.للقراءة بالعربية انقروا هنا
Welcome to our first online art exhibition!
You may wonder why we are organising an art exhibition during these tough times. Our aim, through this exhibition, is to document history as we experience it, and to support emerging artists from the region by raising awareness about their work.
We are all experiencing different ranges of emotions. And what better way to express what we feel than through art? In the exhibition below, we share the work of 16 emerging artists from the Arab Gulf States who have translated their feelings and their thoughts into artistic pieces, and shared them with you, our readers.
Support this exhibition by sharing the link to this page, and support artists by following their pages, and sharing their work with your audience.
Stay safe!
Sekka Team
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Thamer Abdullah, Saudi Arabia
“Graduating During the COVID-19 Crisis” by Thamer Abdullah. Click on each photo to enlarge it.
Description:
Thamer Abdullah is a cinematographer from Saudi Arabia and a pharmaceutical student. His graduation ceremony was scheduled for this academic term, but has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 crisis. But he decided to celebrate on his own anyway by arranging this impromptu photoshoot.
To find out more about his work, visit his Instagram page here.
Nayla Al Khalifa, Bahrain
Virtual reality art by Nayla Al Khalifa.
Description:
“In the midst of this pandemic, I recently decided to create a community on my Twitch channel, where I live stream the creation of virtual reality art that revolves around unity, nature, oneness, and good thoughts.
Around 15 people have joined my live stream, and I asked each one of them to provide me with their name/nickname to add into the outer space environment in the form of stars in a galaxy, and wrote these names in Arabic calligraphy.
I created this piece as a reminder of the unity between us all, with all of us being biologically connected to one another through stardust. With all the information that is being fed to us, I created a reminder to not lose ourselves in it, and to always come back to who we truly are, together.”
Nayla Al Khalifa is a virtual reality artist from Bahrain.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Aisha Sharif, Bahrain
Description:
Having somewhere you feel safe in, whether it’s a place or a person is important, especially in testing times like this.
Aisha Sharif is a 23-year-old law graduate from Bahrain.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Abdulaziz Alshukairi, Oman
Description:
If you stay at home, safe with your family, you can get everything you need online.
Abdulaziz Alshukairi is a business management student who dedicates his free time to photography and visual arts. He describes himself as a “big dreamer” .
To find out more about his work, visit his Instagram page here.
Hala Al Abbasi, Bahrain
Description:
A digital art piece emphasizing the importance of keeping our hands clean during this crisis.
Hala Al Abbasi is a popular emerging digital artist. She is known for her use of bold colors and the depiction of women in her work.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Alia Al Hammadi, United Arab Emirates
Description:
In “‘Watch Over Me” Alia Al Hammadi chooses a strong, protective loving mother to represent the UAE. The mother watches over her people staying in their homes during this crisis, making sure they’re safe and sound.
Alia Al Hammadi is a rising digital artist from the UAE. She depicts culture, society, and Emirati heritage in her work.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Anas Al Omaim, Kuwait
Description:
The work discusses the racism, control, and power the current pandemic has given rise to in the world. The collage also tries to reflect the general sense of melancholy but also the hope of humans being protected by a watchful eye.
Anas Alomaim teaches architecture at Kuwait University. He is also an architect, jewellery designer and an artist. Anas has curated, co-curated, and participated in several art and architecture exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, Dubai, and Kuwait.
To find out more about his work, visit his Instagram page here.
Enas Sistani, Bahrain
Description:
Inspired by Michaelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”, this piece by Bahraini artist Enas depicts the social distancing we are undergoing right now.
Enas Sistani is a conceptual and street photographer from Bahrain.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Essa Hujairy, Bahrain
From left to right (top): “Stay Home, Stay Clean, Stay Safe”/ “Say Self-isolaaaaaaation”/ “Clean Your Hands, Stay Indoors, and Hydrate” by Essa Hujairy. Bottom: “Promise Nothing, I Promise Everything”. Click on each image to enlarge it.
Description:
Multiple digital works by Essa Hujairy that depict the COVID-19 crisis as the Bahraini artist perceives it in Bahrain.
Essa Hujairy is Bahraini digital artist.
To find out more about his work, visit his Instagram page here.
Hamda Al Khaja, United Arab Emirates
Description:
“We are in our homes, behind doors… There is a lock and a key. Through the lock we can see the empty streets of Abu Dhabi. This artwork represents the commitment of our community to our collective health and safety.”
Hamda Al Khaja is an entrepreneur, animator, and designer. Through her work she seeks to express her experiences and feelings through various mediums such as illustration, photography, and graphic design. Hamda received her B.F.A in Fine Arts in Animation Design from Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2019.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Omaima Al Hinai, Oman
Description:
“Inspired by the flooded timelines of my social media pages, of people’s chronicles of their days during these unprecedented times.”
Omaima Al Hinai is an archetict from Oman.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Hanan Abdullah, United Arab Emirates
“A Visual Artist During the Covid-19 Crisis” by Hanan Abdullah.
Description:
“I took a couple of photos that reflect my feelings as a visual artist during the Covid-19 crisis. As artists, our creativity has limits now. I mostly do street photography, and so these images capture my longing for the streets, the life at the markets, and the people at the shops. I can’t wait to be back on the streets with a camera again.
The first photo reflects the dark times that the world is living in right now, but we are still holding on to hope and seeing the light in the darkness. I have my camera with me as my weapon and my creativity as a way to live through this period. The boxing gloves reflect the fact that every one of us is fighting something during this time. Every person is fighting feelings like longing, loneliness, and fear, but we should always hold on to hope.
The second photo reflects the feeling of waiting to go back to our normal lives.
The orange lighting in the third and fourth photos expresses change, and the images reflect the cage that this pandemic has put us in as artists. We are waiting, with our cameras in our hands, to go back to life and photography.”
Hanan Abdullah is a street photographer from the United Arab Emirates.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Israa Al Balushi, Oman
Description:
The artwork features a verse in Arabic that translates to “Greetings to those who are far, yet close.” The verse expresses the way the artist currently feels . It depicts the close proximity of loved ones despite the social distancing.
Israa Al Balushi is a creative designer from Oman.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Sara Abdullah, Oman
Description:
“There is danger everywhere out there. The world is blowing up! Warnings keep coming. Put enough distance between you and the danger out there. It is safer to stay in your small, cozy place.”
Sara Abdullah is a 23-year-old artist from Oman.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Shahad Nazer, Saudi Arabia
Description:
Shahad Nazer’s digital work asks us to be grateful that despite everything that we are going through, it could have been worse.
Shahad Nazer is a rising Saudi digital artist.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.
Shaikha Al Tunaiji, United Arab Emirates
Positive Arabic COVID-19 digital posters by Shaikha Al Tunaiji. From left to right: “Quarantine At Home”, “Tomorrow The World Will Relax”, and “Think Outside The Fridge, People”. Click on each poster to enlarge it.
Description:
Through her digital posters, Shaikha Al Tunaiji aims to spread positivity and happiness amongst people in these dark times.
Shaikha Al Tunaiji is a graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer from the United Arab Emirates.
To find out more about her work, visit her Instagram page here.