Colourful murals bring Abu Dhabi’s Marsha Mina to life

Martha Mina Opened in early 2020, just before the pandemic hit, near the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal in Minaj Zayed, welcoming families week after week.

This seaside lifestyle destination features boutiques, restaurants and food trucks, as well as a children’s play area and a 1,163-meter-long street art mural.

It’s a popular stop for tourists arriving in the capital by cruise ship, giving them a vibrant pit stop and colorful first impression of Abu Dhabi.

“The project aims to beautify the Abu Dhabi tourism gate, considering that Mina is one of the key tourism gates in the United Arab Emirates,” said artist Talal Shehab, referring to the mural project that runs along the walls lining the road, which is famous for his contributed.

Artists of multiple nationalities participated in the project under the supervision of Emirati plastic artist Fatima Al Hammadi, Shehab said. It took several months for it to bear fruit.

“The work is done at night to avoid the heat of the sun,” he told National. “Teamwork was a lot of fun. We used weather-resistant phenomenal colors to ensure a long life for the mural.”

Shehab said the themes and ideas of the paintings were inspired by different cultures “to confirm that the UAE is a country for all mankind”.

Various techniques and artistic schools can be seen along its length, from abstraction to realism, from impressionism to modern art, from calligraphy to symbolism.

Tony Martin, better known by his stage name Toons One, also worked on the project.

He created four paintings in different styles. One is three portraits, a man, a woman and a child, representing the sun, moon and stars in Islamic culture. “I use sacred geometry, calligraphic elements and landscapes in an abstract style to demonstrate the infinite potential of humanity, which I feel is the spirit of the UAE and its vision for its present and future.”

He said local artist Huvil painted a girl with wings behind her, reflecting “the heritage and knowledge of this country”.

Artist Maddy Butcher created a piece called Noodlethe subjects were two students on the autism spectrum.

“I wanted to show their creativity and engagement – autism is a positive thing that doesn’t get in the way or hinder a colorful life.”

Butcher said she does a lot of work with children with disabilities and would like to see more women and girls using spray paint “as a medium for expressing themselves and their abilities”.

Updated: November 4, 2022 at 6:01 pm