Emirati Artist Ashwaq Abdulla Paints The Historic Lives Of Emirati Women Showcased In First Digital Exhibition

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing unprecedented disruptions across all industries, acclaimed Emirati artist and designer Ashwaq Abdulla inaugurated today 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’sart 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, Abddullasaid: “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.”

Abddulla’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.

In cooperation with renowned Emarati composer Muhammad Al Ahmad, the exhibition will have an additional UAE flavor that will help art fanatics 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.