Constant is this person, this pawn, this dwarf From the world of puppets, constant as walls!

As a rock, as a citadel, its inhabitants ask with all senses, and no one responds On one hand, Constant lives under the roof of “Tyranny”, and under the roof of backwardness and religion extremism on the other hand.

Sees through one eye, and only perceives two colors, either white, either black He hides the upper part of his head’s emptiness by a hat or a turban, which carries threads of amusement and tampering.”

This personality “Constant” first began when I was commissioned to sculpt a statue of the great writer and poet “Muhammad Al Maghout. Ever since that moment, the talented “Muhammad Maghout’s” face inspired me, as well as his accused/questionable accusatory that highly affected me, by each corruption and decomposition, in which the Arab world lives in. I started drawing the first panel of him (Muhammad Al Maghout), imagining him as the mobster boy, rebellion upon his innocence and his life as an adolescent.

* 412 HOUMAM AL SAYED (Syrian, B. 1981) “Constant” Oil on Canvas 210 cm x 145 cm Painted in 2015

USD $ 12,000 – 14,000 AED 44,000 – 52,000

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* 413 SALMA AL MERRI (Emirati) “Poem” Acrylic on Canvas Signed and dated (lower left) 120 cm x 100 cm Painted in 2012

USD $ 6,000 - 8,000 AED 22,000 – 30,000

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The artist relies on a technique of her own, and that is by achieving different textures with a variety of intricate detail. What differentiates this technique than others is the sole use of 1 medium which is Acrylic paint; whereas the observer of the art piece would think that the artist has used mixed media to achieve this result. The collection that this art work is part of has won the Grand prize of the Biennale of Modern Art in Kuwait in 2012.

* 414 ABDALLA OMARI (Syrian, B. 1986) “Syrian Migrating Bird” Acrylic on Canvas 115 cm x 77 cm Painted in 2015

“Many bird species in Syria migrate Migration is primarily driven by escaping war It carries high costs in predation and mortality Commencing upon the hunting by border police.”

USD $ 4,000- 6,000 AED 15,000 – 22,000

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* 415 MONA AL KHAJA (Emirati) “IshraQ -‫” إشراق‬ From the series “Human Values” Acrylic on Canvas Signed and dated (lower left) 100 cm x 80 cm Painted in 2009

USD $ 3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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Inspired by the traditional Emirati culture and unique customs.

‫لقــد عجــزت الحــروف والكلمــات فــي التعبيــر عــن حبــي واحترامــي لهــذا البلــد المعطــاء‬ ‫والكبيــر بــكل مــا فيــه واالصيــل بأهلــه وحكامــه فتركــت فرشــاتي والوانــي تعبــر عمــا‬ ‫اشــعر بــه نحوكــم ‪ .‬فهــذا البلــد الــذي عــم خيــره ارجــاء الدنيــا ومــن غيــر ِمنــهُ علــى احــد‬ ‫وانمــا هــي اخــاق تربــوا عليهــا ونفــوس كريمــة اجــادت بالخيــر بمــا افــاض اهلل عليهــم‬ ‫مــن نعمــه‪.‬‬ ‫فأمنــوا وهنيئــا‬ ‫هنيئــا لكــم اهــل االمــارات بهــذا البلــد وهنيئــا لكــم بحــكام عدلــوا ِ‬ ‫لحكامكــم بشــعبا مخلصــا وفيــا لكــم‪.‬‬

‫‪* 416‬‬ ‫‪SAMIRA BUKHAMSEEN‬‬ ‫)‪(Kuwaiti‬‬ ‫” معجزة الصحراء ‪“The Miracle of the Desert -‬‬ ‫‪Acrylic on Canvas‬‬ ‫)‪Signed and dated (lower right‬‬ ‫‪80 cm X 90 cm‬‬ ‫‪Painted in 2015‬‬ ‫‪This work is unique‬‬

‫‪USD $ 2,000 – 3,000‬‬ ‫‪AED 7,000 – 11,000‬‬

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* 417 NOOF AL REFAIE (Bahraini, B. 1983) “ Who is next? ” From the series (Tanaghom) Mixed Media on Wood 60 cm in diameter (1 of 3) Executed in 2012

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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This work explores today’s music and questions the voices, lyrics and words. Will anything be as beautiful and poetic as old time music and lyrics of the legends? Those old-school powerful lyrics that inspired good causes and brought about movements focused on peace in this world. So, who is next?

A promise resembles a loop in that once broken, loses its main and most important characteristic. It then becomes no longer a promise.

* 418 BAHAR AL BAHAR (Syrian, B. 1991) ‘’A Promise Loop’’ 3D Printed Stainless Steel on Walnut Wood 30 cm W x 15 cm L x 15 cm D Executed in 2014 (Donated by Baume et Mercier)

USD $ 3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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Look closely and deeply, you will see nature in every speck, in every stroke.

* 419 EMAN KHAMIS (Emirati, B. 1986) “Tales” Markers and Water Colors Signed by artist on edge 30 cm x 30 cm (diptych) This work is unique

USD $ 2,000 – 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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Death without cause, by a Sniper’s bullet, That person thrown on the sidewalk, slaughtered…

No one can approach him, or help him, fearing to become the second victim.

He is the person in whom the camera’s observer is trying to clarify from afar, with no avail.

* 420 TAREK BUTAYHI (Syrian, B. 1982) “Unknown Identity” Acrylic on Canvas Signed (lower right) 70 cm x 120 cm Painted in 2013

USD $ 3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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“I have depicted nature as a flower with a tall slender stem and a blooming crown. It shows nature’s upward continuous growth responding to light.

It has no beginning or end in sight. In contrast the masks are suggestive of growth, mindfulness and responsibility via the structure of the circles depicted.

They wrap closely around the stem providing a blue halo-like effect showing a delicate but strong coexistence. Both the bloom and the mask hold different forms and have different roles but both have adapted to work in harmony with each other.”

* 421 MAITHA DEMITHAN (Emirati, B. 1989) ‘’Growth’’ Scanography 110 cm x 50 cm Executed in 2015

USD $ 6,000 – 8,000 AED 22,000 – 30,000

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* 422 BASSIM SIBAI (Syrian, B.1959) “The Universal Dream - ‫” حلم كوني‬ Oil on canvas Signed and dated (lower right) 80 cm x 80 cm Painted in 2008

When life gets tough, we resort to dreams that intoxicate us and take us away. The most beautiful of those dreams is when two souls navigate as one to share life’s burdens in continuous unity.

USD $3,000 – 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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* 423 HESSA AL JOKER (Emirati, B. 1989) “ An Eternal Pact ” Mixed Media 28 cm x 20 cm (triptych) Executed in 2014 (Donated by Baume et Mercier)

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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* 424 ABDUL QADER AL RAIS (Emirati, B. 1951) “Calligraphy” From AlHaa series Watercolors on Paper Signed and dated (lower right) 155 cm x 105 cm Executed in 2009

USD $ 40,000 – 60,000 AED 150,000 – 220,000

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The Dallah is such an important generosity symbol in the UAE.

* 425 KHAMEIS AL HEFAITY (Emirati, B. 1981) “Ahlan wa Sahlan” Canvas 100 cm x 70 cm Executed in 2006

USD $ 2,000 – 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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* 426 RUBEN SANCHEZ (Spanish, B. 1981) “Untitled” Spray Paint on Canvas Signed and dated (lower right) 121 cm x 91 cm Commissioned in 2015 for ART 4 Sight This work is unique

USD $ 4,000 – 6,000 AED 15,000 – 22,000

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The world of color that we have in front of our eyes is only perceptible through the gift of sight.

This illustration depicts some of the humorous shop signs found in the area, called Karama in Dubai. The illustration was one of the many results of the self-initiated project depicting some of the forgotten areas around Dubai.

‘Arab Dreem’ speaks of the communities found in these forgotten areas, and the charm one finds when exploring these communities. From misspelt shop signs, to charming characters, one experiences a different side to Dubai which is slowly getting lost.

* 427 KHALID MEZAINA (Emirati, B. 1985) “ Arab Dreem ” Illustration 38 cm x 25 cm Executed in 2013

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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This work looks at a state of belonging and / or longing in a variety of landscape contexts.

* 428 MARK PILKINGTON (British, B. 1951) “ Rock Sea ” Photograph – Digital Print on Archival Paper 33 cm x 88 cm Photographed in 2014

USD $ 2,000 - 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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The Shuck2 style explores new possibilities for the Arabic alphabet through modern calligraphy. This unique style deconstructs the letter and gives it a new powerful dimension while maintaining the harmony and balance.

* 429 SHUCK2 (French, B. 1972) “ Sheen ” Spray Paint and felt top pen on Canvas Signed (lower right) 92 cm x 122 cm Executed in 2015

USD $ 3,000- 5,000 AED 11,000 – 18,000

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* 430 ABDEL QADER HASSAN (Sudanese, B. 1951) “A Tale of Two Cities” Watercolor on Paper 70 cm x 50 cm (diptych) Executed in 2014

USD $ 6,000 – 8,000 AED 22,000 – 30,000

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Jessica Mein’s work focuses on the increasingly obsolete visual materials from Sao Paulo and Dubai, which are being substituted by high-tech alternatives.

* 431 JESSICA MEIN (Brazilian, B. 1975) ‘’Trama’’ Acrylic matte medium and glue over hemp cloth 56 cm x 75 cm Executed in 2015

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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* 432 NOOR SHAMMA (Emirati, B. 1985) ‘’Breathe‘’ Acrylic on Canvas Signed by artist (lower left) 24 cm x 30 cm Executed in 2014 This work is unique

USD $ 2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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Everyone is trapped. Trapped in a job. Trapped in a lie. Trapped in a reality. Even trapped in a dream.

So every now and then, all we need is to shut our eyes and just breathe.

Through this series I am trying to depict the emotions through a random form of collage used from newspapers and magazines to form a magical word coming to life out of the envelopes.

* 433 HAMDAN BUTI AL SHAMSI (Emirati, B. 1981) ‘’Untitled’’ From the series ‘Collage on Envelops’ Collage Signed and dated 35 cm x 26 cm (Diptych) This work was executed in 2014

USD $ 2,000 – 4,000 AED 7,000 – 15,000

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* 434 AMAL AL TAMIMI (Emirati, B. 1973) ‘’ Prediction’’ Acrylic on Canvas Signed in Arabic & English (lower left and right) 90 cm x 35 cm Painted in 2014

USD $2,000 – 3,000 AED 7,000 – 11,000

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A life incident that got translated into ‘Prediction’. It only made sense two days after its completion. This is the amazing thing about looking backwards at life.

Winners of the Art4Sight 2015 Photography Competition This photography competition with its third year run hopes to keep growing and to provide opportunities for people to learn about blindness and emphasizes on their responsibility towards visually impaired individuals. This year, the theme of the competition was inspired by the words of HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai: “The biggest risk of all is not taking one�.

First Place

Mario Bejagan Cardenas, Philippines

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Second Place

Nadeem Rasheed, Pakistan

Third Place

Third Place: Farah Al Balooshi, Tanzania

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THE JUDGES Khalil Abdelwahid Khalil Abdulwahid is the Manager of Visual Arts at the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, responsible for developing and implementing key cultural and arts events. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the Emirates Fine Arts Society from 2009 to 2010, Khalil also curated the 30thEmirates Fine Arts Society Annual Exhibition at the Sharjah Art Museum, while working as an active member on the Advisory Board of the Department of Visual Communication at the American University of Dubai. As an artist, Khalil has participated in numerous local, regional, and international exhibitions, where his works have been recognized at some of the foremost art events including the Sharjah International Biennial, and numerous international platforms such as the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art. He was also shortlisted as a finalist at the YCE Visual Arts Awards 2008. Khalil is the winner of the Suad AlSabah Awards at the Kuwait Gulf Exhibition in 2010, the distinguished prize at the Sharjah International Biennial in 1997; GCC Youth Exhibition – Qatar in 1995; Golden Palm Leaf GCC Exhibition – Kuwait in 1994; Jury Prize at the CF Abu Dhabi in 1994; First Prize in the Youth Art Exhibition – Dubai in 1993; GCC Youth Exhibition – Kuwait in 1992; GCC Youth Exhibition – Saudi Arabia in 1991; Khalil has also served on the panel of the Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2012; 3rd Sharjah International Biennial for Children’s Arts 2012; Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) Design Competition; the Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Award for Child Creativity; and the Member’s Exhibition for the Dubai International Art Centre.A graduate from the Pennsylvania State University – State College in 2001, Khalil also holds an Associate Degree in Computer Aided Drafting & Design from the Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Mark Pilkington Mark Pilkington was born in the UK in 1951. He studied Fine Art before completing a Masters degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art, London

in 1977. Mark taught photography at a number of UK colleges before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 1997. He currently teaches practical and history of photography at the College of Architecture, Art and Design, American University of Sharjah. Mark has exhibited widely in the UK, notably at the Photographers’ Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, in London and at the Format International Photography festival in Derby UK. He has work made in collaboration with Helen Chadwick in the permanent collection of the Tate Gallery London. Mark has exhibited extensively in the UAE, and has had two solo exhibitions at Tashkeel, Dubai as well as exhibiting at Sharjah International Biennale 6 and 7. He has also shown at a number of international art fairs including the Turin Art Fair, Beirut Art Fair, and at Art Dubai.

His work has primarily centres on using himself in photographs - not so much as a self-portrait, more as a protagonist within an otherwise uninhabited world responding with particular surroundings / situations. The work explores interactions between the person and the place and looks at concepts relating to belonging and longing. Marks latest work includes the protagonist becoming an integral part of the landscape, immersed in its form.

Yacob Ahli Born in Dubai, UAE in 1981, Yacob Ahli never planned to become a photographer, neither did he expect to become passionate about this discipline.

The sound of his friend’s SLR shutter during a trip to Thailand got his attention and opened the gates for him to the world of photography. Ahli is an Emarati banker who graduated from the Emirates Banking Institute. He had a purely business background and no interest in the visual arts. However, all this has changed and he started seeing things through a different perspective searching for interesting faces, moments and nature through his travels. His eye for photography has earned him over 25,000 online followers.

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BIOGRAPHIES Abdalla Omari: Syrian painter and filmmaker Abdalla Omari was born in Damascus in 1986. In 2009, Omari graduated simultaneously from the Damascus University with a degree in English Literature and the Adham Ismail Institute for Visual Arts.

During his studies, Omari created and collaborated on numerous animation films, series, and video arts including ‘The Eleventh Commandment’, a film directed by Syrian filmmaker, Mwafaq Katt, and participated in the 2010 Damascus International Cinema Festival. A full- time artist represented by Kamel Gallery in Damascus, Abdalla Omari has collaborated in a workshop at the gallery with Ghassan Sibai and Fouad Dahdouh. Abdalla Omari’s paintings were first featured with Ayyam Gallery in early 2012 at The Young Collector’s Auction 13, where his captivating portrait garnered much attention and sold significantly above estimates. Since his graduation, Omari’s work has been featured in many exhibitions, auctions and festivals in: Syria, Lebanon, UAE, Georgia, France, UK, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and others.

Abdul Qader Al Rais: Born in Kuwait in 1951, AbdulQader Al Rais is credited with bringing the UAE’s contemporary art movement to the rest of the world. AlRais’s extraordinary talent was obvious in his detailed pencil and watercolor sketches from a young age. He paints landscape and architectural scenes inspired

by Emarati traditional neighboroods, buildings and forts using a photorealistic style. Al Rais is the first recipient of the Sheikh Khalifa prize for arts and literature and is a member of the Emirati fine arts Society. He won numerous awards and has his artwork displayed in the UAE and abroad such as The British Museum, Qatar Museum of Modern Art, Kuwait Museum of Modern art, Sharjah art museum, and Jordan National gallery of fine arts.

Abdul Qader Hassan AL-Mubarak: Born in Sudan in 1951, Abdul Qader Hassan counts its nature and landscape as one of great sources of inspiration for his art pieces. Al Mubarak graduated in 1978 with a degree in Painting from the college of Fine and Applied Arts in Khartoum. He has taught Arts in the UAE since 1980.

Over time, he changed his style to abstractionism and has been participating in group and solo exhibitions since 1995 including the Sharjah Biennale 1995 and 1999, the Bangladesh Biennale 2001, Majlis Gallery 2001, Art Attack 2001 and Swiss Art Gate 2013. Al-Mubarak has been awarded with Al Burda prize three times from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development in the UAE. Amal Al Tamimi: Born in Abu Dhabi UAE in 1973, Amal AlTamimi grew up with a love for painting. She started arranging personal exhibitions from 1999 onwards and her paintings got sold within the private sector and to art collectors. She participated in art exhibitions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai such as Art Fiesta in 2011 and with the AD Cultural Foundation. Her latest series was exhibited in Bahrain.

Amina Al Abbasi: Born in Sydney, Australia in 1988, Bahraini native Amina Al Abbasi always had a fascinating eye for art since a young age.

She is the owner of “Amina Gallery” in Bahrain, a gallery that gathers paintings and art inspired products, showcases her products in all GCC countries as well as a section in Harrods , London. Al Abbasi’s work is contemporary with a transitional twist; she focuses on cultural themes and tries to find a common ground of beauty between traditions and modern techniques. She is a member of the Bahrain Art Society her work has been displayed in solo exhibitions in Qatar, Khobar , Riyadh and Bahrain.

Aysha Al Yassi: Born in Dubai in 1997, AL Yassi is an Emirati artist and a selfproclaimed filmmaker who was born in 1997. She has recently filmed a couple of short videos for numerous businesses around the country, such as Pearla Style and Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre and many more. When painting, Ayesha’s work mostly sheds light on historical and cultural events around the world that particularly intrigue her as an artist. She mostly focuses on merging between several medias, such as inks, acrylics, pencils and occasionally sewing as well. Majority of the layers in her artwork symbolizes something, whether it’s a hidden message or just a cultural denotation. Her latest work was exhibited at Rira Gallery for Baume and Mercier.

Bahar Al Bahar: Al Bahar was born in Damascus, Syria in 1991 and was raised in the UAE. A Bachelor’s Degree holder in Architecture with a minor in Product Design, the young Bahar boasts of a great work experience in architecture and 3D designing among other things. When asked to describe himself,

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Bahar said that he had an endless need to constantly make things, whether sculptural projects, formal explorations, or functional products in addition to a similar need to learn and grow. He always had a desire to learn how things work, and to try to question myself and everything he might be taking for granted as he works. In his pursuit of a profession that incorporates making, he nurtures an interest in product design, manufacturing, fabrication, and installation art.

Bassim Sibai: Born In Homs Syria in 1959, artist Bassim graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, University of Aleppo in 1981. He is a member of the Syrian Syndicate of Fine Arts and has taught arts in the University of Damascus. Over the years, the artist has participated in many group exhibitions such as the Sharjah Biennale (AlMahabbah) and his solo exhibitions started from 1997 in Damascus and have taken place in Beirut as well. Sibai has also exhibited with artists Fateh AlMoudares and Fadi AlMoudares. Sibai’s work has received international attention from art collectors.

Eman Khamis: Khamis was born in Dubai in 1986. Eman Khamis is an up and coming fashion designer and artist. With over 5 years of experience in graphic design and a lifetime›s enthusiasm for fashion illustration. Eman is dedicated to developing her artistic skills. She has worked in the creative departments of multinational marketing companies and both the government and private sectors in Dubai. Eman›s interests are art, design, pattern design and fashion. A collaborative project that she have worked on has won the 2014 Emirates Skywards Future Artists competition, which has been placed on Emirates Skywards Gold membership cards.

Fatma Al Joker: Born in Dubai in 1986, Fatma is an Emirati Fashion and Graphic designer. Fatma is also the founder of Pearla Style; a unique brand which shared its contribution to the fashion industry in 2008. She has participated in many art exhibitions and sells her brand in major cities in the region such as Dubai, Al Khobar and Cairo along with Kuwait and Bahrain. Pearla Style has also expanded out of the region to Europe, where it is well-known in cities like Hamburg and Valencia. Fatma’s work is versatile and merges the past, present and future.

Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi: Born in 1981, Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi is a self-taught photographer, graphic designer, and writer based in Al Ain City . He has participated in a number of group exhibitions around the United Arab Emirates, including in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as in the United Kingdom , the United States and Singapore. Al Shamsi have received the Salama bint Hamdan Emerging Artists Fellowship, which is organized in partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design. He also taught courses in photography with the Abu Dhabi Educational Council and digital college workshops at FUNN: Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children. Recently, he has been selected among 21 international artists to create work for Expo 2020 campaign «For Everyone».

Hessa Al Joker: Born in Dubai in 1989, Emirati Graphic and fashion designer Hessa Al Joker is also the co-founder of a feminine clothing brand named Pearla. Her work is unique and distinguishing owing to the different incorporation of mixed mediums and simple touches which create bold statements. She has been a part of the Venice Biennale and Abraaj Capital.

Houmam AlSayed: Born in Mesyaf, Syria in 1981, Houmam AlSayed graduated from the Sculpture Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus in 2003. Houmam had his first solo exhibition at Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut in 2012 followed by another solo exhibition at Mark Hachem Gallery in Paris, 2013. He has participated in many art fairs including: Art Paris, Scope Basel, Art Miami, Art Palm Beach and Beirut Art Fair.

Houmam’s exquisite works have recently come to the world stage at Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Houmam takes the human figure to a new level of expression with his playful and childish representations of everyday people set in a specific time and space. The faces are distinctive in their formative build with strong and flexible characters, which are grounded in his sculptural background. Houmam, who has recently moved to Beirut from Damascus, is a multi-disciplinary artist working in several media. His sensitive drawings often provide the inspiration for his paintings and sculptures. His artwork is the result of memories recreated, such as a road in an old neighborhood of Damascus, or himself with his family, drawn from a memory of them walking down a street.

Jessica Mein: Currently spending time between São Paulo and Dubai, Brazilian artist Jessica Mein›s work focuses on the increasingly obsolete visual materials from both cities, which are being substituted by high-tech alternatives. Her fascination with the nearly extinct hand printed hemp bags found in dry-goods markets around Dubai, is rooted in an investigation of the systems of production and dissemination of images throughout the urban space, and our consequent mental and physical relation to these processes and products.

As a contrast to the overwhelming ease and speed images are produced and circulated nowadays, Mein›s physical interventions are highly laborious, slow and complex. The hemp is used as a source of imagery, surface and support for her works. She scans sections of hemp bags and transfers them as images onto blank hemp. She then unthreads, rips and cuts the material, in a manual process that is inevitably doomed to errors and mistakes. By doing this, the artist simultaneously reveals the constitution of the fabric, decomposing it to its threads and fibers, and also exposes the structure sustaining the work, showing the wooden frames behind the fabric.

Khalid Mezaina: Born in Dubai, UAE in 1985, Khalid Mezaina is a graduate in Visual Communications from the American University of Sharjah, Khalid entered the art world through full-time placements in art organizations, including the Sharjah Art Foundation & currently at Tashkeel in Dubai. Being in the art community inspired Khalid to participate in group exhibitions, projects, & residencies, both in the UAE and internationally.

Khalid launched ‘krossbreed’ in 2010, which is an independent, interdisciplinary studio and brand, involved in product design. krossbreed products range from t-shirts, prints, stationary, wallpaper, furniture and more to come.

Khameis Al Hefeity: Al Hefaity is an Emirati photographer from Fujairah, working as International Promotion Executive at Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. Worked as a press photographer from Arab Media Group in Dubai, he did different volunteering activities in UAE and Internationally. Founder of East-Coast Photographers, which includes a group of photographers from Fujairah, Khorfakkan, Kalba and Dibba. He participates in photography events such as competitions, exhibitions and trips, also other big events across UAE & the Gulf.

Lateefa Bint Maktoum: Born in Dubai, UAE in 1985, Lateefa Bint Maktoum graduated from Zayed University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts. She has been exhibiting her work since 2004 beginning by creating public artworks in addition to creating artwork for charitable causes such as Medecins Sans Frontiers, Madrasati Palestine, ART4Sight for Noor Dubai Foundation.

In 2006 Lateefa won first prize in the Ibdaa Media Student Awards in the digital photography category, and in 2010 was awarded the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts awards. In 2012 she was awarded the CEO outstanding contribution to the arts by ITP. Her first gallery show was Perceptions at the Third Line gallery in 2006 in Dubai. In 2007 Lateefa started curating exhibitions.

The first exhibition that she curated, entitled Minus Reality, was shown at Art Attack gallery and showcased the work of 30 UAE-based artists. This show sparked the idea of the need for a studio for artists & designers living & working in the Gulf, leading to the establishment of Tashkeel. Lateefa’s first international exhibition was in 2008 at the Roger Smith Hotel in New York. She has also participated in the DNC Slideshow exhibition in Colorado. In 2008 she showed in the Community Darkrooms with “Educating Artists Online” showing in New York. In 2009 she exhibited alongside other Emirati artists at Emirates Palace in Emirati Expressions. In September 2009 Lateefa exhibited her work in Arc Biennale Brisbane, Australia as well as Venice Italy. In 2010 and 2012 Lateefa exhibited in the Bastakiyah Art Fair, as well as Art Dubai in 2011, 2012. She also showed at the Expo 2010 UAE pavilion in Shanghai Better City Better Life. In 2011 Lateefa was one of 3 artists from the region selected to exhibit in the UAE pavilion at the Venice Biennial also in 2011 she was an exhibiting artist part of Emirati Expressions curated by Stephen Shore at Manarat-al-Saadiyat AD. Lateefa’s artwork is included in private collections nationally and internationally. Lateefa has been the honorary patron of START since January 2008.

Maitha Demaithan: Born in Dubai in 1989, the Emirati artist Maitha Demaithan works with several mediums: photography, scanography, painting, drawing and photo transfers. The first drawings she created were sketched in the sand, which then formed her appreciation for color, texture, line and shadow. Demaithan’s most successful exhibition was in 2009, “Documentation” at Tashkeel where her first scanned self-portraits appeared.

Later in 2009, she participated in “Across the Gulf”, a group show that took part in the Brisbane Biennial. Other group shows include “Emerge” in Venice, “Emirati Vision” exhibition in Berlin, and the “Biladi” exhibition in the UAE Pavilion during the Shanghai Expo 2010.

Majid Al Yousef: Born in Saudi Arabia, Majid AlYousef is a calligrapher, designer and creative professional. His skills combine calligraphy, typography and digital art. At a very young age, Majid began focusing on the art of calligraphy guided by teachers and experts in the field. A first he started with the traditional path carved by master calligraphers but with time he set his own trademark upon his creative work. Al Yousef has a Masters degree in Computer Arts with a focus on interactive design and game development.

Manal Al Dowayan: Born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 1973, Al Dowayan took a range of courses in differing art institutions in Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and London. She is currently part of the British Council International Cultural Leaders Program.

AlDowayan was an artist in residence at the Delfina Foundation in London (2009), at Cuadro Fine Art Gallery (2010), and at The Townhouse Gallery in Egypt (2011).

AlDowayan has participated in numerous group exhibitions including the Edge of Arabia exhibitions (2008 – 11), the Venice Biennale (2009 and 2011), the Berlin Biennale (2010) and Contemporary Istanbul (2010). She has also exhibited regionally and internationally. She won an international call for artists for the Imagining Ourselves anthology in 2003, which was managed by the International Museum of Women in San Francisco. Her photograph “Pointing to the Future” was exhibited in New York at the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on the status of Women (CSW) in 2005. Her “I Am” series was exhibited at the Clinton Public Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. Manal AlDowayan’s work is part of the permanent collections of the British Museum, the Jordan National Museum of Fine Art, the Abdul-Latif Jamil Foundation, the Delfina Foundation in London, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), the Nadour Foundation in Germany, and the Barjeel Foundation in Sharjah.

Mark Pilkington: Mark Pilkington was born in the UK in 1951. He studied Fine Art before completing a Masters degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art, London in 1977. Mark taught photography at a number of UK colleges before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 1997. He currently teaches practical and history of photography at the College of Architecture, Art and Design, American University of Sharjah. Mark has exhibited widely in the UK, notably at the Photographers’ Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, in London and at the Format International Photography festival in Derby UK. He has work made in collaboration with Helen Chadwick in the permanent collection of the Tate Gallery London. Mark has exhibited extensively in the UAE, and has had two solo exhibitions at Tashkeel, Dubai as well as exhibiting at Sharjah International Biennale 6 and 7. He has also shown at a number of international art fairs including the Turin Art Fair, Beirut Art Fair, and at Art Dubai.

Mona Al Khaja: Emirati artist Mona Al Khaja graduated with a BA in plastic arts in 1981. She initially worked as an arts teacher in the ministry of education between the years 1984 till 2000. She holds many positions including Chief of the artistic committee in the girls’ club, Sharjah. She is also a member of the Emirates Plastic Arts Society. Al Khaja participated in many artistic exhibitions in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and in Kuwait, Amman, Cairo, Jordan, morocco, Bahrain, India, Germany, Japan, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia.

Myneandyours: The Myneandyours project revolves around the story of a cloud, and its relationship with the environment that surrounds it. It is an experiment in symbology, inspiring us to question ourselves, and what exists around us. Repetition of any symbol should provoke thought, and inspire a line of questioning. It’s not directly selling you anything, and it’s not formally part of any system - it just exists to exist, and it’s this

existence that I hope inspires you to question it. To question every detail of yourself will help you understand what it is to be human, and what this really means. The cloud delivers a message. It is your interpretation of this message that gives it life, and gives it reason to keep on flying. It is precious in its nature, and is there for you to seek comfort in it - for you to build stronger relationships through it. It is a part of us, and tries to teach us the importance of being pushed into an idea without really thinking about what it means. It’s important to empathize with your world, and everything that fills it, as it’s all Myneandyours. And if all else fails, the cloud will be there to make you smile on your way to work.

Najat Makki: Born in 1956 in Dubai, Najat Makki has gained worldwide success and recognition within the UAE and outside the Arab world as being one of the foremost female Emirati contemporary painters. She decided to pursue the arts at a young age and in 1977 became the first Emirati female to gain a government funded scholarship to study art abroad. Makki went on to the College of Fine Arts in Cairo where she obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Relief Sculpture and Metal and in 2001 received her PhD in Philosophy of Art. Makki is a member in the Emirates Plastic Arts Society, GSCC Art Friends Society, Al-Jidar Association, Dubai Cultural Council. Najat Makki won many awards in the Sharjah Biennale, the GCC Biennale and Al Mahhaba Biennale in Syria.

Noof AlRefaie: Originally a law graduate, Noof AlRefaie’s interests are variable. She is also a furniture designer, artist and owner of Sikkah Gallery in Bahrain. AlRefaie has been showcasing her artwork in exhibitions since 2011 in her native Bahrain such as Harmony in AlBareh Gallery in 2012 and the Al Aali art festival in 2013 and The Art Market in 2014. AlRefaie regularly conducts workshops to teach art to diferrent age groups.

She is also keep to give back through art by participating in ART4Sight, Aid for Gaza, Blossom Charity and “The Story of each Life”.

Noor Shamma: Consciously choosing to sheer away from a singular specialism, Noor Shamma›s artistic curiosity allows her to express emotion through a variety of forms and mediums, and in fact, consider a personal artistic imperative to do so.

Noor’s current work explores the symbiotic relationship of art, identity, and emotion through a plethora of imagery, style and texture. Between her popular «Postcard Initiative» and teaching children art in her spare time, Noor is currently the Head of Communications and Public Affairs at the ParisSorbonne University in Abu Dhabi. She resides in the United Arab Emirates and holds a BSc in Design Management from the American University of Sharjah.

Riyadh Ne’mah: Riyadh Ne’mah graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1992. His early artistic experience took form during the start of the ongoing Iraqi struggle, which was filled with oppression and exile. These experiences provided rich and profound inspirations to an insightful wave of Contemporary Iraqi art. Riyadh Ne’mah’s art is composed of overwhelming contrasts in colors, where lines are sharp and random and everything is in essence lyrical. His main focus and concept is the memory of a child, which he says is the” purest of our lives”.

Riyadh Ne’mah’s paintings are exhibited worldwide in: Iraq, Syria, USA, UK, Denmark, Holland, The Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Kuwait, Germany and Bahrain.

Ruben Sanchez: Born in Madrid, Spain in 1981, Ruben Sanchez moved to Barcelona 10 years ago and currently resides in Dubai.

Sanchez is a self-taught artist with a strong graphic style that resonates through all his projects. Coming from the graffiti and skateboard culture, he mostly works with acrylics and spray paint over canvas, woods or walls but his variety of mediums includes digital illustration, graphic design, animation and video. He has been the art director of Spain›s Alai Skateboards and Barcelona›s The DC Embassy, but his works can be seen in walls and galleries around the World and as collaborations with brands and collectives, most of them related with skateboarding.

Salma Al Merri: Salma Al Merri from UAE studied fine arts in Cairo, Egypt 1985. She is a member of the association of the emirates fine arts and has set up a number of individual exhibitions. She has also been part of several group exhibitions and symposiums nationally and internationally including (New York, Japan, Germany, Kuwait, Tunisia, and Egypt). Salam has won a number of awards among them is the grand prize at the Kharafi biennial for contemporary Arab Art 2012.Salma’s inspiration behind her art work is life, and its incidences that repeat themselves as mythological fantasies dating back to earliest cave drawings.

Samira Bukhamseen: Kuwaiti artist Samira Bukhamseen holds a degree in Geology from the University of Kuwait and has a very deep passion for drawing and painting. She started by sketching with pencils, but later on advanced her techniques and began to learn the basics of painting. Through her exposure to international arts, she developed her sense and style and began to excel in depicting facial expressions and body language. Bukhamseen participated in local and international exhibitions and her first solo exhibition was held in 2011 and included 62 paintings of women.

Shuck2: If the freight stays his favorite playground and he is recognized to be an exceptional performer, Shuck2 favors today a more personal work related to painting. His art lies in his capacity to deconstruct the letters, a practice based on his capacity to give letters a new and hard-hitting dimension all the while preserving the harmony and the balance of the final rendering. Recognized to be a precursor of the graffiti in Arabic, he explores today the new possibilities of this alphabet.

Thanks to his twenty year experience, Shuck2 has found today the balance between his subversive urban creations and his indepth study of lettering.

Suhaila Al Najdi: Award-winning Kuwaiti artist Suhaila Al Najdi has acquired a BSc in Fine Arts from Halwan University in Egypt and went on to become a prominent member of the Kuwait Society of Fine Arts and Kuwait Plastic Arts Association. AlNajdi has been exhibiting her work since 1999 in Kuwait and abroad such as Yemen, Oman, Sudan, Italy, Saudi, Armenia and UAE. She also organized 3 consecutive personal exhibitions in 2004, 2006, 2008. Al Najdi is also the recipient of several awards such as The State Incentive Award in 2006, The State Prize for Fine Arts in 2006 and The 1st Al Kharafi Biennale in 2004 and the Golden Dana Award in 2000.

Tarek Butayhi: Born in Damascus, Tarek Butayhi graduated from the Faculty of Fine Art Department of Painting, Damascus in 2006. Butayhi held two solo shows; the first was at Gallery Dar Kalemat in Aleppo, 2009 and the second in Kuwait at the Boushahri Art Gallery, 2011. He also participated in numerous exhibitions in Syria including: the ‘youth exhibition’ from 2006-2009, the French cultural centre in Damascus and Lattakia (2006-2007), and at Dar Kalemat, Aleppo in 20092011. Butayhi exhibited as well at the Museum of Modern Art in Lattakia (2009), sponsored by the UNDP; Gallery Subhi Shuaib, Homs, 2011; ‘Sketch Collective Exhibition’; Gallery Rewaq Al.Qeshla (2011); and Gallery Kozah, Damascus, 2012. Most recently he joined the ‘Small painting exhibition’ at Gallery Mustafa Ali. Wissam Shawkat: Born in Basra City in 1974, Wissam Shawkat has been passionate about Arabic Calligraphy since a very young age.

He is a self-taught by closely observing Turkish calligraphy masters. He has participated in many local and international competitions and exhibitions where his work has been admired across the Middle East as well Denmark, Austria, and Germany. He has been involved in the preparation of several international calligraphy events including Dubai international Calligraphy events as well as being a regular contributor to the quarterly (Hroof Arabiya). Currently Wissam works as senior designer and consultant, specialized in brand identity and Arabic typography with global branding and advertising agencies in the UAE and abroad. His most notable works include a calligraphy wall at the cultural and scientific association as well as the calligraphy in Mr. Majid Al FUTAIM mosque.

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