Father-figure Zayed lives on for artists

For artists in the UAE, there was no better subject than Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Thought of as a father by all, his portrait was sketched by many artists because of the part he played in pushing UAE artists on to the global scene.

As educational opportunities developed following the foundation of the state, cultural centres emerged throughout the country.

The most notable of these was the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi that contains the Arts and Culture Establishment, the National Library and the National Archives. To strengthen cultural awareness among youth, a number of sports and cultural clubs were set up.

Abdul Rahim Salem, chairman of the Emirates Fine Arts Society, who has been painting for 35 years, said Shaikh Zayed's features were so ingrained in his mind he could paint him with his eyes closed.

"He is still in my heart; he's not gone, it is too hard and impossible for him to disappear. I cannot see him in a different way. He had such a graceful face, special eyes and mouth, without seeing his picture I can draw the lines of his face.

"He was an absolute inspiration, for his courage and his wisdom. He was the leader, he was like a father. He did a lot of things for the UAE people and for the country.

"He was someone we had trust in as he always did what he said. He was a man of peace and he fought to find a solution for the Arab world," he said.

Salem is working on a specially commissioned 6-metre by 4-metre canvas of Shaikh Zayed in the form of a collage.

Khalil Abdul Wahid, a distinguished UAE artist and member of Emirates Fine Arts Society and the recently developed Dubai Cultural Council, said his sketches of Shaikh Zayed hold sentimental value for him more than anything else.

"All my life, I have seen the country change. Shaikh Zayed gave artists a chance because he gave the country a cultural foundation.

"He cared about art, education and culture. He gave youngsters an environment to learn art. Shaikh Zayed really pushed us to go to Europe and Asia and show our work there. Without him, artists would not have achieved what they have.

"I did a drawing of Shaikh Zayed and I did it out of love because he was our Shaikh. He really meant a lot to me. It wasn't just a portrait, it was because I wanted to look at him more deeply. He was the ruler of the country and he gave so much to us," he said.

Abdul Wahab, a Sudanese artist in the UAE, was also inspired by Shaikh Zayed.

"Everybody is so sad by what has happened. I have been asked to do some portraits. I have some ideas of what I want to do but they are not finished visually."