LARGEST PAINTING OF SHEIKH ZAYED CREATED IN THE DUBAI DESERT

Internationally renowned artist and Canadian University of Dubai lecturer Sylvain Tremblay prepared to create the largest ever portrait of the late Sheikh Zayed out of sand.

The painting was created in the desert just outside Dubai on May 12th when Tremblay, who specializes in creating artworks that celebrate culture and traditions around the world, will drop sand collected from the desert onto a 12m by 10m canvas to create a high contrast image.

The technique is one invented by Tremblay himself, a style he developed and honed at Canadian University of Dubai. Using the University's roof as a preparation space, he has practiced many times on smaller canvases to ensure everything goes to plan.

He admits that this is the most challenging project of his career. "This is the most inspiring thing I have done and definitely the most technically difficult," he said.

"It's a great honor for me to be able to produce the biggest painted portrait of the great Sheikh Zayed. It was important to me when planning the performance that everything was natural and that it paid tribute to the UAE's natural elements. The desert was the natural place to do this and using sand from the desert made the perfect choice."

"I feel very honored to have been able to do this and I am delighted with the result," he said.

"The wind made it tough and I had to finish a lot quicker than expected, but I had so many supporters and students and they helped me finish it."

The public's first opportunity to see the artwork will be next week at Liwa's Art Hub. The Hub sits at the base of an 80m high sand dune on which the picture will be displayed.

Ahmed Al Yafei, owner and founder of Art Hub, said: "We have been delighted to support Sylvain in this project and we are very much looking forward to receiving the artwork.''

Tremblay admits that this could take him one step closer to fulfilling a long-held ambition. "I have always wanted to do something on the helipad at the Burj Al Arab. Hopefully tone day that will happen."

Copyright - Dubai Education 2014
Directed by Stéphane Chabas

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