|
You have heard of Impressionism, Cubism and Surrealism. Now get ready for UAEism. This contemporary art genre, developed by UAE national artist Wasel Safwan is inspired by the multicultural community of the UAE and embraces the concept of the world as a global village. Safwan's bright and colourful UAEistic paintings are on display this week at the Ibn Battuta Mall as part of the Dubai Summer Surprises' Arts Surprises.
Safwan is an architect by training and an artist at heart. He has been painting since he was 6 years old. His vibrant abstract paintings are composed of broken geometric shapes and many different colours harmoniously blended together to convey various themes, moods and feelings.
Spectrum
"There are more than 200 nationalities living in the UAE and contributing to the country's rapid growth," said Safwan. "To me, the multicultural society I live in reflects the full spectrum of the colours of humanity. The colours in my paintings represent the different types of people I see, the different languages I hear and the various cultures I am exposed to here."
"I call my style UAEism because this is art born in the UAE and inspired by the UAE. It is modern art that connects the past with the future and reflects the remarkable maturation of this country in the last few years. But UAEism is not only for the UAE. It was born from a respect for humanity and is part of the global village and belongs to all mankind. The broken geometries and symbolic colours in my paintings also depict the UAE as part of the wider global community," he adds.
Though Safwan's canvases have universal appeal, they are infused with the special flavour of the UAE. For instance a canvas done in fiery yellows, oranges and reds is enigmatically titled Coolness 44C.
"I always paint outdoors and the day I painted this, the temperature was 44 degrees Celsius. But I did not feel the heat because there was a cool breeze blowing," he explains with a smile.
Art as business
The enterprising young artist has combined his love for art and architecture to open Wasel Art, an art investment company that works closely with interior designers and home owners to create customised pieces of art for homes, offices and public buildings.
"I recently created more than 20 artworks for a new building and have done commissions for several homes in the UAE. Thanks to my training in architecture, I can easily understand the needs of clients. But I also try my best to understand the psychology of my customers to create something that suits their taste and the ambience they desire," he says.
"I am happy that DSS has given me this opportunity to share my art and my concept of UAEism with UAE residents and visitors from around the world," he adds.
More art
The Arts Surprises at Ibn Battuta Mall this week include painting, photography, calligraphy and sculpture exhibitions in the Egypt Court.
There are also various art workshops for children and adults held every evening in the China Court.
The "cube cinema" is showing animated films from 5.30pm till 10pm.
Where to see it
Wasel Safwan's UAEism paintings are on display in the Egypt Court of Ibn Battuta Mall till tomorrow. More information about his work can be found at www.waselart.com
|
