Having recently displayed at Avenue at Etihad Towers, Andy Mills caught up with the renowned Emirati artist to find out more about her work.
Was there a theme to your recent exhibition?
The main theme was the Arab Mona Lisa, but it also showcased my other paintings which are of nature and culture and are ‘cubical’.
The Arab Mona Lisa? Tell us more.
I was inspired to paint it through a dream. It contains a hidden secret that will be questioned forever. The background view of the portrait is inspired by the components of nature like the clearest of water [and] the warmth of land, mountains, and sands.
Apart from Leonardo da Vinci in this case, is your work generally inspired by any other artist?
Pablo Picasso is the biggest inspiration for my work because he makes art with an analytical and creative approach. He is also one of the pioneers of cubism, like the proto-cubist painting of one of his famous artworks.
And is it fair to say that you mainly use paints for your art?
The mediums I use the most are acrylic and oil. For portraits, I like to use oil because it brings out the elegance and life to the artworks.
What ambitions do you have for the future?
I’m working on a number of architectural engineering projects; one of them will be unique and the only one of its kind in the world in the near future. I also want our country, the United Arab Emirates, to attract all kinds of arts, because we are convinced that fine arts are an international language that can communicate to all cultures and nations all over the world.
Does that mean the art world is thriving in the UAE?
Generally, Arabic art is recreated all over the world and consequently adopted by foreign artists. I think there are many artistic talents here and recently the UAE has begun to concentrate on nurturing all kinds of international arts by building museums and galleries.
Is there one particular piece of advice that you would like to impart to any aspiring artists out there who may be reading this interview or who have seen one of your exhibitions?
They should have the confidence, belief and honesty in the expression of every drawing [they do].
And, finally, can you tell us how you become an artist in the first place?
I was born an artist. At the dawn of my childhood, my talent and passion for arts was nourished, I refined it in my university studies through experience and education. I enhanced my gift and now I have the opportunity to showcase it to the world. My first international exhibition was in Milan, Italy in 2003. www.samararts.com
