Satellite Voices

Dubai / العربية

Community: Sumayyah Al Suwaidi

July 19

A local spotlight on the pioneering, first female Emirati digital artist

• Text by Holly Williams

Hailed as the first female Emirati digital artist, Sumayyah Al Suwaidi started her artistic journey back in 2001 with a series of digital paintings inspired by the late sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Her first exhibition was in 2003 and she never looked back. Since then she has been part of numerous exhibitions around the UAE and abroad, she was also commissioned by many entities such as Burj Khalifa and UAE’s Embassy in Washington DC.

Satellite Voices: What makes you smile?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: My husband and children, they are the joy of my life.

SV: What was the first thing you ever made?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: Wow! This is a tough question; I honestly do not remember the first thing I ever made. I have always been a creative person so for the past 30 years I have done a lot.

SV: What’s your dream project?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: Well, I have so many, but for now I would like to curate an art exhibition for a group of Emirati artists internationally.

SV: What do you wish you had written / created?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: I wish I had written all of Jane Austen's books! It would also be nice to create a monument in Dubai!

SV: Whose work / art / music would you recommend on checking out?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: You should check out Jalal Luqman's work; I truly don’t know how his brain functions but he is a genius. I also love David Ho's art, very deep and emotionally captivating. I am a big fan of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, I love his voice and his songs bring out the creative juices in me.

SV: How do you describe your work?
Sumayyah Al Suwaidi: My art is my visual diary; it expresses how I am feeling and what I am going through, very personal and feminine.