About The Artist
Mai Magdy is an Egyptian artist, born in Tripoli, raised and living in the UAE since the 80s. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Applied Arts Cairo 2006. She has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of arts and creativity.
Portraiture has always been her passion, due to her firm belief that there is no better mirror for society than the faces of its people, and this passion overwhelmed most of her works, so she became interested in everything that had an Arab spirit and features.
Her upbringing in the UAE had a great impact on her painting subjects, as she is very loyal to the society in which she grew up, attached to its people, heritage and traditions. so it was natural for the features of this environment to appear evident in her artistic identity and in her graceful realistic palette knife strokes, which have become a basic theme for her artwork that honors the essence of beauty and culture in the UAE and in the Arab region as a whole, with all its uniqueness and charming meanings.
Artist Statement
" I have always had a great passion for Arab tradition and culture.
In recent years, I am particularly interested in UAE’s culture, my intention is to build impressions in each painting that together create a much bigger picture of life and culture in the Emirates and the Arab world.
I’m mesmerized by portraiture, so I often focus on portraits as a subject, visualizing the personality and capturing the beauty of the Arabian features. I believe that there is no better mirror of society than the faces of its people.
My primary medium is oil paints, I apply very thick coats to increase the impression of depth and provide texture using palette knives on canvas, and I often mix paint on the canvas itself to achieve the required color.
My love of Arabic culture is firmly rooted in my soul, that’s why I find portraying Arabs and visualizing their culture is a destiny for me, a joyful way to share my passion for art."
Exhibitions And Events
2022 «SIKKA Art And Design Festival 10th edition» Al Fahidi Historical District- Dubai, UAE.
2021 «UAE 50th Anniveresary Exhibition» Collaboration City Center Mirdif- Dubai, UAE.
2021 «Arts in public transport» Live Painting a collaboration with RTA in partnership with Dubai Culture & Akaas Visual Arts Dubai.
2020 «National Day Exhibition» Collaboration City Center Mirdif- Dubai, UAE.
2020 «National Day Workshoops» Collaboration City Center Mirdif- Dubai, UAE.
2020 «National Day Live Painting» Collaboration City Center Mirdif- Dubai, UAE.
2020 «Emirates Art Connection» Akass Visual Arts - Al Fahidi Historical District- Dubai, UAE.
2020 «Umm Al Quwain Art Festival» - Umm Al Quwain, UAE.
2019 «DusitD2 Kanz Hotel Art Week» Live Painting- Dubai, UAE.
2019 «SIKKA Art Fair 19 Edition» A collaboration with Alserkal Cultural Foundation - Al Fahidi Historical District- Dubai, UAE.
2018 «Colors Of Spring Exhibition» Art Hub Gallery - Dubai Design District.
2014 «Al Ahram Exhibition» Cairo, Egypt.
2013 «The Permanent Artworks Saloon Exhibition» Intercontinental City stars Hotel- Cairo, Egypt.
Achievements
- Developing exhibition ideas, and curating s in collaboration with Akaas Visual Arts and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
- Performing live painting at special art events.
- Participating in local and global art fairs and exhibitions.
- Artworks acquired by private & public collectors in many countries such as France, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Russia & Egypt.
- Creating custom paintings & commissions for clients and prominent public figures in the UAE and abroad.
- Took part in various community, private and collaborative art projects in the UAE and abroad.
- Teaching techniques of art and all practical aspects of art and mediums.
- Develop art project budgets, estimating time lines and material costs.
2022 «Artists in Foucus 2022» Got featured in Magzoid Magazine.
2021 Got The “Golden Visa” by a granted certificate of accreditation by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority as a Plastic Artist..
2020 Curating «Promising Artist Exhibition 2» a collaboration with Dubai Culture & Akaas Visual Arts Dubai.
2020 «Create Togather Programme” Organizing online art sessions in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Akaas Visual Arts .
2020 «Change Exhibition» Curating in a collaboration with Dubai Culture & Akaas Visual Arts Dubai.
2019 «Abu Dhabi Word Weekly Magazine» Got featured as one of the creative and inspiring art Instagram accounts in 2019..
2019 Artwork acquired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding at Al fahidi-Dubai.
2018 Showcasing “Sheikh Zayed Portrait” oil painting on the NASDAQ building at Times Square New York sponsored by the DIFC &
NASDAQ Dubai.
2018 Prints of the Emirati dagger collection artworks produced for “Bait Al Khanyar” Museum at Al Fahidi - Dubai, UAE.
2014 Curating Rotana Grand Resort Sharm Al Shekh guest rooms & villa artworks- Sharm Al Shekh, Egypt.
2014 Decorate a private mosque dome with Islamic art for the commander of Egyptian armed forces- Cairo,Egypt.