New beginnings for Emirati artist

Emirati artist Mus'ab Al Rais knows all about fresh starts, especially when he's grown in the shadow of a 'new' Dubai. But when it came to his art, Al Rais has chosen to live in the past and recapture the country's rich heritage through his first solo exhibition, currently on display at Hunar Art Gallery.

Among his 30 works being featured, a painting titled 'Beginnings' will be placed on a silent auction, with bidding starting at Dh30,000. The proceeds from this will be donated to the Palestinian campaign, For the Children.

The 27-year-old engineering graduate's work is fashionably striking with the use of bold colours and tints to express the depth of space and forms in his watercolours. The contemporary artist also uses acrylic as a medium to propel his work from a lifeless canvas into a work of art that paints a story of the country's cultural lineage and makes an unmistakable mark of Mus'ab's Emirati identity.

The young national has been experimenting with art since his childhood, inheriting his talent from his father, renowned Arab artist Abdulqader Al Rais. As an artist though, Mus'ab probably still has a long way to go. But like this city's numerous skyscrapers, it seems the only way is up for this young Emirati's career graph.

An exhibition by Mus'ab Al Rais. At the Hunar Art Gallery. Runs until May 12. Call: 04 286 2224.

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