Dubai: Emirati calligrapher behind Museum of the Future designs opens new exhibition in Jumeirah

Emirati calligrapher Mattar Bin Lahej has displayed his penmanship on unique items including the engine of a Rolls Royce, an ancient Drour calendar and a miniature of his most prolific work, the Museum of the Future (MOTF), as part of his brand-new exhibition.

Unveiled as part of the Dubai Calligraphy Biennale, the collection has over 10 pieces that explore textures, colours, materials and the various forms of calligraphy. Standing amidst a group of art enthusiasts, Bin Lahej looked at home when explaining the meaning of the various art pieces on display at his namesake gallery in Jumeirah.

“My work is for the future,” he said, speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of his exhibition. “It is important to send something to the future that your children or your grandchildren can enjoy. When your children are proud of you, that grows with them. I want to encourage all parents to use their children to spread good ideologies to the future.”

The Mattar Bin Lahej Gallery, which is located on Al Wasl Road, was the first-of-its-kind space in the region and Bin Lahej set it up in order to inspire younger, upcoming artists in the country.

In 2016, the Sketch Art Cafe was launched, offering visitors a chance to engage with their creative side. Visitors to the café can paint coffee mugs as well as try out their hands at multiple things including drawing, sculpting, or pottery.

Family man

A father of six, Bin Lahej takes pride in involving his family in his ventures. “Some of my kids work with me,” he said. “One of them is involved in operations with us. My daughter is involved with the Sketch Art café. My brothers are also involved in some aspects of the gallery. I love having my family work with me.”

For the artist, it is a drive to be different that keeps him going. “I always wanted to be different from others,” he said,. “Not better but different. That is why I took a villa, which was a bachelor’s accommodation and turned it into my own art gallery. At the time, no one understood why I was doing it.”

He confessed that people asked him whether he ever got tired. “I take my tiredness and convert it into the drive to succeed,” he said. “It is what keeps me going project after project.”

Avid fans

One of the visitors to the event was 7-year-old painter Maryam, who came with her father. “I love painting and drawing the birds and mountains,” she said. “My father is also a painter. He taught me how to translate my thoughts on to a canvas. We both paint together.”

The little girl who greeted Mattar and spoke to him at length, said she hopes to open a similar art gallery when she grows up. “I also want to have a gallery where I can put all mine and my father paintings,” she said. “That is my dream when I grow up.”

In addition to Maryam, several guests turned up at the opening of the exhibition on Friday. Next week, the Emirati calligrapher will be at the Al Wasl Dome in Expo City Dubai to mesmerise fans with his artwork.

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