Living and Creating in a Place of Contrasts
Living and working in the UAE has deeply influenced the way I think about art, identity, and belonging. This region is defined by contrasts—tradition and futurism, stillness and rapid transformation, heritage and global exchange. As an artist, I find myself constantly responding to these layers, even when my work is abstract.
My practice is not about documenting places literally. Instead, it reflects how living in the UAE and the wider GCC shapes inner experiences—how space, silence, movement, and cultural diversity leave emotional imprints. These impressions become the foundation of my visual language.
Art as an Inner Landscape
My work begins internally. I approach each piece as a way of mapping emotions, memories, and states of mind that are often difficult to articulate through words. Abstraction allows me the freedom to explore these spaces without boundaries, while still leaving room for the viewer to enter the work with their own experiences.
In the Gulf, where so many people come from different cultural backgrounds yet share the same physical environment, this openness feels important. I want my work to speak across languages and identities, offering a shared emotional space rather than a fixed narrative.
Process, Intuition, and Time
I work intuitively. I allow the process to guide me rather than imposing a strict outcome from the beginning. Layers build slowly, sometimes deliberately and sometimes instinctively. This way of working reflects how life unfolds here—patient in some moments, accelerated in others.
Time plays a critical role in my practice. In a region often associated with speed and scale, I see my work as an invitation to slow down. The surfaces of my pieces carry traces of revision, pauses, and reconsideration. I don’t erase these marks because they reflect growth, transition, and honesty.
Identity in a Multicultural Context
Identity is a recurring theme in my work, but not in a singular or fixed way. Living in the UAE has shown me that identity is fluid. Many of us exist between cultures, languages, and traditions. My work reflects this layered existence—never fully resolved, always evolving.
Rather than presenting identity as a statement, I treat it as a question. Through abstraction and symbolism, I explore what it means to belong, to observe, and to exist in between.
The Role of Contemporary Art in the GCC
The contemporary art scene in the UAE and GCC is growing rapidly, and I feel privileged to be part of this moment. There is increasing space for introspective, process-driven work that values emotional depth alongside innovation.
My goal is not to create art that competes for attention, but art that creates connection. In a region that is becoming a global cultural hub, I believe there is immense value in work that prioritizes reflection, mental presence, and emotional authenticity. For me, art is a quiet conversation—between myself, the work, and the viewer. Rooted in the UAE but open to the world, my practice continues to evolve as I navigate inner and outer landscapes. Each piece is a moment of honesty, offered without expectation, waiting to be experienced rather than explained.
