Over the weekend, Art Dubai returned for its 17th edition. It’s an immersive experience where enthusiasts and art beginners alike are given the opportunity to get to know both established and emerging creators from across the globe and regionally.
One such creative is Emirati artist Alia Hussain Lootah who has become known for her delicate and intricate work. Her minimalistic exhibit, simple yet effective, presented an oasis-like appeal in the otherwise bustling art fair.
Her latest body of work, featuring a collection of dynamic wireframe sculptures and acrylic paintings, explores the interconnectedness of light and shadows. Chatting exclusively to GRAZIA, Alia revealed that the idea began with her original drawings of biomorphic shapes. Inspired by these forms, she soon started creating sculptures using an innovative knitting technique with wires.
“I started creating these sculptures by knitting them in aluminium, and attaching them to each other in different shapes and sizes,” she explained. “After that, I noticed interesting shadows that appeared from these sculptures and I wanted to embody these shapes somehow.”
This desire sparked the idea to place the sculptors in front of a projector, where the forms could be projected onto a larger, flat surface. “I started to imitate these shadows, intricately drawing every line and space,” she recalled. This gave rise to a collection of painting inspired by her wire sculptures. “I started to copy the lines, light and shadows of the sculptures, adjusting them so that they work together,” Alia continued. “This is how I brought this body of work to life.”
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When questioned on her creative process, Alia reveals it was the confinement of the pandemic that caused her to seek out therapeutic, meditative practices. She found solace in drawing, which was a method for her to gain order and control back into her mental space. “I started to draw these shapes based on specific rules and control of these forms, and I found that I enjoyed the meditative process of it.” As a mom of four, Alia explained that her children are a big contributor to her collection. “I love having them around. They help me knit and make sculptors. It’s a very collaborative process,” she said.
Her labour intensive process is something Alia hopes people will appreciate and feel inspired by when they come into contact with her work. “I hope people can appreciate the aesthetic of it,” she added. “And feel the all the love and energy I poured into it, radiating out.”
