Exhibition of student artwork goes on display at historic heritage house

Creative Artists exhibition opened at Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi following a series of workshops led by local artists.

Sharjah, April 10, 2016:  A public exhibition of drawings, ornaments, calligraphy and photography by university students opened this Thursday at the Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi in Kalba.

The Creative Artists exhibition is an initiative by Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) in which students from Sharjah, Fujairah and Ajman took part in a week-long series of workshops led by artists in the UAE.

Now the result of their efforts – a stunning collection of works covering a diverse range of artistic mediums – is on display until the end of the month at Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi, one of the UAE’s most beautiful heritage houses.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Sheikh Haitham bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of Sharjah’s Ruler’s Office in Kalba, in the presence of a number of distinguished guests.

Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department, said: “We are thrilled to see the students’ hard work throughout the week rewarded with this fantastic public exhibition. They have all shown great passion and artistic ability during the workshops, which is reflected in the quality of the final pieces.

“The objective of the Creative Artists initiative is to provide an opportunity for university students to learn from talented artists in a range of different skills and practices. In addition, we aim to create a special bond between students and our museums, highlighting that museums are a fantastic source of learning and cultural understanding.”

The road to the exhibition began with the opening of a series of educational workshops for a select group of students from Sharjah University – Khorfakkan, Ajman University for Science and Technology – Fujairah, Higher Colleges of Technology in Fujairah and Fujairah College.

The calligraphy workshops were led by Muhammad Faruq Al Haddad, a Syrian calligrapher. He introduced the students to the types of scripts and materials typically used, such as inks, reeds and papers, then helped them to produce their own masterpieces.

Meanwhile, the ornamentation workshop held by Mus’ab Shamil Al Door, introduced the students to the craft of gilding, a decorative technique in which fine gold leaf or powder is applied to surfaces.

In the ‘Nature’s Relationship with Itself’ workshop, students used crude materials found in nature and turned them into artworks inspired by the rhythms of nature itself. The workshop was led by the visual artist Dr. Muhammad Yusuf Ali Al Hammadi. Students participating in the painting workshop used chalk pastels to create pieces that employed colour and figure to absorb forms in nature. The workshop was given by Abdel Rahim Salim.

The photography workshop highlighted the skills of handling the camera and available illuminations, employing accessories and tools to serve the subject of the picture, as well as how to create a scenario in photography. The workshop was given by the photography and video instructor Mubarak Mahboob Al Kayani.

The exhibition also included a book fair by the Al Yasmin publishing house. Kalba Primary School played a part with art shows and a performance of Longa Nahawand on the vibraphone, a song dedicated to mothers. Other highlights of the day included school theatrical performances, lecturers of book publishing, and poetry recitals.

The day’s events were held in the stunning surroundings of Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi, a fantastic example of authentic Emirati architectural style. Built between 1898 and 1901, the house was the residence of Sheikh Saeed and his family, from where he ruled and signed several agreements. Today, Bait Sheikh Saeed displays many valuable Islamic artefacts that have significant importance.