Abu Dhabi: Fatima Al Yousuf wanted something with which to remember her family home.
"This building that I grew up in was being torn down to make place for a new one, and although I wanted to preserve it for posterity, I had no idea how to capture its beauty and the depth of memories it held for me," the 24-year-old Emirati creative lab associate told Gulf News.
But when she registered for a summer photography workshop, her idea for a project soon developed into a series of 5"x7" prints that Fatima finally felt ready to exhibit.
"This is a very personal series, but the workshops helped me develop the courage to put my work out there, and the discipline with which to work on my ideas," the photographer said.
Fatima was referring to the sessions led by renowned American photographer Stephen Shore that she and nine other Emirati artists were given a chance to attend. Today, the product of these photography forums is on display at the second edition of the Emirati Expressions exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat in the capital.
Organised by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the exhibition also includes pictures of the Saadiyat Island development taken by American University of Sharjah professor Tarek Al Ghoussein, and the work of anonymous artist J.R.
Speaking at a conference in October to launch the exhibit, Shore said he had selected the workshop participants based on their diversity in style and "sense of expression of cultural heritage".
Dialogue
"Through the Emirati Expressions series, we aim to bring Emirati artists to the core of the Saadiyat Cultural District institution and to nurture and support their talent. We feel this is an important moment for such an initiative, as it allows both artists and the wider UAE community to express their artistic identities," said Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, chairman of the TDIC.
"The timing of this exhibit coincided with the 40th National Day of the UAE, which is a perfect time for us to create dialogue between our talented Emirati artists and the public," a cultural district representative at the TDIC said.
In addition to the basic art exhibition, to which entry is free of charge, a series of photography workshops and seminars for both children and adults have been organised during the show's run.
Salem Al Qasimi, 27, another artist and graphic designer from Sharjah, told Gulf News he had taken the opportunity to create art that showed the hybrid nature of cultures.
"Despite the influx of foreign cultures and economic globalisation, I believe the UAE is not losing its identity but creating a vivid new one. It is this new identity that I represent in my project," Al Qasimi said.
Timings
Emirati Expressions
- Where: Manarat Al Saadiyat gallery on Saadiyat Island
- When: October 19, 2011 - January 28, 2012
- Timings: 10am to 8pm
visit artsabudhabi.ae for more information
