Jan DSaIt was a unique opportunity that was open to the public for just two weeks. Through an art exhibition rightly titled ‘Arabian Art Spirit,’ the International House Real Estate opened its doors to showcase beautiful pieces of artwork (some of them around 100 hundred years old) to the public. The exhibition was held at Noon Art Boutique Hotel, Barsha, Dubai, from the 15th of October.  The hotel owner is an avid art collector and is also the owner of the International House Real Estate. Work by award winning artists such as Ismail Fatah Al Turk, Fateh Al Moudarres, Paul Guiragossian and Dr. Khalid Al Jader were on display.
The first time I visited this art inspired hotel, I wrote a piece about the inspiration for the Prestige Magazine. At the time, I was enamoured by the way the three artists, Dr. Najat Meky (Emirati), Ali Hassan (Qatari) and Khaled Ben Slimane (Tunisian) worked together on a concept of the art of hospitality to create and produce stunning Arabian decor that moved me.  The work took me to the days where I grew up in Abu Dhabi and our regular trips, as a family, to Dubai. (on the side: Incidentally, Dr Najat Meky is showcasing her work at Abu Dhabi Art, as part of the Hunar Gallery. Fabulous work! Definitely, my favourite Emirati artist (more about her work at Abu Dhabi Art 2014 in a later blog story).
So, it should come as no surprise, that when I received the invite to take a peek at the private art collection of the International House Real Estate, I attended the exhibition without any hesitation. Some of the characters and the themes that the artists of the collection work on, reminded me of the souqs of around the Middle East. The rustic smells of adventure, tied in with shop keepers calling out and selling their wares.
Here’s a video blurb of the event.
Ismail Fatah Al Turk is the Iraqi artist behind the Rooster series of acrylic work on paper. If you are wondering why I find the Rooster series enchanting is it reminds me of the the rooster who would wake me at sunrise in India, where I spent my summer holidays as a child.
A panoramic view of various art work spanning different countries and eras.
Iraqi artist Dr. Khalid Al Jader captures the essence of souk on his oil on canvas. Aptly titled Al Souk and executed in 1976
The Noon Art Boutique Hotel has its own spacious art gallery located on the first floor.
I love the piece on the right by Michel El Mir, from Lebanon. Untitled and executed in 1969, with oil on canvas.
The beauty of the artworks (which are not for sale, by the way), is the kaleidoscope of expressions, emotions, themes running through the collection, which, I feel is rather eclectic.
Paul Guiragossian’s Untitled ensemble of oils on canvas represents to me the freedom of drawing away as a child, which then went on to allow me to express my creativity as an adult, both as a writer and as an artist-designer. Reading his bio, Paul had a similar childhood passion for painting, except that, unlike me, his mother forbade him to paint and would destroy his paintings. That didn’t stop Paul from painting by midnight oil.
The other side of gallery dotted with exciting works of heart, covering horses and sceneries from ancient times.
Syrian artist Abdul Latif Al Samoudy’s oil on canvas is right up my alley – a blend of various textures and mixed media made it undeniably one of my favourite pieces from the private art collection.