The Malaysia Pavilion, in collaboration with Emirati artist Shatha Essa Al Mulla, has presented Expo 2020 Dubai with a beautiful artwork in honour of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.
The art was created after the Emirati artist and designer used the Expo 2020 Business App – Expo 2020’s official business platform, designed to facilitate business connections before and during the event – to explore expanding her business in Malaysia.
Al Mulla worked closely with Malaysian artists, under the guidance of the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), to build 50 cones that represent 50 sand dunes of the UAE.
Al Mulla said: “The inspiration behind the art installation comes from the rich heritage of both Malaysia and the UAE. The Golden Jubilee of the UAE is a time for everyone to appreciate where the UAE started and where it is now. With that in mind, we have added a thin gold line on every cone to mimic that gold strand – the Golden Jubilee. Coming together and appreciating different cultures and traditions is another quality that the UAE holds, and with that I collaborated with artisans from Malaysia to present this art installation.”
Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor, CEO, MGTC, said: “I am delighted that this collaboration came from a business-matching meeting between the Malaysia Pavilion and Miss Shatha. It’s simply amazing to see an organic idea take root and sprout into a beautiful piece of artwork, with strong symbolism anchored by a shared artisanal tradition of weaving. It truly epitomises the theme of Expo 2020 Dubai – ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. We are proud that we are doing exactly that, connecting the creativity of two artisans from our countries based on a similar traditional craft, which binds us together as global citizens.”
Representing a movement to incorporate traditional practices into contemporary art, the piece reflects the aims of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Hammour House project – a celebration of local knowledge that invites visitors to rediscover traditional tactile methods of creating art, such as knitting, quilting and weaving.
Ahmed Al Enezi, Senior Manager – Arts and Culture, Expo 2020 Dubai Pavilions and Exhibitions, said: “Expo 2020 Dubai is honoured to receive this prestigious artwork from Malaysia to celebrate the UAE’s Golden Jubilee. Today, we are reminded more than ever of the importance of rekindling our relationship with Mother Nature, to create a more sustainable way of life, and to find more sustainable ways of production, consumption, and overall wellbeing for a better humanity.”
