Miriam Khawer uncovers creativity, contrast and connection
Acrylic paint is a vibrant, versatile medium often celebrated for its quick-drying nature, brilliant colours and endless adaptability. It’s usually the go-to medium for artists seeking to infuse their canvases with boldness and expression. But in the hands of four UAE-based artists, acrylics become something far more nuanced, a deeply personal language for telling incredibly diverse visual stories.
Shilpi Dabral
For Indian artist Shilpi Dabral, acrylics were a path to rediscovering her artistic voice. After dedicating years to her family, her art journey began with sketching. She soon discovered that acrylics provided her with the freedom to experiment, add layers to her painting and build incredible depth, enabling her work to evolve beyond pencil sketches.
“My art is all about geometric abstraction. I use bold shapes, powerful symbols and richly textured acrylics to tell stories of transformation,” said Dabral.
A recurring theme in her work is the portrayal of women’s emotions, capturing their capacity to be nurturing, gentle, fierce, calm, and strong all at once. Her painting, “Kindred Duality,” a powerful self-portrait woven through the forms of a tiger, a butterfly and a central female figure, illustrates this. It speaks to the inner balance of being both strong and soft, grounded yet ready to take flight.
Drawn to universal themes like unity and resilience, Dabral views geometric forms not merely as design elements but as a profound language. While her process might start with a plan, the final painting is always intuitively guided, making each piece a personal journey.
Nayma Yasir
Art has always been a source of calm for Nayma Yasir, a connection she’s cultivated since childhood. This childhood passion has blossomed over the last ten years into a dedicated professional pursuit, honed by extensive training in art history and hands-on workshops across the UAE and her native Pakistan.
Her signature style involves creating texturally rich works using acrylics as a foundational layer for her collages and mixed-media pieces. She strongly believes in the role culture and tradition play in shaping one’s identity, a philosophy vibrantly encapsulated by her art.
Each of her visually striking paintings is layered with meaning, drawing heavily from her Islamic upbringing and rich cultural heritage. A powerful example is a painting inspired by Masjid Quba, thought to be the first mosque in the world.
“With this piece, I wanted to explore the idea of nurturing one’s roots to uplift a nation, intertwining historical and spiritual concepts to capture the essence of Islam’s origins and its vision for collective well-being,” explained Yasir.
Adding an intriguing twist, she often incorporates a subtle riddle within her paintings, challenging viewers to ponder and engage with her art on a deeper level. For Yasir, acrylic isn’t merely paint; it’s the conduit through which she channels her connection to her roots. What results is a direct product of her
environment and the creative freedom she has found living in the UAE, allowing her to openly share her Islamic perspective on faith, identity and culture.
Afshan Khan
Afshan Khan, a remarkably established artist for her young age of 16, has been painting since she was nine. Her love for books and the intricate architecture of the UAE’s buildings and mosques ignited her creative spark, inherently drawing her towards historical and architectural subjects.
Over time, acrylics became her medium of choice, offering her the precise control, flexibility and pace she needed to bring these visions to life. Afshan’s work fluidly transitions between sharp realism and emotive storytelling, frequently featuring detailed architectural elements and compelling portraits. From her Mahatma Gandhi portrait to pieces like “Eternal Love,” inspired by the film Titanic, her painting process is a blend of historical symbolism and rigorous planning.
Research forms a crucial cornerstone of her creative process. It’s the bedrock that ensures her art is both meaningful and meticulously conceived.
“I firmly believe that a clear vision, solidified before any paint touches the canvas, is paramount and ensures that each brushstroke serves a purpose in telling my story,” she said.
Being surrounded by the vibrant Emirati culture and the stunning Islamic architecture of the UAE has also influenced her art. This, combined with her Indian heritage, rich in diverse traditions and colourful festivals, enables her to weave both worlds into her work, celebrating cultural beauty and diversity.
Nelia Fabia
For Nelia Fabia, painting began as a pivot. When the onset of the pandemic abruptly disrupted her architectural career, she embraced painting as a serious and dedicated practice.
With limited resources but a clear sense of direction, she immersed herself in acrylics, taught herself to refine her compositions before gradually entering the dynamic UAE art scene through various exhibitions and commissions.
Her work is instantly recognisable for its fusion of familiar desert landscapes with unexpected, dreamlike surrealism. Recurring themes include elements of nature and symbols that spring from moments of deep emotional insight.
Talking about a painting she resonates with the most, Fabia said, “A piece that is especially close to my heart features a woman with arms outstretched beneath a shower of jellyfish. It is meant to portray a poignant visual expression of vulnerability and acceptance during a period of transition.”
Her creativity is underpinned by a highly structured process, owing to her background in architecture. She often begins her creations in Photoshop, sketching out her ideas digitally before transferring them to canvas. This methodical approach allows her to achieve the balanced and subtle dreamlike quality that defines her compositions.
While acrylic paint serves as the common thread for all four, it’s the sheer diversity of their narratives, the distinct symbols they employ and their varied techniques that have allowed each artist to carve out a unique space.
From intimate explorations of emotion to grand architectural tributes, journey of self-discovery to deep dives into cultural heritage, these artists powerfully demonstrate how one common medium can unlock a multitude of expressions. Their work is a powerful testament that creativity isn’t defined by the tools you choose but by how you wield them to bring your vision to life.
