Art4you is pleased to present the “NOW / Never – Expressions of Colors – The Collective Art show opened on June 11th at Picasso Gallery Dubai and was on view through June 22nd, 2022, the exhibit explored in depth themes of pioneering creativity with artists defying the odds to explore new frontiers with their work. The exhibition featured a wide array of mediums, many presented in new and alternative ways, including paintings, sculpture, mixed media, and installation art.
Curatorial Statement: The meaning of every color is expressed through a story, a deep meaningful story of great emotions and ideas. When the brush strokes the surface all these feelings and ideologies pour out as though it were an extension of the person himself. Colors can be left as mere pigments as far as the reality of science goes, but it lies in our creativity to make more sense of it, than what is visible to the naked eye. An artist is one who is capable of bringing out that meaning and manifesting it to their own story. They bring about several colors together, each representing a unique emotion which collectively gives out a unified message. This gallery shows a collection of truly memorable pieces, each of them crafted and constructed with certain colors in mind, colors which represented the emotions of the artists. These pieces use the diversified flow of colors in them as a medium to communicate and to convey. Therefore, they serve as a window, giving an insight to a person’s creative cognition. Colors adds an extra splash of meaning to the beginning sketch and creates a sense of appeal, therefore reaching a state of art. It emphasizes on the boldness of the message and brings about a whole shift from a dull to a more elated approach of expression.
The “Now/ Never” exhibit showcased the groundbreaking work produced by the 12 diverse group of international artists from locations around the world, including Britain, France, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, Romania, Belgium and among others. Each one of these artists has persisted in their artistic endeavors in order to bring into the world something new and inspirational for us to see, hear, and experience — Gallerist Rachelle, Picasso Gallery Dubai.
The artworks displayed at the venue were perfectly lit up and well presented, these factors enhanced the quality of the experience manifold and yielded a flabbergasting response from the art world. The quality of the fabulous creations has attracted several art collectors and clients to choose from a wide range of stunning artworks of vivid styles and distinctive subjects to ornament their living space, in doing so, the confidence of foreign and local collectors to invest in the art community here in the UAE has increased at an amazing rate. It is the constant effort taken by the art4you gallery to give life to phenomenal events and to provide a global platform that encourages artists and helps them exceed in their artistic endeavors.
The artists who joined hands with ART4You gallery to bestow a mesmerizing evening upon the art fraternity are Andrew Scanlan, Hannan Bazargad, Cathy Deniset, Chris Barley, Kumar Chadayamangalam, Ruxandra Mocean, Quentin Desmit, Mahfuzur Rahman, Yoshita Ahmed, Tressina Miedecke, Claude Habib and Jasbir Saggu.
Lyrical abstractions by Jasbir Saggu was an interesting and challenging painting on display with play of light gave a dramatic expression of an imaginary landscape, daybreak on a mountain terrain and the essence of universe.
Cathy Deniset had love for colors, lights and shadows that encouraged her to dive into the theme of Moon with a sense of harmony, freedom and vividness, wherein Australian based artist –Tressina Miedecke exhibited her Dancing Sticks in Mixed Media that embellished with sustainable bamboo ‘flowers’ dyed with handcrafted inks made from Saudi Arabian desert flora. Her collection highlights the important role sea creatures play in the ecosystem of the Ocean life. Deep Blue acrylic painting on canvas brings you closer to the ocean with so many beautiful elements, from vibrant colors to textures, to beautifully capturing sea life, this work truly elicit peace within you.
Belgium-painter Quentin Desmit explores and plays with the architectural landscape of Dubai and turns it into unique and striking art pieces. His Sculpture and installation art titled The Fantasia Collection was an oil paint oversized brush created with resin and metal was a unique creation. Chris Barley plays with abstractions to the expression of emotions and energies through colors, textures and movement in his ‘Nine Muses’.
Romanian artist Ruxandra Mocean‘s mixed media collection – ‘Precious’ captures human emotions with the believe that every tear is recorded & every act of patience is reward. Use of colors depicting precious stones and elements giving the raw and rough texture to the paintings. In each ‘Tree’ work by Mahfuzur Rahman, it depicts a composition with lifelike details and qualities ,that rely on his desires for beauty, poetics and seduction.
The 3 paintings by Lulu Odeh from Jordan beautifully represents the surge of emotions in response to every individual, situation, facts & figures, leading to the mind creating its own parallels & compelling us to push against the confines of our own making. 3 artworks were connected-The Soul is the guidance, the purity and the protector that overlooks from above and has clear thoughts. The doctor is someone who absorbs all what is happening in the artist’s life. The artist is proud, satisfied and happy.
“Nature is a true Art” by Hannan Bazargad focuses her protest against cutting the trees, destroying the jungle and protecting the green earth. Hannan’s Golden minds is an abstract tribute to the word success with balance and discipline. The controlled nature of lines in ‘Joy of the present ‘art piece closely represents the underlining obstacles we overcome to reach our goals. Kumar C had his mixed media art in dark shades and strokes with hints of light shows the good overshadowing the grim tones, sentiments that keeps us balanced in his work.
Andrew Scanlan’s pixelated portrait works which not only shows his excellent techniques but also his vision and patience with countless microscopic cells of colors. SriLankan Artist Yoshita Ahmed had splendid artworks that depicted beautiful florals, who explored the expression of inner light and eternal peace by portraying their love and affection for nature with a mission to spread awareness to preserve and secure mother nature for the current generation to cherish and future generations to experience.
Claude Habib predominantly work with mixed media, that accomplish through distortion, exaggeration, primitivism and perhaps vivid, jarring or dynamic application of formal elements’ Her work exhibited was a combination of philosophy and beauty to a unique art that is not easy to class with a particular style.
Now/Never was inaugurated by H.E Laila Rahhal – President & Founder of Business gate in the presence of inspiring personality and Guest of Honor – Dr. Najat Makki – Pioneer Contemporary Emirati Artist and Mr. Abdulaziz Ahmed – CEO Safeer Corporate services along with other invited guests – Fr. Alexandru, Nancy Arora, Surbhi Jariwala, Luzaan Putter, other visitors and artists.
Day 2 – Award ceremony was opened by Chief Guests – Mr. Abdulla Al Mubarak – Owner of GCC Group of Co. And Event Coordinator – with H.E Yaqoob Al Ali – Executive Director & Private Advisor for Office of the Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum. The Top 3 Winners and 3 Special Mentions were rewarded with awards and certificates sponsored by Dryad Trading and Specialists. The day started with live performance by Scribble Artist Jay R Cortez.
ART4You gallery has also conducted multiple activations like art workshops and Panel talks at the same venue which had gifted wonderful opportunities for local artists to enhance their knowledge in art. The ceremony for Panel talks on June 18th was inaugurated by Chief Guest – Mr. Abdulqader Alrais – Pioneer Emirati Artist in Contemporary Art Scene, UAE, in the presence of Mr. Abdulrazzak Al Madani and Mr. Mohammed Ali from Breath Creativity. Rengi Cherian – Founder of Art4you Gallery conveyed their special thanks to all sponsors and supporters.
ABOUT Art4you Gallery:
Art4you is a multicultural platform with a mission to promote the exchange of art between UAE and other countries and to create learning and exhibition opportunities for artists. Over the 5 years, Art4you gallery exhibited many thoughtfully curated solo and group shows, that were documented and presented in aesthetically produced catalogs. Today, Art4you has nearly 120 plus dedicated Royal members & 600 plus artist activists. We are connected more than 2000 artists around the world.
Art4you Founded in 2009 in India by artist, art teacher, art activist and art curator — Jesno Jackson was initiated to bridge the gap between art and its young connoisseurs, an attempt to bring art works of artists within the reach of the young, thus cultivated a new breed of art enthusiasts over time was launched and run in UAE in Sept 2016, In short span, Art4you established into a leading art gallery community in UAE region that supports innovative work in the field of the visual arts.
Jesno Jackson & Rengi Cherian — The Founders of the community launched Art4you Gallery in Dec 2016 in UAE, were committed to engage, encourage, promote and collaborate with diff corporate, artist volunteers, gallery, media partners and individual to foster community base projects. The gallery born out of love and passion for arts, is today an important destination for art lovers & collectors.
