Dubai: For the second year running, Abu Dhabi resident and artist Esmi Pangilinan has accepted the challenge to make 43 paintings of 43 UAE leaders for the 43rd celebration of the Spirit of the Union.
The Filipino artist, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for more than 10 years, is in the process of completing all 43 portraits, which will depict the UAE rulers and leaders of the seven emirates, and other prominent government officials.
Pangilinan first thought of the idea last year before the UAE’s 42nd National Day when the Philippines was reeling under the effect of Typhoon Haiyan. The typhoon, which hit the Philippines on November 2013, killed more than 6,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes. “Here in the UAE, there were many charities that were sending money and aid back to help people affected by the typhoon — that triggered the idea to start the painting challenge. I wanted to give back to the UAE,” Pangilinan told Gulf News.
Using chalk pastels as his sole material to make 42 colourful portraits last year, Pangilinan said this year he is using acrylic paint with the aim of lending variety to his artworks. “I work on an average of eight portraits simultaneously by doing the background first, followed by the sketch and then the paint. I have 10 more blank canvases to fill up before the deadline,” he said. The portraits will range between 1.2 x 1.2 metres to 1.2 x 1.45 metres in size.”
The paintings from last year’s project were donated and received by the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. However, this year, the artist hopes to find a sponsor to help him sell the paintings with the aim of donating part of the proceeds to charity after they are displayed at the World Trade Centre Souq and Mall in Abu Dhabi. “I would like to donate part of the proceeds to an organisation with a cause such as thalassaemia,” he said.
Working as a creative director at a marketing communications company, Pangilinan said painting in the modern art style termed “spontaneous realism” has been one of his long-time hobbies. Juggling work and painting, he works on his project during the early hours of the morning to create portraits that manifest an explosion of colours that come together to form the image of leadership, honour, and integrity. “I hope to continue this project next year, and I would like to move on to include scenery, people and scenes that depict the UAE’s culture.”
