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Tattoo on the wall

YOU PROBABLY have seen them while driving or walking down many a street in the country. They are more pronounced in Sharjah and also at several road interchanges in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

By Joyce Njeri (Staff Reporter)

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Published: Sat 30 Jun 2007, 10:48 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 8:45 PM

Beautiful and well decorated walls that add spectacle behind the well manicured green lawns and flowers in the streets.

They are also found on many interior walls and ceilings of privately owned auditoriums which are used for banquet purposes. They are called murals, or art on wall. But Samira Hamida, an accomplished artist or a 'muralist' likes to refer to this kind of art as 'wall tattoo.'

"A body tattoo is permanent and it has some special meaning and attachment to the person. The same applies to murals," she says. "For instance a lot of wall paintings here in the UAE are themed along the ancient and heritage of the country. It's a way this society expresses itself, through murals, to the outside world," she adds. The use of mural paintings as a means for revitalisation and beautification of the urban environment is now widespread throughout the country.

Samira works for LateralPassage, a company that specialises in painting sophisticated, elaborate and genuine art directly on private and public walls. "Soon we will be launching major projects here in Dubai. We are especially keen on working on an anti-smoking mural, when the ban order is implemented by the government," she says.

"LateralPassage name and idea is derived from the renowned cave in France where slaves and other people of the yesteryears engraved their legacies on walls as they passed through the cave's pathway," Samira discloses. The company boasts a team of worldclass artists who exhibit the long trendy talent of the 'good old fashioned' hand painted wall masterpieces, and are skilled at painting any image or design.

Notably among them are international artists like Pierre Hardy, John Pugh and Eddie Van Hoef, to name a few. "Our star artist Pierre Hardy is good at designing paint-artworks using 3D, where images, for instance inside a house, make the room look bigger than it really is," Samira says. Having started his mural career in Quebec Canada, Pierre's portfolio spans over 60 projects covering about 80,000 square feet of public art.

Murals in this country are very prominent in buildings, shopping malls and in the streets. Dating back to prehistoric times, they became famous with the Mexican 'muralista' art movement. The best-known technique is 'fresco,' which uses water soluble paints with a damp lime wash, a rapid use of the resulting mixture over a large surface, and often in parts. The colours lighten when dried.

Murals today are painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water. "There is a lot of work involved in creating a mural due to the size, cost, and work involved. For artists, their work gets a wide audience that otherwise might not set foot in an art gallery, while for the city, it gets beautified by it," Samira enthuses.

Murals exist where people live and work and affect their daily lives. Reflecting the rising interest in arts in the industry, LateraPassage's larger than life masterpieces are always carefully composed and meticulously detailed to guarantee aesthetic and public appreciation.

Often, the visual effects on a wall mural are an enticement to attract public attention to social issues. They are renowned for their professional nature and the notable level of skill of the artists creating them. LateralPassage uses the method of 'process guidance.' This is whereby its team of artists consult and involves clients from start to finish.

Consultation starts at analysing special requirements, personal preferences offering technical and artistic insight, to ensure that the final artwork mirrors the client's emotive perspective and visionary ambition.

Their technique range from classic 'trompe l'oeil' (realistic appearance) painting, decorative painting, structural painting, architectural illusion, wall varnishing, imitation marble and similar artistic means of decoration to the creating of unique interiors.

Contact details

COMPANY: LateralPassage

SPECIALITY: Wall paintings, murals

TELL: 050 6557423

or +97143344242

WEBSITE: www.lateralpassage.com