As the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Bloomingdale’s Middle East has collaborated with visual artist Ichraq Bouzidi for an illustration that embodies what the country means to the people who call it home. The artwork, titled ‘The Dreamers’, evokes nostalgia as it charts Ichraq’s memories of the UAE.
“Few weeks ago, I was approached by Bloomingdale’s Middle East to create a piece that tackles my emotions towards the UAE,” Ichraq wrote in an Instagram post. “As I pondered for a moment, my memory went back to my first encounter with the fossil rocks and desert – I was with my family and remember hearing a piece of unknown piano music bouncing poetically with the wind blowing,” she added.
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Ichraq shared that the illustration is a metaphor to this memory and depicts the spirit of the 50th National Day celebrations, with 2021 being the year of the dreamers. Offering a multisensorial experience, the artwork combines the UAE’s soulful National Anthem with sounds of nature. “It’s an ode to the early, present and future dreamers, the ones who shaped, are shaping, and will shape the nation leading to a future where dreams come true. Happy National Day to the country of my heart,” she stated.
The artwork will be unveiled across Bloomingdale’s platforms and physical store at The Dubai Mall on 2 December.
