Culture & Education | Wednesday 29 April, 2015 1:51 am |

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in collaboration with RTA, is redefining the UAE’s artistic landscape by working with local and international artists to wrap the Dubai Metro carriages with works of art.

The spectacular artworks of prominent artists Abdulqader Al Rais, Rachid Koraichi and Safwan Dahoul now adorn Dubai Metro carriages, following the unveiling of the first Dubai Metro carriage wrapped with a spellbinding photograph by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.

The Dubai Metro art-wraps complement the Dubai Arts Season, the umbrella initiative by Dubai Culture that incorporates city-wide activation of arts and cultural events.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority said: “We are very pleased to be a part of a project that brings the local and international community closer together through the medium of art. The wrapping of Dubai Metro carriages with accomplished works of art reiterates the cultural soul of the city and reflects the Dubai Open Air Museum initiative announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. This path-breaking initiative highlights the city’s cultural identity with the wider audience of Dubai residents as well as visitors. Dubai Metro project also inspires established and aspiring artists to explore innovative methods for showcasing their art creations.”

For his part, Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Rail Agency confirmed RTA’s commitment to ensure Happiness of the Public from all social segments including the PT riders through the participation in highlighting artistic paintings that add to Dubai joyful colors, and delight the public and spice up the tourism in the city via innovative methods and creative manners. This initiative makes Dubai Metro a moving “Icon of Happiness” with a huge number of riders including the residents, visitors and tourists onboard.”

Regarded as the UAE’s national treasure and a visionary who is emulated by many young Emirati artists, Abdul Qader is best known for his striking and vibrant abstract artworks. His works have evolved over time from his early figurative works that explored his culture, identity and surroundings. His paintings explore the artistic essence behind culture, identity and surroundings. Throughout the series of unique works, he creates various colour combinations encompassing all elements that he has come to emulate so well within his works. A visual energetic story is seen in continuity across Dubai Metro and as it passes through the city.



Koraïchi’s works reflect his fascination with signs, symbols and ciphers illustrated with intricate Arabic calligraphic scripts. His densely detailed design is defined by the universal language of signs accessible to people from all over the world, whether or not they understand Arabic.

Dahoul’s work is part of the dream series he has been working on over the past 20 years where he mirrors the corporal and psychological effects of alienation, solitude, and longing that punctuate the human experience at various stages in life.

Complementing the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to transform the Dubai Metro stations into museums, the initiative celebrates UAE’s cultural creativity. Dubai Culture and RTA is working on the initiative to transform six of the Dubai Metro stations into museums.



About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:
The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai Culture plays a critical part in achieving the vision of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2021 of establishing the city as vibrant, global Arabian metropolis that shapes culture and arts in the region and the world.
The organisation has announced several initiatives that strengthen the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai. These include: The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards: The first of its kind initiative in the Arab world honouring individuals and organisations who have made financial or in kind contributions through sustained support to visual arts, performing arts, literature and film in the region; Dubai Art Season: The city’s premier umbrella arts initiatives which encompasses of Art Week (Art Dubai, Design Days Dubai, and SIKKA Art Fair), Middle East Film & Comic Con, to highlight the Emirate’s growing creative landscape within the international circuit; SIKKA Art Fair: An annual art fair aimed at promoting Emirati and local artists in the UAE; and Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre: An annual festival that celebrates and fosters the art of theatre in the UAE.
www.dubaiculture.gov.ae