khalid mezaina • illustration & textiles

30.9.16

east – east: an exhibition

east – east: an exhibition evite . 2016

i've finally managed to write a new blog post from my new home for the next couple of years - providence, rhode island. it's been a month and still adjusting to a new lifestyle and being a student again (details in previous post here).

i will be sharing my experiences and projects at risd in future posts. but for now, i'd like to share an e-vite for an upcoming exhibition back home in the uae, specifically in abu dhabi. i will be participating in 'east – east: an exhibition' curated by nyu abu dhabi student sophie arni, founder of global art daily. below are extracts from the press release with details on the exhibition:

"east – east: an exhibition will explore the ways young voices of the emirati art scene choose to regard cross-cultural contact with the arts of japan. the exhibition will aim to draw parallels between japanese and emirati culture as both traditional societies move rapidly forward into our postmodern age and strive to keep a balance between heritage and futurism. east – east also intends to challenge and expand the idea of what 'global art' means to artists, curators, and viewers alike in our increasingly globalized world.

bridging the uae to japan seems like a bold move but as curator sophie mayuko arni explains: 'i wanted to break the overused and overheard ‘east-west’ terminology by turning it on its head. why always look to the west, when we can look eastwards? I hope for east – east to be a great experiment for a new model of global contemporary art making and exhibition practices.

works on show will explore the similarity in both countries’ fine balance between rooted tradition and expanding modernity. themes as nōh and bedouin mythology, spirituality and repetition, weaving and knotting, zen buddhism and the desert’s connection to materiality, traditional and ceremonial dress, will be contrasted to overwhelming consumption typified by plastic materials in such chain stores as daiso. the exhibition as such will combine the emirati artist's established styles with japanese stylistic elements in a contemporary socially-aware context. four years ahead of dubai and tokyo hosting the expo and olympics respectively, the occasion seems fitting to celebrate these two cultures together to further solidify their place on the global art map.”

east – east opens at 6pm, on tuesday, 18 october 2016, at the nyu abu dhabi art center project space, featuring the works of 4 artists including al anood al obaidly, amna al maamari, ahmed al anzi, and myself. if you're in town, please do make sure to pass by and check out the exhibition, which runs until 31 october 2016. i will be exhibiting a series of new illustrations, one of them being used in the e-vite you see above. stay tuned for my next post, where i will feature the final illustrations from the show.

16.8.16

off to risd...

risd . 2016

i'm going to grad school y'all! after 10 years, i've finally taken the brave step of going back to school to pursue a masters degree. i'm happy to announce that i will be heading to the rhode island school of design this september, to begin an mfa in textiles.

i'm super excited as well as extremely nervous of what's to come. this is definitely outside my comfort zone; living abroad and becoming a full-time student once again. but it feels like the right time to get back to education and learn new skills to develop and grow as an artist and designer.

even though i'll be based in rhode island for the next couple of years, i'll frequently be back in dubai during the long breaks to catch up with family and loved ones. also, i'll still be updating my blog as much as possible, with posts focusing on projects and explorations in school.

i hope you'll continue this journey with me and i look forward to sharing with you the next chapter of my krossbreed life! stay tuned folks...

4.8.16

happy anniversary to the derderians

beth+rob . 2016

here's a short post about a recent commission for my friends rob & beth derderian. i was asked by rob to create an illustration for his wife beth for their second anniversary. the illustration highlights their last year or so traveling the world and living in dubai. i hope beth+rob enjoy this personal illustration as much as i did making it.

i wish the derderians many amazing anniversaries together and hope they find new places around the world to explore and create memories.

16.7.16

do not postpone today's work for tomorrow

do not postpone today's work for tomorrow . 2016

i'm happy to share with you an illustration i worked on for a recent private commission. i was asked to create an artwork with the arabic phrase "لا تؤجل عمل اليوم إلى الغد", which translates to 'do not postpone today's work for tomorrow'.

the client wanted the phrase worked into my style of illustration. the end result is an illustration of a trolley handler (an iconic visual you find in souks and older parts of dubai) moving packages with the phrase written on them. the illustration was hand drawn, digitally coloured, and presented as a final digital print.

i hope the client enjoys the artwork. and to whoever's reading this, i hope you enjoy it too.

14.7.16

armani exchange

armani exchange t-shirts designed by khalid mezaina . 2016

armani exchange dubai t-shirt designed by khalid mezaina . 2016

armani exchange uae t-shirt designed by khalid mezaina . 2016

i had the opportunity to collaborate with armani exchange in dubai on a line of uae themed t-shirts for men, as part of their ramadan collection. i worked on two main designs - one with the word 'dubai' on the front, and the second includes a uae flag for a front pocket, 'ghutra' patterned sleeves, with armani exchange's logo in arabic on the back. both t-shirts are available in both black and white.

although very different to the work i usually do, i think the end result is still quite cool. i wanted these tees to be something i could wear, and not look tacky like many other uae themed tees from other brands currently out there. the designs i worked on are (i hope) contemporary, minimal and cool designs that every guy will enjoy.

if you're looking for some new clothes to wear, or looking for a cool present for a friend, head to any armani exchange store around dubai and the uae to get your hands on some tees.

t-shirts displayed in armani exchange stores in dubai (photo by jihan mezaina) . 2016

17.6.16

ramadanization

'ramadanization' exhibition invite . 2016

'television of the month' gif . 2016

'ramadanza' wallpaper design . 2016

'ramadanza' wallpaper studio process . 2016

'ramadanza' wallpaper installation in gallery . 2016

'television of the month' final installation . 2016

it's that time of year again! wishing all the krossbreed lovers a ramadan kareem. for the holy month, i've participated in ductac's second edition, and first exhibition of 'ramadanization'.

the 'ramadanization' show features works by artists reflecting on their own significant memories and experiences of ramadan. i've contributed with a piece titled 'television of the month' – a living room style installation which focuses on the act of watching tv during the holy month. to me, ramadan is not only a time of discipline and reflection, but also ironically, the month where excess is most apparent. this can be seen through the endless advertisements and programmes on tv. gathering in front of the television post-iftar is a family tradition that still continues in our household. i loved programmes of the past like comedy sketch shows and fawazeers (musical variety shows) from the arab world. nowadays, theres been a shift with the content on tv. soap operas are depressing, and everything seems to be negative, conflicting, and confusing. through my work, i invite the audience to reflect upon the nature of the media we consume during ramadan, and to consider if any of it is integral to the holy month itself.

the final artwork includes a looped series of illustrations about past and present tv moments i've been exposed to, as well as a patterned wallpaper design, and a sofa to sit on and enjoy the visuals on screen. i hope people who've lived in the region long enough are familiar with what they see and reflect on their experiences around tv viewing during the month of ramadan.

if you haven't made it yet, 'ramadanization' is up until 9 july 2016, at ductac, mall of the emirates. it's a good show which really tackles the meaning of ramadan and represents an honest portrayal of what ramadan means to each exhibiting artist. for more information, check out the online platform of 'ramadanization' here.

4.6.16

they see me rovein'

laundromat mural at rove downtown dubai . 2016

i'd like to share a recent commission i worked on for rove hotels downtown dubai, the first of a new hotel chain by emaar properties. my friends and art consultants at capsule arts were responsible for supplying appropriate and cool artworks for rove's unique concept, and i am happy to be one of the selected artists.

i was commissioned to work on a mural for the corridor of the hotel's laundry room, which also includes the male and female prayer rooms. the mural i illustrated shows an urban alley typically found around older areas in dubai, consisting of a traditional laundry shop front, and a couple of traditional patterned doors. details along the mural also include cracks on the walls, windows, plants and street animals to add character. the end result was a digitally printed mural which covers the whole wall. i am really proud of the end result and how it successfully works in the corridor, and compliments the aesthetics and artworks around the rest of the hotel. if you ever stop by rove, do make your way to the mezzanine floor where the laundromat mural is situated.

i end this post with rove downtown dubai's 'cabinet of curiosities', a wall of collected artworks and objects themed around zabeel (the area surrounding the hotel), on the ground floor lobby. my prints are included in this really cool wall, from my 'five times a day' and 'a krossbreed fantasy' print series.

rove downtown dubai's 'cabinet of curiosities' . 2016