the year that felt like two

portrait (i can't stand myself) . 2021

this wasn’t how i planned my end of year post to look like. i would’ve liked to have shared an artwork i created as greeting cards for loved ones, and reflect on how the year was. but with having to quarantine after testing positive for covid, this year’s post will be slightly different. 
i type this as i self isolate in my bedroom which i've had a strange relationship with through recent years. i’ve felt i had overgrown my bedroom awhile ago, and have neglected keeping it a comfortable, tidy space because of it. i think quarantining in a space that i've been avoiding has forced me to reconnect with it again –  i'm enjoying my room for the first time in awhile, reading comics and watching movies which i used to do when i was younger. it’s made me realise that this is a space i need to take care of more. fingers crossed i carry through…
now back to my year in review – i never imagined that by the end of the year, i’d say 2021 was tougher than last year. it really felt like two years clumped into one! the first half of 2021 felt very much like 2020, while the second half shifted gears during what was one of the hottest summers experienced. 2021 was the busiest i’ve been with work since the pandemic started, and i’m truly grateful for that. but at the same time, i was disappointed with people’s bad working habits that consist of ridiculous timelines and an expectation that work needs to get done regardless of any circumstances. i’ve had some of my worst client experiences this year, and unfortunately have been burnt out because of it.
and to no surprise, the local art world continued to show it’s true colours and i continue to question my place in it. it’s a real shame to see how corporatised the art world has become, where acknowledgement of one’s work and practise is mostly through institutional channels and participations. it feels like (and i cant emphasise this enough) everyone’s working with the same artists, same curators, same art jargon, looking for some sort of institutional approval or validation. it’s all so banal and contrived, not inspiring, nor challenging or creative. and with confusions about the art world, i’ve also been disappointed with the behaviours of some friends and peers. it feels like everyone’s performing these days, longing for some inclusion and acceptance in this contrived bubble. sometimes i wonder maybe i’m the crazy one with my opinions. but there are enough people out there who agree that these things are happening, and it’s not cool. the last two years have really brought out the true colours of many. and it’s a shame when your closest friends are the ones that have completely changed. with that said, i’m ready to face 2022 with everything i’ve learnt this year. and i know family and the truest of friends are there for me to not face anything alone…
so here it is – my 21st post for the year 2021. it has been a difficult one, and who knows what to expect next. but here’s hoping it’ll be less crazy than what just happened. stay tuned in 2022 where i’ll be sharing projects that i worked on this year but was unable to make time to post about, as well as some new ones. 
seasons greetings, happy new year, and see you on the other side. and as always, may 2022 be good to us all…
ps – if anyone is wondering, i did dance this year. and it was wonderful… 

doors

doors . 2021

at 'welcome! 10 years of swatch art peace hotel' exhibition . 2021

at 'welcome! 10 years of swatch art peace hotel' exhibition . 2021

once in awhile i get to work with some really cool clients. and on this occasion, it was none other than swatch!

i was invited (alongside 4 other artists) by team swatch to create a design that customers can personalise and have printed as their very own swatch, part of the expo2020 dubai collection for their swatch x you campaign. the collection also tied in with the ten year anniversary of the swatch art peace hotel, their artist residency space in shanghai.

i submitted an illustration titled 'doors' which is a collection of motifs derived from the ornamental metalwork on doors and gates of old, traditional uae homes of the past. i find the designs so beautiful and graphic, and wish they were still a thing today. i created a pattern of these ornate designs for application on a swatch. doors can be gateways to the past, and i wanted this illustration to be a moment in time that you can carry with you.

to commemorate this project, the artworks and swatches are on show at the 'welcome! 10 years of swatch art peace hotel' exhibition at alserkal avenue! if you want to check it out in person, you have until the 31st of march 2022! more exhibition details here. and the most important thing – to get your very own customised khalid mezaina swatch, head to the make your watch page here. 

i used to love my flik flak watch as a kid, so to work with swatch all these years later is pretty cool! thank you swatch for the opportunity, sultan al qassemi for nominating me for this project, and alserkal avenue for hosting the show.

wake

wake (page 1) . 2021

wake (page 2) . 2021

 

wake (page 3) . 2021

wake (page 4) . 2021

wake (page 5) . 2021

wake (page 6) . 2021

'wake' in corniche . 2021

i'm happy to announce my participation in the third volume of 'corniche', an annual comics anthology published by the sharjah art foundation (saf). i've been included in all volumes so far, and it's truly an honour to continuously be a part of this amazing publication, alongside many of my talented friends and peers.

'wake' was quite an emotional comic to make. as mentioned in an earlier post, i had someone dearest to my heart pass away over the summer (see here). i felt i wasn't able to mourn her passing properly because we were in different parts of the world, and i didn't get a chance to speak to her one last time before the sad news. i think making this comic was a way of releasing this unresolved energy and emotion, and in someway, give myself a sense of closure.

i won't say too much – i hope the comic speaks for itself, and that you enjoy it. if she's reading this, i hope she enjoys it too!

thank you team saf for having me on board always, and to nasir nasrallah – talented artist and the brains behind this amazing anthology.

i dedicate 'wake' to sina, and to anyone who needs to be remided that those who pass on never go away...

working in the field

working in the field . 2021

i'm happy to share my second participation in médecins sans frontières lebanon's 2021 inktober campaign (see my contribution last year here). for this year's illustration, i worked with the theme 'working in the field', highlighting the efforts of the msf staff in dangerous conditions and circumstances. some examples of on ground humanitarian assistance are providing medical care in war torn areas, setting up make shift clinics with almost no resources, and supplying aid to communities with limited or no access.

it's amazing the work that msf volunteers and staff do to help underprivileged communities, giving each human a chance to live and survive. i sometimes feel that art can be such a shallow industry when comparing it to organisations like msf. but being able to contribute through illustration and work together with an organisation like theirs makes what i do important as well.

i hope whoever sees this enjoys the final illustration. i've also included a little gif at the end of this post to show the different stages of the illustration process. thanks msf lebanon for the opportunity once again. and also, do head to their instagram page to check out the other illustrations from this year's campaign (see here).

lastly, do make sure to head to the msf website and contribute, volunteer or donate to make this world a better place for someone in need...

'working in the field' process . 2021

the scribe (or tawĩ digger)

'the scribe (or tawĩ digger)' stamp design . 2021 (image courtesy of elaa)

'the scribe (or tawĩ digger)' stamp design . 2021 (image courtesy of elaa)

i'm so excited to finally share this – i've officially had my work printed on stamps!

having a stamp design is one of those small achievements for an illustrator. there's this wonderful, rich history of illustrators and artists creating works for commemorative stamps that are shared with the masses and go on their own journeys around the globe, later becoming these intimate collectors items.

i was approached by luxury pen brand elaa, to create artwork for a limited run of stamps for their inaugural pen launch, called 'touine'. the pen is absolutely beautiful – made from the fronds of palm trees, making each pen in the collection unique, limited to only 71 of these being produced.

i was inspired by the idea of a scribe when i started working on this, and shared one of the preliminary designs in a previous post which didn't make the cut (see here). the client wanted a more distinct 'khalid mezaina' illustration, so i came up with a design featuring my dancing figures which i've been drawing over the last couple of covid years! i had my abstract scribe carrying a pen and ink bottle and created 2 colourways of the final design. i'm really happy with how these stamps turned out. the title of the stamp 'the scribe (or tawĩ digger)' pays homage to the well diggers in the harsh desert conditions of the past. 

thank you moustafa, the man behind it all, for the opportunity, and having me be a small part of the elaa story. do make sure to head to the elaa website to learn about the brand and check out the product line. it truly is stunning.

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!