Sketching for Life: A tribute to the leaders

Filipino artist Esmi Pangilinan is busy completing 42 portraits before 42nd National Day of the UAE.

As the preparations for the UAE’s 42nd National Day get into full swing, one man is also hard at work on his personal tribute to the country he calls his “second home”.

For this historical occasion, Filipino artist Esmi Pangilinan aims to finish and present 42 portraits of the UAE’s exceptional leadership, who inspired the nation’s growth into prosperity, within 42 days.

Titled ‘Sketching for Life’, the project is a “personal challenge” that Pangilinan hopes would express his “gratitude” for everything that the UAE has done for him, having lived here for nine years.

Based on the concept of the ‘Spirit of the Union’, his sketches feature not only the past and current leaders but also the “visionaries” who will form the leaders of tomorrow.

They included the Shaikhs of each of the seven emirates, 29 cabinet members and prominent heads of select government institutions.

“Some of them are not Shaikhs, but who I perceive to be active in moving the country forward,” explained Pangilinan, who specialises in portraiture using chalk pastels. Included in his 42 portraits are late founder and president Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; Lt-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deptuy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs; and Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to name a few.

“These are my personal collection,” said Pangilinan who expressed his desire to get them exhibited in one location during the National Day.

He said that at the moment he is still looking for an appropriate exhibition venue.

According to Pangilinan, his interest is not to sell the portraits for profit but to introduce the UAE leaders to the entire community through his sketches, not only for the Emiratis but for the majority of expatriates who are not familiar with them.

“I am not keen on selling as I would love to see all the leadership, especially the new generation of Shaikhs, displayed in one room. I wouldn’t want to break them apart,” he said. However, he is open to the possibility of adoption by any galleries or institutions to provide them a permanent home later on.

At the moment, he has completed 38 portraits and plans to finish all 42 by the end of this month. Each portrait measures 70 x 100cm and 90 x 120cm when framed. A fine arts graduate who majored in advertising, Pangilinan is currently working as creative director of Multiply Marketing Services. Despite his busy work schedule, he finds time to dabble in his first love — sketching.

“I am not really into pure art as my work is on the commercial side of art. However, I try to reconcile my work, hobby and passion into one, creating a balance where I find my inspiration,” said the artist whose technique has been highly influenced by the contemporary style of spontaneous realism.

“In spontaneous realism, everything happens spontaneously, even the style. It is not planned but it’s a coming together of ideas during a creative process.”

He believes that in this day and age of technology — of digital imaging and graphics — going back to basics in art brings with it a touch of humanity. Pangilinan currently teaches portraiture and sketching at the L’atelier des Art.

In addition to finding a permanent home for the entire collection, Pangilinan said he is considering making his sketches into a coffee table book for posterity, if he gets the right publisher.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE