DUBAI, 3 July 2006 — Dubai’s planned 50-billion-dirham Culture Village will include a gallery dedicated to UAE artist Abdul Qader Al-Rayes.
The announcement was made at a press briefing here yesterday by Hashim Al-Dabal, CEO of Dubai Properties, and Abdul Qader Al-Rayes.
An artist of international repute, 55-year-old Al-Rayes’ work has been showcased at leading exhibitions worldwide, including in Lebanon, Prague, Germany, Australia and the United States. Al-Rayes is known for his unique style that is inspired by the culture and tradition of the Middle East. Al-Rayes is the recipient of several awards including the prestigious “Golden Frond” at the GCC Exhibition in 1999.
“The Al-Rayes Art Gallery will feature the best of his works,” Al-Dabal said. “His canvases have been appreciated at exhibitions worldwide, and displayed in most of our local museums. It is only appropriate that the UAE pays tribute to such an accomplished national artist with a dedicated display at the Cultural Village,” he added.
“Culture Village is to be developed by Dubai Properties, and is intended to be a world-class destination that mixes old-world nostalgia within a modern and sophisticated ambience,” said Al-Dabal.
A founding member of the Emirates Fine Arts Society, Al-Rayes praised the Culture Village’s initiative as a remarkable project that answers the region’s need for a cultural hub to bring together poets, artists and cultural experts from all over the world.
Al-Rayes said: “The gallery at Culture Village will be a museum displaying all my work. I will also teach and train anyone who is interested in learning art.”
