As the world continues to navigate troubled times, one self-taught artist in Dubai has been relentless in her efforts to spread hope and positivity across borders. She’s Rowaida Hakim, a coveted Lebanese-born and Dubai-based creative, who has launched a virtual exhibition that offers an impressive blend of art and technology.
“The main reason I’m creating such a large-scale virtual art exhibition is to show how nothing can stop us,” Rowaida tells Villa 88. “Spending the majority of my life in the UAE has greatly impacted me. The UAE is a country of positivity, peace and opportunities. It has played a major role in my success.”
Every painting I’ve made is endowed with a special meaning.
Being regarded as one of the largest virtual art shows held by a solo artist, the ‘Hope’ exhibition houses 70 paintings using virtual reality, so that viewers can have the same immersive experience as they would physically. “There are 70 artworks in this exhibition, as many people feel positive about the number 7,” explains Rowaida.
A detail of Happy Flowers by Rowaida Hakim
On view is a diverse body of work that Rowaida has created over the last 10 years, including the glorious Dubai Nights and Dancing Colors paintings, which are only available for viewing. Among other highlights are Happy Flowers (2020), featuring a golden canvas bedecked with flowers on one side.
Also to satiate your visual appetite are Love Situation, Baraka, which translates to ‘blessing’ in Arabic, and Pyramids of Gems, which features around 307 diamonds, applied with a new technique that involves the use of body paint instead of glue. Then, there’s Rowaida’s latest series, Universe, which depicts the galaxies and solar system with 24-carat gold leaf, diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
Dancing Colors by Rowaida Hakim
The main reason I’m creating such a large-scale virtual art exhibition is to show how nothing can stop us.
The pièce de résistance is the painting titled Hope (2020), with cherry blossom flowers on a blue canvas and golden mountains in the backdrop, which took six months to complete. “I love this work because it transmits a very warm feeling of happiness and reflects how the flowers open after winter,” Rowaida states. “Because after every hardship, there’s ease. Let’s hope that better times are to come.”
Hope by Rowaida Hakim
A nod to abstraction and impressionism, Rowaida’s works are filled with colorful impasto, swirling brushstrokes, and her signature use of metal and 18-carat gold leafs, with each being an exquisite meditation on themes such as cultural understanding, humanity, and hope amidst despair. In one of her paintings, she uses saffron and water to create sand dunes and reflect the beauty of nature. “Every painting I’ve made is endowed with a special meaning. And I want to say, ‘Thank you, nature’.”
Kalam min Zahab by Rowaida Hakim
But putting together such an expansive showcase virtually can be no easy feat. “It took months to get the plan ready,” Rowaida shares. “With God’s Blessings, it was a smooth process and I’m grateful to everyone who provided me with support. Thank you to my role model in life, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whose words are the main inspiration behind my success. Special thanks to Galleria Mall Al Barsha and Four Seasons Hotel for their support with the photo shoot.”
Glamour by Rowaida Hakim
In addition to her work as an artist, Rowaida runs an eponymous luxury interior design company. In 2018, she staged a one-day viewing of her works at Sotheby’s Dubai and has since hosted multiple solo exhibitions in Dubai, and participated in Salon d’Art, an international fair at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.
The ‘Hope’ virtual art exhibition will be live for one month and may be extended on demand. Select paintings are also available to be viewed with prior booking at Rowaida Interiors DMCC, Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
View Rowaida Hakim’s ‘Hope’ virtual art exhibition now: Rowaidahakim.com/exhibitions
