history of the dj

'history of the dj' illustration . 2021

'history of the dj' timeline (gif) . 2021

'history of the dj' final mural . 2021

'history of the dj' final mural . 2021

'history of the dj' final mural (detail) . 2021

'history of the dj' final mural (detail) . 2021

'history of the dj' final mural . 2021

this is by far my favourite project i worked on this year, and probably one that i'm most proud of! i was invited by selecta – a dj + nightclub systems retail store, to work on a mural for their recently opened space. they wanted a visual timeline of the history of dj-ing, from how it all started to where we are today.

if you're a follower of my work, you'd probably know by now how much music means to me. i think the lack of not being able to go out to clubs and dance last year manifested a few projects about music this year, and this one is my most valued of the bunch! working on a mural about dance music, dj-ing and club culture was a dream come true. i learnt so much in the process through the research phase of this project about key figures and djs that left their legacy in the industry, and understanding the equipment and advancement in their technologies through the decades. i was so excited about illustrating things that i love about the history of music and club culture – the emergence of disco and chicago house music in the 70s & 80s, raves in the 90s... i also added a few easter eggs along the way – can you spot donna summer and keith haring?!

i was so happy with the final illustration, and felt a sense of pride when i walked into selecta to see the mural in person. this was truly made from the heart, and i hope whoever comes across this mural sees that. thank you wid + hassan for reaching out and having me on board for this. hope it wasn't too much of a bumpy ride getting this done! but i think we have something beautiful installed in the space. 

if anyone's in town, and wants to support this local grown store or check out the mural, please go and see it all in person. congratulations to the selecta team on the opening of the store. blessings and good vibes always...

everlasting disco

dancing masks (everlasting disco) photo series . 2021

welcome to the everlasting disco! i'm so happy to be sharing this photo series i worked on with my dearest friend and talented photographer saeed khalifa.

i've been meaning to document the 'dancing masks' i worked on during my art residency at the cultural foundation in abu dhabi between october to december of last year (see blog post on that here). i wanted to bring them to life in some way, and reflect the themes i was thinking of when working on them. saeed came in and was given free reign to direct the photoshoot, and visually captured exactly what i had in mind – commemorating dancing during a time i was unable to, the feeling of transcendence with dance that's beyond the human experience, what's concealed or revealed in a space like a night club/disco, adornment and the rituals that come with a night out dancing. i'm so so happy with how these images turned out. the photos really encapsulate my experiences on the dance floor, completely void of my identity, presenting this other being that appears when dancing in dark, club spaces.

i've always wanted to collaborate with saeed on a project, and this felt like the perfect opportunity. just a little credit break down – masks designed and modelled by me. and the creative direction and photography are by saeed. thank you saeed for these. we did a pretty good job! also, for anyone in need of a professional photographer, please get in touch with saeed – he is proper talent!

tub time

tub time . 2021

here's an illustration of my bathtub after almost two months of no blog posts! the silence has mainly been because of being occupied with a lot of work and no time for anything else. i've also been occupied with some house maintenance work, heavy decluttering, and an unfortunate infestation of termites! in addition to this year's unbearable heat, this has been quite the cruel summer.

with that being said, it's during these stressful times that i find myself finding solace in my bathtub! a domestic space used for moments of disconnect – it's where i go to escape from everything and everyone. it's where i get a lot of reading, thinking and sleeping done. it's me time; for reflecting over all that happened in a long day, or managing feels and moments of existentialism in silence. sometimes, the best ideas for projects come in these quiet moments in my tub! it really is a space where i let my mind wander, and allow for a little zen into my life...

i have been slightly overwhelmed with work, and i think i just needed a mental break to illustrate something that had nothing to do with client projects. i really like how the final illustration turned out in the end.

stay tuned for posts very soon, on projects that i've been working on and have been unable to announce or share. i hope they're worth the wait. until then, signing off and heading to my tub to call it a day...

a scribe for a stamp unused

'ancient egyptian scribe' . 2021

'ancient egyptian scribe' stamp application . 2021

keeping this post short and sweet – i recently worked on a couple of illustrations for application on a postage stamp, for a client's upcoming project. i can't share the final selected illustration just yet, but i was really happy with how this illustration turned out, and felt it was worth sharing even though it won't be used.

i immediately thought of the origins of the first writing tools created. i came across the scribes of ancient egypt and was inspired by the beautiful hieroglyphs showing these honourable men and/or women who were trained to read and write, and document what is now their ancient histories. 

i feel this particular illustration is a slightly new direction to my current style, but still very much me. i was curious to see how the illustration would look like as a stamp, so i dropped it into a postage stamp template (as shown above). i hope whoever sees this likes it as much as i do, and it reminds them of the beautiful stamp designs that were created in the arab world of yesteryear...

sina

sina . 2021

the kindest soul i've ever known has left this world. a woman with the purest heart, always putting others before herself. she didn't have the easiest life, but her faith and spirit was never broken. i'm so blessed our paths crossed on this earth, and i felt her love since the day i was born.

to grieve the loss of a loved one is always hard and extremely personal. but when someone special impacts your world, you can't help but share the love. it's hard not to get emotional, but there's so much love when i think about her, there's no other way to remember her legacy but in the best of light. 

i'm going to miss you so much. rest in peace sina. you'll always be with me, never forgotten. i love you and thank you, for everything...

navigating digital identities

'the histories we create' . 2021

'translations, bodies and paratexts' . 2021

'representing humanity in a virtual reality' . 2021

'bias and inequity in the digital space' . 2021

i'm really happy to be sharing this project i've been working on with the nyuad art gallery over the last couple of months. i was invited by the gallery to work on live illustrations for their online talk series 'navigating digital identities', in conjunction with the online exhibition 'not in, of, along, or relating to a line'.

each talk centred around specific themes from the show, with invited speakers and exhibiting artists discussing topics ranging from speculative narratives to discrimination on digital platforms. the discussions were extremely fascinating and i learnt so much from attending and illustrating ideas and points shared by all the speakers.

i tend to get very nervous when working on live illustrations and generally avoid them. i begin to question whether i'm illustrating the right points, or whether my on the spot drawings are even good! it's definitely a certain skill that comes with practise, and this opportunity was definitely helpful in building confidence and getting more comfortable with the process of live, visual note taking.

the illustrations above are the final results from all four panel talks. i'm really satisfied with how they turned out. in the end, i realised that it's not about accurately documenting what's being communicated, but more an artist's interpretation of an event. with that in mind, i tried to be playful with what i illustrated during the 60 minutes of each talk, highlighting topics and discussions the way i understood it.

i'm really excited to be sharing these, as they're quite different from past client-based illustration projects i've worked on. thank you to the nyuad art gallery team, for having me on board and for their patience as i tried to deliver these illustrations on time. lastly, if anyone's interested in viewing any of the talks, they're all available to watch online via the gallery's youtube page. if you do watch them, maybe you can reference the illustrations and compare notes!!!

city scarf at made in tashkeel

city scarf at made in tashkeel . 2021

city scarf at made in tashkeel (detail) . 2021

city scarf at made in tashkeel . 2021

city scarf at made in tashkeel (detail) . 2021

my favourite tashkeel exhibition is back! 'made in tashkeel' is here for the summer, and i'm happy to announce my participation with a new textile piece.

titled 'city scarf', the initial design was created as a prototype pitched for an upcoming shop selling locally designed products. unfortunately, the scarf got rejected, but everything happens for a reason i guess. 'city scarf' was designed as a wearable headscarf, which can also be worn around your neck and over your shoulders. the scarf is made of linen, hand dyed and screen printed in the textiles studio at tashkeel. the visuals reference the architectural vernacular around the city – from traditional wind towers to today's modern glass towers. when adorned, it's as if the wearer is carrying a part of the city with them at all times.

this is my fourth time exhibiting in a 'made in tashkeel' show. i look forward to this exhibition each year as it showcases works by tashkeel members and from the wider tashkeel family. it's an approachable exhibition, filled with humble, genuine works that doesn't feel pretentious. it's also an authentic showcase of the local art scene and what is really happening here.

this year's 'made in tashkeel' is really great and if you're in town please check it out. the exhibition is officially open and runs until september 7. for details on the show, to book your slot to visit the gallery, or to attend a guided tour, check out the exhibition page via tashkeel's website. there's also an online catalogue to download and learn more about each artist and their works, as well as a few workshops scheduled over the coming months (including a screen printing workshop by me).

thank you team tashkeel for having me be a part of 'made in tashkeel' once again...