Watch: How 275 strangers in UAE became part of a single doodle canvas

Dubai: Around 275 strangers have become part of a single doodle canvas in the UAE, thanks to an artist’s unique project to spread love, humanity and positivity with the “One Globe, One Family” theme.

Indian expat Sijin Gopinathan is known for creating various types of doodle art works, including one on a car featuring five greatest artists of all times — Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo and Johannes Vermeer.

His latest project titled “Portraits of People in the UAE” captures black-and-white doodle sketches of people of various nationalities and faiths to showcase the message of peaceful coexistence.

“The idea was to include 300 UAE-based people in a single canvas with the theme of “One Globe, One Family,” Gopinathan told Gulf News.

“As an artist and human, I follow the Gandhian philosphy,” he said, referring to the principles propagated by Mahatma Gandhi, considered to be the Father of the Nation in post-colonial India.

“As he said, ‘Love is the most powerful weapon’, I try to spread the message of love and peace through my art. There is no better place than the UAE to do it as our second home has welcomed people of all faiths and nationalities to live in harmony and peace.”

How he did it

A Dubai resident, Gopinathan travelled across the emirates and drew the doodle sketches of people from 33 nationalities in a 100cmx200cm canvas. Being a creative designer at a Dubai company by profession, he chose weekends and other holidays for completing the project.

He would put up the canvas in one corner of a happening spot and seek permission from the passersby to be the objects of his art work. Many loved the idea and cooperated by posing for their portraits using hand-drawn patterns.

It took about five to 10 minutes for each portrait and Gopinathan used up 42 black marker pens for the project.

As they shared their stories and background details, Gopinathan said he also learnt a lot about different cultures.

Interactive

“I spent almost a year for this interactive art project. Once the artwork progressed, I understood the truthful reality that we are all indeed one family. Their faces are not only in my canvas. Their faces and stories are now engraved in my heart too.”

As a fan boy, he said he also sketched the face of Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in his milestone project. “He had wished me good luck for the project when he visited Dubai last year,” Gopinathan recollected.

A golden visa holder and a DED-licensed art trainer, Gopinathan also conducts doodle workshops for budding artists. His next workshop is scheduled to be held at the Dubai International Art Centre on January 20.

Going beyond the scribbling part of doodles, he said he aims to make doodling a more meaningful art form by mixing it with the concept of India’s traditional mural art.

“It is a time of using Artificial Intelligence even in art. I want to inspire youngsters to pursue their own talent in creative works instead of solely depending on technology and do their bit for global peace through art,” he added.

At a glance