For the 2012 Eid Al Adha (the sacred Islamic holiday), Daman has collaborated with a local female artist to create a special design for the upcoming holidays. As part of the Daman Art Edition 2012, the health insurance organisation has sponsored the artist’s trip to Germany where the cards were produced.
The artist for 2012 is Karima Al Shomely, a 47-year old Emirati lady from Sharjah. Karima has always had a passion for art and is currently a member of the UAE Fine Art Society. During the course of her career, she has participated in several art exhibitions, both locally and internationally. She has also been the recipient of many awards and has had her work featured in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Egypt, to name a few.
This year is the second installment of Daman Art, an event where national and international artists are invited to give their interpretation of a theme (this year it was ‘movement’). The winning design is currently available in print and will also soon be available as e-cards.
Teaming up with Daman is the Lepsien Art Foundation, which collaborated for the 2011 edition as well. The Lepsien Art Foundation is an Abu Dhabi-Germany non-profit organisation, devoted to promoting
art and culture in both nations, as well as globally.
Karima’s design for the Eid Al Adha card is meant to symbolise movement, as well as incorporating elements representing national identity. The colours in the design were inspired by the tones of the sand and the desert. A common feature the artist always uses in her works is the burqah, which is a direct reference to her national roots and identity, and which can be seen in the card.
The technique employed for this particular piece is called serigraphy – also known as screen printing and popularised by Andy Warhol. It involves forcing a special kind of paint through a fine screen onto paper. There are several stencil screens and for each stage, a new layer is added. Each colour requires its own stencil. The paper used has to be very high quality and dense in order to withstand the procedure and retain the paint well. Karima has manually printed 150 copies, which have been assigned serial numbers and signed. These will be distributed to VIP stakeholders in the city. Karima has used a similar technique to design cards for Eid Al Fitr and the New Year
Inspired by local identity
We spoke to Karima about her artwork, inspiration and the importance of art.
How did you find the inspiration for this artwork?
These pieces of my artwork convey ‘movement’, a concept inspired by Daman’s drive towards a more active, healthy UAE. The environment we live in, and characteristics of the UAE’s landscape, embraces movement. The sea, sand dunes and tree branches are all examples that inspire the continuous flow of movement, and anyone who looks at this piece will clearly see this concept.
How important is art in your life?
I can express myself and convey my opinions freely through my art.
As an Emirati woman, how important do you feel it is to portray elements of your culture in your work?
It is great to be able to document my country’s culture through art. Art is an archive for future generations and an artist can’t be detached from the local identity that is indirectly imposed on them.
To learn more about Daman,
visit www.damanhealth.ae. For more information about the organisation, visit www.lepsien-art-foundation.com.
