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Poets, artists team up to spark conversations and instil hope

Dubai - Each of the poets was paired with an artist to see how it ignited new conversations.

What if poetry becomes a sketch and a sketch becomes poetry? An online exhibition shows that when poetry and arts come together, anybody will be left speechless.

Through 40 artworks and 40 poems, the ongoing exhibition seeks to capture people’s responses to the pandemic.

Titled Ignite — from within the confines, it is a collaboration of eight artists and eight poets.

Curated by Dubai-based visual artist-art blogger Deepa Gopal, it includes creators from Lebanon, Peru, Canada, US, India, and more.

“What better time to ignite than now when we are surrounded by many woes and are feeling restricted, isolated and confined,” said Deepa.

Each of the poets was paired with an artist to see how it ignited new amalgamations, conversations and creative symphonies. The result was poetry that reflected the emotions in the artwork. The participants shared how while it is natural to feel desperate and listless in these times, the idea is to use arts to unravel a range of emotions – from a happy thought to the dark and the in-between.

German Fernandez, a graphic designer in Dubai, has used digital collages to depict characters with facemasks in absurd fantasies that unfortunately have become a reality now.

An interesting series is that of Lebanese artist Ahlam Abbas and Indian poet Sonia Dogra. Ahlam’s work in mixed media focuses on the spirituality of meditative transcendence in the current times, as Sonia’s poem unlocks the emotions beautifully.

“It’s a conversation of the creatives trying to overcome, find joy, forget, annihilate, excel at their current life; and at the same time instil hope,” said Deepa. The virtual event is on until November 12.

purva@khaleejtimes.com