Emirati artist Najat Makki collaborates with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to inspire a new generation

Study in Abu Dhabi cultural foundation Full of art, wonder and laughter.

On the other side of the room, the table is decorated with a variety of artworks, each crafted on small square canvases. Between them, palettes and plates are covered in giant gradient paints, scattered with torn tissues, patterned papers, paintbrushes and pens in a variety of colors.

At one end, students at the Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi sit around a table, studying a series of masterpieces by masters Najat MakkiOn the other hand, the pioneering Emirati artist herself spoke to them through her process.

they include her choice daily diary series – part of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collections – capturing daily snapshots of her inner and outer world; moods, visions, experiences and environments all woven into beautiful abstract creations.

“This daily diary A series is a framework that includes everyone; it’s about capturing a moment in time – for better or for worse,” Makki told National.

“Your day is a journey, and every step, even the simplest thing, like getting up for breakfast or washing your face, can evoke certain thoughts. Any change or transformation in yourself can create something new.”

Markey explained daily diary She draws inspiration from everything around her, from people and places to nature itself. “Birds, wind, changes in weather, they’re all very important, and they can all lead to new ideas,” she said.

As the first Emirati woman to receive a doctorate in art, Makki is part of a pioneering generation of Emirati artists. She studied and trained in sculpture in Cairo before turning her attention to painting.Her work has recently been featured in Khaleej Modern Exhibition at NYUAD Art Gallerydocumenting the rise of contemporary art in the Arabian Peninsula.

She expresses herself through a wide range of aesthetics; variations in colour, texture and collage. The image changes dramatically from dark to light, with a multitude of moods overlapping through layers of rich paint; the remaining material is collected and reused later.

Makki’s work not only showcases a wide variety of techniques, with flashes of inspiration, but also explores the dynamic mix of landscapes, folklore and Emirati culture through realism and abstract expressionism.

After exploring her work, the students dispersed to create their own work, and Makki followed, observing their work and answering questions. One student created an abstract painting of her grandmother through a combination of paper and fabric; another is reminiscent of the waves of Japanese artist Hokusai.

Fatma AlMehairi, a first-year Emirati art history major, holds her piece, a recreation of her dream the night before, made using coloured tissues and paint splatters.

“I had this dream last night; there were fireworks overhead,” she said. “I find it really interesting how Najat incorporates other mediums into her art, which inspires me. I usually use oil paints or acrylics.

“Through the workshops, I like that everything is abstract, and I like that everyone has the opportunity to do whatever they want. There is no right or wrong way to do it – you just have to express yourself.”

Meanwhile, Lebanese master student and freelance graphic designer Kahl Halabi demonstrated an original process of creating intricate patterns using alphabetic characters in ink.

“You shouldn’t know what those words are,” he said. “For this piece, I actually took a piece of paper with words on it, cut some letters out of the alphabet and put all the pieces together and tried to come up with some unreadable words.”

The main lesson he learned from Makki’s studio was simple. “Art has no rules. Also, I believe everyone is an artist,” he said.

The workshop is a rare treat for the students; many of them have never had the opportunity to experience a hands-on session like this, let alone learn with Makki’s artists, due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The workshop organised by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi lasted for two more days, another for Zayed University students and the final session was attended by 10 determined people who are the Ministry of Education students of the institution. Working closely with the UAE Down Syndrome Society and the Al Falaj Centre in Sharjah, Makki runs regular workshops with people of determination.

Maisa Al Qassimi, acting program director at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, said the museum has been running educational activities, such as the Makki collaboration, since its inception.This daily diary She added that the workshop series offers students a unique opportunity to enrich their knowledge and interest in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi by working with one of the Emirati artists.

Al Qassimi said: “The workshop series embodies the ambition of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to build bridges with future visitors and to build more dialogue about modern and contemporary art in the region by delving into Najat Makki’s work. daily diarypart of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi series.

“With students unable to participate in classrooms in person for an extended period of time, the outreach element of the program is critical to spearheading the return of our young people to collective learning, and I am very excited to welcome the next generation to such engaging activities and hands-on experiences .”

Reflecting on the unique nature of Abu Dhabi as an inclusive place, she said: “The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is committed to continuing to engage and connect with all educational institutions through its civic role and mission to inspire awareness of the global modern and contemporary Broader interest and awareness of the arts. Community.”

The Abu Dhabi Guggenheim Museum, built by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism in partnership with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, will be completed in 2025.

Rose Demir, associate director of education and community engagement at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, said Makki’s workshops are tied to the museum’s mission to educate people, engage with communities and “make connections.”

“People are interested in learning about her process,” she said.

“We often invite artists from our collection to come here to talk about their work and their process, but it’s taking it to the next level with real engagement and real hands-on interaction,” she added.

While most of the students attending the Sorbonne study art history and archaeology, Claude Habib, an art tutor at the school for 12 years, says every art historian should have some knowledge of the applied arts.

“I think they should go together,” Khabib said. You have to understand the philosophy behind it, you can’t just judge it by its looks. “

She said Makki’s journal It is perfect study for students. “Dr Najat explains how she keeps journals; they contain many memories and emotions. This workshop is about how to do that using acrylic or simple materials in your home; how to create art from our everyday lives. I’m glad they were able to experience that.”

However, Makki, who is equally gracious and curious, says she gains just as much from the process as her students: “My practice also benefits from their ideas; it’s a two-way process, with ideas from many different cultures. , feelings and emotions.”

The artist has recently completed similar workshops in Albania and Tunisia, and will soon be hosting another in Morocco. “Art is so important,” she said. “It can change the perspective of an entire community.”

She added: “Words are spoken and then they disappear. But once you see a painting, if it resonates with you, then it will always be with you – it will always make you think.

“Picasso’s Guernica It’s so powerful, it resonates for decades and generations. So much so that its entrance has a red carpet,” she added, with a touch of humor.

However, contemporary art can bring these conversations into people’s homes in a softer way, she said.

It is this subtlety that is at the heart of her work. The female form is presented in a variety of unexpected, beautiful and profound ways.

“Working woman, mother, she is a deep sea, representing a woman who gives without borders,” she said. “In my paintings, when I paint a tree with shadows, it represents a woman, because women are always giving, protecting others in their shadows.”

Makki encourages young artists to create works that explore equally serious themes in a subtle and contemporary way. “Young Emirati artists are enjoying a real moment; everything is accessible and the space has no limits,” she said.

“Thirty or forty years ago, if we wanted to see a famous piece of art, we had to travel.” Even so, however, she said the UAE offers unique opportunities for emerging artists through fellowships and group exhibitions abroad.

“Now, with this generation, everything is on their doorstep; whether it’s through publications, exhibitions or museums, the knowledge, the history, the schools are there,” she said.

“If you want to dig into any artist in history, it’s accessible. Our generation has to go out and do it on the ground because there really isn’t anything here. So the new generation should work extra hard. They have to be serious.

“If someone starts thinking: ‘I’m going to be famous,’ that’s not the right way, they’re going to get nothing. It’s about honesty, commitment, setting milestones and achieving small goals to achieve bigger goals.”

scroll through pictures Khaleej Modern Exhibition at NYUAD Art Gallery, These include works by Makki, as follows

Updated: September 22, 2022 12:39 pm