Coinciding with launching the Sharjah Heritage Days events, Dr. Abdulaziz Almusallam, President of Sharjah Institute for Heritage, inaugurated the art exhibition organized by Emirates Fine Arts Society under the title “Windows from Antiquities Museums” for the artist Aisha Al Suwaidi at the Society’s headquarters, Salem Al-Junaibi, President of the Society, attended the opening along with a group of fine arts elites in UAE, writers, intellects, and artists from all around the world.
In her exhibition, Artist Aisha Al Suwaidi presents 35 paintings, depicting the beauty of the archeological artifacts in the museums of UAE, their meticulous details and charming shapes. Jewelry, jars, Mabkharas, hunting tools, utensils, metals, gemstones, and seashells are examples of the pieces portrayed in the exhibition, with each painting depicting a different and distinctive artifact, was it a horse monument from Sharjah Archaeology Museum, a necklace from Dubai Museum, a jar from Fujairah Archeological Museum, or the artifacts that go back to the Bronze Hellenistic Age at Al Ain; each painting bears a message for future generations, as they’re documenting an ancient and deep-rooted history, and immersing in an aesthetic, scientific, and epistemic value.
Dr. Abdulaziz Almusallam praised the art pieces and emphasized the importance of the museum in “collecting and preserving the artistic and cultural heritage”, stating that Aisha Al Suwaidi studied the archeological artifacts of our country’s museums during her continuous visits, then presented them in her own aesthetical vision, aiming to document and showcase them in an innovative artistic style beyond the museum displays, thus inviting us all to appreciate the aesthetic and artistic values preserved in our country’s heritage, and to maintain their symbols, forms, and humane dimensions. Further adding that her artworks highlight the aesthetics of art and culture of ancient civilizations, hence calling to preserve the heritage and search for our local identity symbols since “Our heritage is our identity”.
Salem Al-Junaibi, Chairman of EFAS, stated: “Since our heritage is a priceless treasure, Emirates Fine Arts Society is proud to shed the light on the importance of this cultural richness by organizing and holding the art exhibition “Windows from Antiquities Museums” by Aisha Al Suwaidi. The exhibition encompasses paintings from different cultures and varied cultural sites; gathered by the artist after they were scattered over time, showcasing them as postage stamps but in a unique and distinctive artistic vision. This exhibit, when it presents the artifacts as a part of this country’s history and identity, confirms their importance because The Emirates is rich in cultural, civilized heritage, and historical legacy, and this only confirms the role our country played among the civilizations, and how our land was home for many world nations. The national cultural heritage is considered a part of the life and memory of the Emirati individual, and this aspect was the recipient of great patronage and support from our leadership – May God Preserve Them – for UAE is rich with archeological and heritage sites, which emphasizes the role inhabitants of Arabian Peninsula played in building mankind culture and civilization, and highlights the openness to other civilizations, the cultural bonds, and its role in the trade movement across the world’s continents throughout ages. The archeological discoveries profoundly showcase the historical and cultural depths of the UAE, therefore, future generations shall absorb and contemplate the heritage and history of their country, and the legacy deep-rooted in history.”
Artist Aisha Al Suwaidi, in turn, expressed how “The UAE has an ancient genuine civilization, in which we take pride and shall study and pass along to our children because it is the history that our ancestors built. On that basis, I got the notion to inspire my painting from the artifacts displayed in our country’s museums, and create art pieces chanting with love and belonging to our dear homeland, while showcasing the splendid artifacts and their meticulous details, in an exhibition that contains selected samples from the archeological findings of the National Museum, representing different eras from the Stone Age to the Prehistoric Periods, the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Pre-Islamic ages.
The art exhibition “Windows from Antiquities Museums” reflects the archeological richness of the UAE and constitutes a unique combination of archeological pieces from different eras that extend back to more than 800 thousand years, thus standing a witness to the region’s history with the populations who inhabited its lands, and shedding the light on the civilizations that flourished here.”
Aisha Al Suwaidi Artist Aisha Al Suwaidi graduated from United Arab Emirates University with a Psychology specialty. She worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Dubai Women’s Association. She participated in many art galleries with Emirates Fine Arts Society in Sharjah, Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, and Jerash Festival, in addition to several local and international collective exhibitions. Her artworks are a part of the permanent art collection at “Women's Museum”.
Art historian, curator, visual artist, & editor-in-chief of Al-Tashkeel magazine. she holds a Ph.D. with distinction in "Art & Science of Arts," in addition to holding an MFA in Fine Arts and an MA in Philosophy of Art. She has numerous published books that provide documentation for Art in the Arab World.
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
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Chief Editor/ Dr. Noha Hilal Farranhttps://altashkeel.ae/author/chief-editor-dr-noha-hilal-farran/
