Abu Dhabi Week recently had a chance to chat with some of the freshest faces in the city's burgeoning art scene. Talking about their passions and inspirations, we wanted to profile some of the artists that you should be watching out for
Billowing Brushstrokes
Nabeel Al Mehairbi has been inspired by the English countryside since he was a young child. Studying in the UK, he was exposed to the natural environment around him and now mainly paints portraits and landscapes.
His pieces are strongly influenced by the impressionist period and artists such as Renoir, Monet, Sisley and Pissarro. He says, “I am attracted to works that depict movement or conflict in an environment.” And it's no wonder, his paintings are filled with action, with rolling hills and mirrored skies dotted together to show racing clouds or shifting waters.
Al Mehairbi goes on to explain: “The technique of brushwork tends to be thick and fast and is a reflection of a scene or person rather than a precise rendering.” When observing his work, one can easily delight in the swirls of paint splashed together to make up something more.
As an Emirati, Al Mehairbi is not too fond of the term “Emirati Art” and tries to steer clear of being labeled by any one genre or category. “I believe that once you give a label you begin to create boundaries, to me I can be influenced by many different things and this will be conveyed in my paintings. I don't think nationality should come into the equation, but the work itself and how it effects me and others.”
Next up: Look for his work in an upcoming exhibition on 23rd November at the Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Risky Business
Hamdan Al Shamisi is not afraid to take risks, and you can tell. A conceptual artist, he describes his artwork as “vibrations of subconscious and conscious experiences” that are interpreted visually. Primarily focusing on mixed-media, digital art and photography, Al Shamisi let's the artwork itself dictate which medium it should be made in.
He says he is inspired by “concepts based on people, because what I try to portray and express is the existence of human beings and our continued life of struggle to define ourselves, our beliefs, concerns, hopes and thoughts.”
He says, “Luckily enough I have been selling some of my artwork during a number of exhibitions, to both local and international individuals” and he hopes, in the near future to have the privilege of exhibiting outside of the UAE.
And we are certain that someone with so much talent and creativity will be showing internationally soon.
Al Shamisi said it best himself, “As we all know, art is a language that the world speaks and understands.”
Look for his work in the upcoming 23rd November Millennium Hotel exhibition and another exhibition being held during the celebration of National Day.
London Living
Noor Al Suwaidi was born in Abu Dhabi and has studied art in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She describes her work as “a kaleidoscopic trip into colourful canvases and variegated works on paper, all oscillating between the realms of portraiture and figurative abstraction.”
Her first solo exhibition, entitled “Like Coral, I Create Clouds,” contained bubbled up shapes that merge together into images of people and faces. Abstract, colourful and attention-grabbing, Al Suwaidi's first exhibition was hosted by Newertown Art. Exhibiting in the Gallery in Cork Street, London she showcased her skills.
In terms of the art scene here in Abu Dhabi she says, “In recent years we have also many events such as Abu Dhabi Art, initiatives by the Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation and exhibitions hosted in the capital by TDIC and ADACH.” These have helped bring art to the forefront of conversations here in Abu Dhabi.
She'll be in London for the next three months for residency and will be taking part in new shows towards the end of the year. Check out www.newertown.com for more information.
Shutterbug
Saoud Saeed Al Dhahri has been attracted to art since he was a child. Doodling on school papers, it was only in secondary school that he realized his talent for scribbles and photography could actually morph into a career as an artist.
Currently he has been focusing on a mixture of photography, digital art and mixed media. Al Dhahri says of his keen eye, “I use my photography to express my own experiences on a daily basis.”
His pieces include graphic images with pops of colour and humour. We love his ability to capture everyday mundane objects and turn them into bonafide works of art.
Despite the rapidly growing art scene, Al Dhahri admits it is sometimes frustrating as a new and up-and-coming artist to get noticed on a local and international scale. “I think that what is still lacking is that small or new artists are having trouble getting featured in international exhibitions.”
Keen to show internationall, Al Dhahri is still keeping himself very busy locally. He will be featured in the Millennium Hotel exhibition and his work will also appear in a National Day exhibition in December.
Sawaiba Khan
