Young female artists take centre stage at Al Dhafra Book Festival 2023, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), presenting their exceptional artworks to the public and leading art workshops at the Public Park in Zayed City throughout the duration of the festival, which concluded on 10th December.
Artist Aisha Al Mansoori presents a series of paintings on ‘Al Maqasar’, a traditional summer outfit worn by men in the UAE, which is made of ‘Sharbat’ fabric. ‘In an effort to highlight this traditional Emirati style of clothing, I began painting various historical designs on it since 2015,’ she said. ‘I have showcased my work at a number of UAE-based festivals. The audience here at Al Dhafra Book Festival has responded very favourably to it, as they did for the fabric painting workshop that I led at the event.’
For her part, Fatima Al Hammadi presents unique artwork using various materials, such as leather. Her art, which includes traditional heritage drawings of horses, birds, or gazelles, is p
ainted on handbags and book covers, among other things. She depicts the nature of Abu Dhabi and offers a candle painting workshop at the festival. ‘The festival gave me a great opportunity, and it has always been my dream to participate in it,’ Al Hammadi said. ‘It made it possible for me to interact with the audience.’
The festival also spotlighted Maitha Al Mazrouei, a multimedia artist who runs a special arts education centre. Her most well-known works feature Russian sculpture paste roses, but she also paints on trunks or palm fronds, and is skilled in decoupage, which entails cutting and pasting designs from napkins onto gypsum plates. Her workshops have drawn considerable interest and participation from the public.
Meanwhile, Rana Al Massi displayed a collection of paintings in her art corner, depicting animals from the Emirati environment, such as horses, falcons, and peacocks. She combines her experience in multimedia art and sculpture with oil painting, allowing her to incorporate additional elemen
ts into this creative unit. Al Massi uses a variety of materials on canvas, broadening her talent and skill beyond the boundaries of traditional art, by using cement, clay, and recyclable materials.
Source: Emirates News Agency