UAE: Artist depicts Emirati women’s history in digital exhibit

Emirati artist and designer Ashwaq Abdulla debuted her digital art exhibition ‘Al Mabrouka’ today, where she produced 10 paintings depicting the lifestyles and roles of Emirati women over the years. The ‘moving art show’ is being touted as the first of its kind.

‘Al Mabrouka’ is a name given to the elderly women in society due to their wisdom and generosity. In a video, Abdulla uses watercolour, pastels, animation and projection to bring alive the history of Emirati women, and their contributions to education, agriculture, textiles and more. The artworks also depict traditional clothing, adornments and jewellery.

“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,” says Abdulla.

UAE music director and composer Muhammad Al Ahmad adds a sonic element to the exhibition. “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,” says Abdulla.

In 2016, Abdulla was the first Emirati to create a mural in the UAE at an open-air museum in Dubai.