She is an art exhibition that aims to celebrate women through visual art inspired and in dialogue with Purva Grover’s latest book of the same name. Eight women from different backgrounds will show their work that reflects their personal stories and day to day experience of being a woman. She unites the creative women who choose to support each other through this exciting collaboration between literature and art.
The art exhibition is curated by Slava Noor, who shares why this exhibition is important: “Becoming successful as an emerging female artist could be quite a challenge and I wanted to create a platform for women that would help both to showcase their work and also learn how to take it to the next level. This exhibition’s aim is to create a sense of community which we achieve by holding regular meetings and ideas exchange.”
Purva Grover, an international journalist and a best-selling author adds: “I believe, words and arts, are not just simple mediums that give us millions of ways to say the same thing. They are not mere subjects. Both literature and art allow us to explore everything, holding the sheer capacity to build the future, inspire old and young minds, it, in other words, shape civilisations. Whilst, I continue to tell stories to and talk to one and all on how to bring about a change through our own small ways, in this exhibition we combine colours and words and tell stories of womenhood.”
“She” is Purva Grover’s latest book that explores what it is like being a woman: “Being a woman is like running on a treadmill, you don’t “quite” get anywhere. You pick up each day from where you left the previous day. In these pages, we celebrate waxing woes and bad hair days, we tick the boxes and break the rules, and we apologise for getting old and feel guilty when promoted at work.”
Artists have had the full freedom to interpret their favorite stories or quotes from the book through their personal artist styles and preferred media.
Participating Artists
Samantha Lomas, UK aka The Sassy Crayon
The Sassy Crayon, is a UK-born, UAE-based artist, avid traveller and martini connoisseur. After graduating in Interior Architecture and Design, she has spent several years travelling, living in, and embracing, the cultures of South East Asia and Australia. No matter where she has been in the world, her love for art has not diminished. After several years in the business world, she decided it was time to turn to art full time. Her knowledge of interiors and design along with intense training through several top art institutions, enable her to create beautiful bespoke works of art for any environment.
Working as a woman is hard. Working as a woman in the arts is even harder – but it is made much easier when you have a group of supportive women in your corner. I am proud to be part of such a collaborative, supportive and empowering event. The book She has given me giggles, made me shed a tear and reminded me that no matter where in the world we come from, we all are going through the same struggle in one way or another. I am proud to stand with these women, and call them my friends and colleagues.
Follow Samantha on @the_sassy-crayon
Snehita Gehlot, India
Snehita is a Licensed Indian Artist (Painting) & Entrepreneur based in Dubai. She is a Visual Content creator for Art Magazine, Fashion and Art Brands, an IT Engineer (Website, graphic design, and digital products), an MBA and Director at Luxy Flare.
As an Artist she believes ” Art is Experimenting Fearlessly ” No fear of judgement, and freely exploring the endless possibilities. She has always been a creative person since her childhood , she started learning and creating at very early age as her mother is also an artist and art instructor.
“SHE” is a wonderful concept, and I am really excited to be part of this exhibition, as a woman artist making her way with her art in the world, I can resonate with the energy and the organic connection with the subject, the book, and its depth. Everyone walking their own route in their journey, but when you find likeminded people, especially women supporting and rooting for each other, it’s a better and more meaningful Journey.
Follow Snehita on @snehiart and www.luxyflare.com
Deepa Gopal, India
Deepa Gopal is a visual artist-creative writer currently based in Dubai. Winner of 2021 ‘Artgram’ Award at the Orange Flower Awards, she conceptualized and curated her latest, brainchild – an online exhibition of art and poetry, ‘IGNITE-from within the confines-‘ (2020) inviting artists and poets from across the world. Author of the blog, Hues n Shades, she has done her Masters in English Language and Literature. Diversity is her forte as she loves to explore and experiment with various mediums and techniques. Most of her works are “mindscapes” as she calls them, an introspection into the emotional and psychological states. Her protagonists enjoy detachment; creating parallel worlds. Myths, dreams, visions, people and their tales, the emotions and the unbridled feelings kindle her creative juices. She sometimes couples her art with Haiku (Japanese poetic style) or micro-poems.
We, women, are “emotional nomads” who steer through different situations adopting and adapting to the changes around us. SHE is a reminder of that change and the change-bearers, the sufferers and the consolers, the belief and the trust that we hold for one another and the strength we share and impart. SHE is every one of us
Follow Deepa on @dee.huesnshades and http://www.deepazworld.blogspot.com
Abda Fayyaz, Pakistan
Abda is a self-taught artist. Her work is the reflection of the understanding of the universe and the constant changes and transformation that take place within and around us.
With a Degree in Banking and Finance, she holds over 15 years of experience in brand development, marketing and advertising, strategy management and more. Her main mediums are oil and acrylic mediums. From abstract paintings to calligraphy, the artworks represent a fusion of modern and contemporary art and traditional techniques. Abda’s art emphasizes the importance of finding our true purpose, and that each one of us are enough in our own capacities and that resources are always available if we have the right connection with our inner conscious, curiosity, energies and the holistic purpose of the universe.
When women are empowered, nations are formed with unbeatable foundations.
Follow Abda on @artbyabda
Zumrud Zeynalli, Azerbaijan-UK
Zumrud Zeynalli is a contemporary artist who blends Eastern and Western cultures in her art that is also largely inspired by childhood fairy tales.
Zumrud is a British artist born in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1981 and developed passion for art and craft at an early age. Living and working in London, United Kingdom allowed Zumrud to travel a lot and she visited 74 countries, explored unreal parts of the world and different cultures that widened her horizon and inspired to create. Coming from very caring family and society and moving to London, she has faced many challenges, but learned how to become an independent woman. As a woman who leads a large company in the competitive and male-dominated oil field – she still got a chance to nurture her creative side and express herself through painting.
As a female artist I seek to express both my personal experiences as well as the two cultures that have influenced me. It is time to change the gender imbalance in the art field and I am sure we can achieve it by supporting each other as female artists.
Follow Zumrud on @zumrud_contemporary
Poonam Chaturvedi, India
Poonam is an Artist of Indian Origin and based out of Dubai, UAE since 2007.Over the years, Poonam has been a part of many major local, regional, and international exhibitions. Additionally, Poonam has also presented her work as a Solo Artist on a few prominent places including, Fakih University Hospital Dubai, Indian by Nature, Arte’s on several occasions.
Women are like nature i.e. Multi-forms, multi-frames, and multi-personalities, and so is the world around us…I believe while living through our roles daily, e.g. as a mother, Sister, Friend, Spouse we tend to measure ourselves thorough other’s lenses. Interestingly, we forget that a lot of these standards and validation we can ourselves define for use… because we are all SHE…
Follow Poonam @c.poonam
Fatema Fakhruddin, India
As a person who always wears her heart on her sleeve, Fatema decided to bring her heart out onto her canvases and pursue her avant-garde artistic career out in early 2020. Originally from India, she now lives in the UAE with her husband and two loving children. Known for her predominant use of bright and colorful acrylics, oils and other mediums, her paintings evolve through words and intended puns, which compliment her bold personality. All created in her home heart studio.
The intricacy of human nature, accepting and acknowledging one’s emotional, mental, and intellectual mind set being legitimate and powerful, is the never-ending source of her inspiration. Her artworks challenge the viewer to accept who they are. Portraying this through conceptual art, she thrives on evolving and developing her artistic process and continually learning. It allows her to communicate her emotions, which she otherwise struggles expressing. Her artworks are a visual diary into her being.
Two Art forms merging is what attracted me to be part of this creative exhibit, albeit this being my first one. I couldn’t have found a more befitting one to start my journey. The book is about everything ‘SHE’ would – in a similar context – live through at some point in her life, my work reflects simply being ourselves is extraordinary, whilst accepting others for who they are.
Follow Fatema on @notnotart__fathz/
Christine Dessa, India
Christine Dessa is a self-taught artist of Indian origin, who has called Dubai her home for the last 25+ years. Art has been her passion since childhood. Decades of practice, self-learning and brush strokes later, she has evolved into the accomplished artist of today. She called herself a ‘closet’ artist, painting for her pleasure, experimenting with various mediums and techniques, while using her home as an art gallery.
Combining real life and symbolism together with the application of light, Christine Dessa allows her subjects to emote and have their own voice. She incorporates realism juxtaposed against fantasy as a means of storytelling, also allowing her viewers to connect with her art on a personal level.
Her forte is Watercolours Portraits, while her Horses and Oceans, require a special mention. Christine enjoys the beauty and magic of watercolours with its fluid dynamics and transparency. Working with this less forgiving medium has refined her painting skills a thousand-fold. She is also very skilled with Acrylics and uses this versatile and vibrant medium for her larger exhibition paintings on canvas.
SHE represents the world. SHE is essential. SHE juggles detergents and deadlines. I am SHE. This is my voice.
Follow Christine @cdessart
Julia Smolenkova, Russia
Julia Smolenkova is an international artist, publisher of two art magazines, galleries owner, PhD in the field of the history of art and architecture, curator of international art projects, festivals, symposiums. In her artworks, connection between the abstract and the real create new space level.Her success has been cemented with great demand from galleries in Europe, USA, Russia, UAE, Julia’s art is regularly purchased by enthusiasts globally. Her original pieces of sculptures and paintings can also be found in public and private collections, around the world as well as in the United Nations collection. Her monumental mosaics adorn the streets of Moscow.Her colorful paintings adorn the walls of hotels like Mandarin Oriental Jumeira in Dubai.Julia is an avid traveler and explores worldwide cities to acquire her inspiration, which result in the development of new collections that are exhibited regularly.
More important than a work of art itself is what it will sow. I want to believe that my art gives people joy and pleasure
Purva Grover
Purva Grover is a best-selling author, international journalist & editor, TEDx Speaker, award-winning playwright & stage director, published poetess, spoken word artist, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder-editor of The Indian Trumpet, a quarterly digital magazine for Indian expats, and works as the assistant editor with a UAE national daily, and editor, for a magazine for young adults. She is backed with a post-graduate degree in mass communication and literature. She resides in Dubai, UAE.
She made her debut as an author with The Trees Told Me So(December 2017, Niyogi Books). Her second title, It was the year 2020 (February 2021, Kindle India) was instantly recognised for its profound pandemic prose. Her third title, She (August 2021, Ukiyoto) is currently making waves for its honest, relatable and fun approach on the topic of womanhood.
“She” will be open to the public until March 30, 2022. The exhibition will take place at Lobby Lounge, Dusit Thani Dubai located on Sheikh Zayed Road
