The Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation (SSHF) today announced the launch of the Art for All Emerging Emirati Artists Touring Exhibition, entitled “Between Public and Private”, showing at select malls across the Abu Dhabi emirate. Art for All is the premiere community arts program held under the guidance and leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan.

The exhibition supports up and coming Emirati talent, giving the artists an exciting opportunity to showcase their diverse works to the public, which includes a collection of cutting edge contemporary art such aspainting, mixed media, art installation and photography. As part of the Foundation’s vision to nurture and celebrate the UAE’s artistic youth, these five contemporary artists:Alia Lootah, Dana Al Mazrouei, Hamdan Al Shamsi, Maitha Deimthan and Shamsa Al Omaira, will present their works to encourage the communityto pause, think and reflect about art and what the medium means to them. Under the theme of the exhibition “Between Public and Private” the artists explore the differences between public and private space, with regards to architecture, lifestyle, social interaction, and self-expression. The Emerging Emirati Artists Touring Exhibition is only the beginning of a long commitment that the Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation is undertaking to promote Emirati artists and create awareness within the community around art as a powerful and unifying communication tool.

Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan said: “It is my desire to have UAE artists see the world, experience new opportunities, and express themselves globally. My wish is to broaden the community’s perspective and understanding of art. Art inspires us to think beyond boundaries and is an essential ingredient to forward-thinking; it is what stimulates innovation and creativity as individuals and as a community.”

Visit the exhibition

The Emerging Emirati Artists Touring Exhibition invites members of the community to select malls across the Abu Dhabi emirate and enjoy a world-class art gallery in the comfort of a familiar setting. The exhibit will be shown at the following locations:

• Abu Dhabi Mall, Abu Dhabi, 1st October – 6th October
• Al Bawadi Mall, Al Ain, 9th October – 14th October
• Al Gharbiyah, 28th October – 2nd November

Meet the Artists

Alia Lootah
Alia Lootah’s goals are to become an established artist and curator. Through her work she wants to promote arts and culture in the UAE. Art has been the focus of Alia’s education with as she holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah and a Masters in Art History and Museum Studies at Sorbonne University Abu-Dhabi. She has curated at the Bait Al Banat Gallery at the Women’s Museum in Dubai . Alia had an internship abroad at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Contemporary Art Department, in Paris. Her work has appeared in exhibitions all over the UAE and globally; Bangladesh, Germany, Venice, New York, Bethlehem between 2007 until present. In 2010 she won 2nd Prize at the Bangladesh 14th Asian Art Biennale.

Dana Al-Mazrouei
Dana Al-Mazrouei’s interest in art began when she joined Latifa School for Girls. She continued this interest through her teen years receiving a GCSE and AS level in Art at the London Cambridge Board of Art and then graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Design from the School of Art and Science at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi. Al Mazroui’s talents evolved throughout her studies and exposure to different cultures during her numerous trips around the world. Her work has been showcased in numerous public venues; Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales, Media City, Bastakiya and Emirates Palace. She has also been selected to paint the 89th level of the tallest tower (Burj Khalifa) and one of the five life-size F1 replica cars during the Formula one event in Abu Dhabi

Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi
Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi is visual artist and his interest in Art started at a young. He is a self-taught photographer, graphics designer and amateur writer. He pursued this passion throughout his education, winning prizes as he progressed which eventually lead him to focus on photography and graphic design. He has participated in a number of group exhibitions around the UAE and contributed to the community through voluntary work in photography. Al Shamsi has been commissioned by ADACH to digitally paint five walls for Al Qattara Art Center. He has been commissioned by Emaar Properties to create artworks for The Loft Towers residential complex and Boulevard Plaza. He has numerous achievements from painting one of the life-size F1 replica cars during the Formula one event in Abu Dhabi.

Maitha Demithan
Maitha Demithan’s work focuses on photography, painting, drawing and photo transfers. Her passion for art started from the day she was born. Over the past few years Maitha has been experimenting witha new technique called scenography, using her knowledge of painting and photography to create a remarkable image. Scenography is not unlike photography as essentially they both create a moment with light. Her work has been seen in the 2009 ‘Documentation’ exhibition at Tashkeel and later that year in the ‘Across the Gulf’ exhibition in the Brisbane Biennial. Demithan’s work has also appeared in exhibitions globally; Berlin, New York, Beijing, Spain, Korea, Venice and Paris. She uses art to express her thoughts and wants to share them with the world

Shamsa Al Omaira
Shamsa Al Omaira is a visual artist who uses a variety of media to express her ideas. In her work, sheconceptually explores philosophy and the mind, which is deeply embedding in personal experience. Her ideas are expressed through a variety of media including photography, painting, printmaking, mixed media installation, and with found-and-collected materials. Al Omaira’s academic achievement is a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design from the College of Arts and Science at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi. Her work has been showcased locally at Zayed University and the Nishan exhibition at Bastakiya Art Fair, Dubai and internationally at the ‘Emerge II: Radiating Parts’ exhibition at the Museum of Diocesano in Venice, Italy. Al Omeria had her first solo exhibition ‘Deer in the headlights’ at the Ghaf Art Gallery, Abu Dhabi in June 2012

The exhibition will make a final appearance at the Community Pavilion during Abu Dhabi Art, 7th-11thNovember, 2012.In addition to the exhibition, these young artists will also be featured as part of the PublicProgramme at Abu Dhabi Art, 9th November 2012 at 5:00 p.m., in which they will talk about their experience in exhibiting at a public space and the concept of public and private lives.

For more information about the Emerging Emirati Artists Touring Exhibition and other Art for All and its programmes, please visit www.sshf.ae/artforall

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