Abdulla paints historic lives of Emirati women showcased in first digital exhibition

DUBAI — With the COVID-19 pandemic causing unprecedented disruptions across all industries, acclaimed Emirati artist and designer Ashwaq Abdulla inaugurated Sunday the first of its kind digital art exhibition ‘Al Mabrouka’ across the region. The virtual exhibition showcases paintings resembling the historic lives and culture of Emirati women.

‘Al Mabrouka’, a name given to the elderly women in society due to their wisdom, and generosity, was attributed as a name of the digital exhibition that will feature 10 of Ashwaq’s art celebrating the success of Emirati women across the years.

The digital exhibition illustrates the historic lives of Emirati women via an animated fusion of watercolor pastel paintings. Emirati women always had a major contribution in the society where their role is demonstrated across various fields including education, agriculture, textiles among others.

The digital exhibition will showcase Ashwaq’s artwork representing the Emirati women history and lifestyle displaying their traditional clothes, adornments, and jewelry.

Commenting on her new digital exhibition, Abdulla said: “My dream has always been to bring my artwork to life through movement. In this exhibition, I was finally able to integrate my love for paintings with modern day technology and artificial intelligence.”

Abdulla’s new exhibition will combine culture, art and science together enabling spectators to touch the meaning behind each of the 10 exhibited paintings. The exhibition will have a touch of a distinctive piece of music composed by UAE music director and composer Muhammad Al-Ahmad.

“My goal is to make aesthetes to dive deep into the painting and understand the role of the Emirati woman and the impact she had on our society throughout the generations and still. The beauty of digital exhibition is that it has no limits, similar to art. ‘Al Mabrouka’ can be seen from anywhere and anytime around thew world,” he said.

“In cooperation with renowned Emarati composer Muhammad Al Ahmad, the exhibition will have an additional UAE flavor that will help art enthusiasts around the world understand and enjoy the digital exhibition,” added Abdulla.

The digital display will allow art enthusiasts around the world to roam and enjoy the paintings and immerse in the color spaces. Attending ‘Al Mabrouka’ is a unique experience distinct from the traditional exhibitions as the digital aspect enables attendees to live and contemplate the colors and shapes in the paintings.

The 10 paintings exhibited at ‘Al Mabrouka’ shed the spotlight on different aspects in the Emirati women lifestyle in the past years. The art covers Emirati women’s culture in traditional clothes and jewelry, struggle, responsibility, patience, love of life, giving, and the professions they worked.

The digital exhibition also includes a painting of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may God have mercy upon him), the founding father of the United Arab Emirates , who was ahead of his time on women's rights and women empowerment in the society.

About Ashwaq Abdulla:

With a strong track record that includes hundreds of art pieces and numerous participations in leading art exhibitions, Emirati artist and designer Ashwaq Abdulla is a seasoned professional artist and designer based out of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She employs the traditional watercolor and acrylics, trophy design and sculpture design.

Abdulla who sees art as a visual message to reach her audience considers aesthetic component essential in her work. Her art sheds the lights on issues related to society, heritage, UAE environment among other topics.

Most recently, Abdulla has inaugurated the first of its kind digital art exhibition ‘Al Mabrouka’ across the region. Backdropped with the music tunes of renowned Emarati composer Muhammad Al Ahmad, the virtual exhibition showcases paintings resembling the historic lives and culture of elderly Emirati women.

The stunning and creative paintings, sculptures and abstracts of the talented Emirati artist has put her name on the maps locally and globally. In 2016, she was the first Emirati to do a mural in the UAE at the open-air museum in Dubai. Her talent also shone on international stages as she was the first to design the official trophy of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic in California, USA, the world’s longest-running women’s-only professional tennis tournament.

Abdulla’s work was also portrayed in 5-star hotels. In 2019, Ashwaq combined her love of art and nature as she brought Abu Dhabi’s nature and its magnificent elements to life on a canvas with more than 300 breathtaking paintings hanged in each and every room of Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas. Moreover, she has more than 10 artworks in Abu Dhabi’s Four Seasons Hotel including painting and sculptures.

Her latest work included designing the official trophy for the 12th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship that was held in December 2019 in Abu Dhabi. The trophy represented the Volcano Fountain, one of Abu Dhabi's iconic landmarks and was presented to Rafael Nadal.

Abdulla’s passion for art shone at the age of 7 when she won a local art competition where her dream has always been to showcase the Emirati culture and society and reflect her country’s heritage through art. Abdulla studied interior design and graphic art at the city’s Higher Colleges of Technology. — SG