Artists beautify clothing donation boxes for Ramadan

DUBAI: During Ramadan known as the season of giving, four Emirati women artists are encouraging the community to connect with those less fortunate through beautifully painted clothing donation boxes.

In collaboration with the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department, colourful clothing boxes decorated with paintings inspired by the city’s culture and traditions will be placed throughout the city. The idea is that the artwork will make the boxes more eye-catching and remind people of the importance of donating during the Holy Month.

Maitha Al Suwaidi, Abeer Al Iedani, Shamma Al Badi and Nawal Al Muhairi are the four local artists who have contributed their time and efforts to embellish the donation boxes with symbolic and powerful artworks for this community-spirited project.

Maitha Al Suwaidi, a 26-year-old Emirati visual artist, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Zayed University, said: “Art is my passion. I wanted to participate in this initiative during Ramadan, the month of giving, to give the boxes a beautiful and attractive look, and spread positive and warm vibes in the community. On one side, I painted small dandelion flowers carrying wishes for prosperity and new beginnings as they fly into the sky. I also added a lantern, the moon and some stars as symbols of Ramadan. The lantern also represents beauty and a magical atmosphere, while the new moon represents the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.”

Shamma Al Badi, a 22-year-old Emirati student in Art college at Zayed University, said: “I participated in this initiative because I love seeing art in every corner of my beloved country. I wanted to give back to the UA community because that’s where I learned about art and everything beautiful. My drawing was created on the theme of connection and was inspired by my visit to the historic Al Fahidi neighbourhood, where the beautiful Abra reminded me of how connected the city is through art and tradition. It took me three days to complete and so I hope people enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed creating it.”

Abeer Al Ladani, a 41-year-old artist and mechanical engineer, said: “I have always admired Dubai’s fundraising initiatives, especially those during Ramadan, and I am thrilled to be involved this year. This initiative is one of the best experiences I have ever had because while I was drawing, so many people came up to me and asked me about it. I was so happy to share the spirit of love and giving that is so important in the UAE, especially during Holy Month. It took me two days to finish the drawing. I depicted our celebration of the holy month of Ramadan with a child wearing traditional Emirati clothing, holding Ramadan decorations and happily welcoming Ramadan. I also drew different Ramadan symbols like lanterns and buildings in bright colours to spread happiness in the Holy Month.”

Nawal Al Muhairi, a student at Savannah College for Art and Design, said: “I thought a lot about what to design for this initiative named “Connecting in Ramadan,” and I wanted to bring a unique touch, that was different from the usual lantern and moon visuals. I chose to draw the only mosque in Palm Jumeirah – the Abdul Rahman Saddiq Mosque and highlight it as an emblem of the Emirate of Dubai and a centre of connection during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The painting on the donation box shows the landscape and aesthetics of the mosque from a distance in a 2D method, so it can be seen from every corner.”

The clothing donation boxes are located in several places in the city, including Masjid Al Rahim in Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Grand Mosque, Humaid Al Tayer Mosque in Umm Suqeim 2, and Al Ghafoor Mosque in Downtown Dubai, in the heart of the city. They are open to the public for all to visit.

The donated clothes will benefit the ‘Clothes Bank’ initiative by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, where clothes that are no longer worn will be collected and distributed to over 350,000 people who will benefit from it.

Encourage more people to donate by taking a photo of one of the decorated clothing boxes and sharing it with the public on Instagram using the hashtags #ramadandubai #رمضان_دبي and @iacaddubai.

For more information, visit @StyledByDubai and @CelebrateDubai on social media and www.RamadaninDubai.com.

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