Sharjah24: Sharjah has curated the works of 20 Emirati illustrators in a special exhibition, 'Insight, Reflect' to turn the spotlight on a key component of the UAE’s contemporary children’s literature sector. The exhibition is one of the many cultural offerings of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the Bologna Children’s Book fair (BCBF) 2022.

From collage, charcoal and pastel artworks to other distinct styles and materials employed by UAE’s local artists to bring children’s stories to life and spark young imaginations, the exhibition has offered thousands of visitors a unique window into the styles and techniques of contemporary artists in Sharjah’s and the UAE’s rapidly flourishing children’s literature sector.    

Located in the Main Hall of the book fair, ‘Insight, Reflect’ features a curation of the works of artists Nasser Nasrallah, Khaled Al Banna, Khalid Mezaina, Wafa Ibrahim, Aisha Al Bloushi, Alia Al Baadi, Ammar Al Attar, Asma Al Husseini, Asma Bin Kalban, Mariam Al Shamsi, Budoor Al Muhairi, Eman Al Raesi, Fatima Al Ameri, Khadija Al Mulla, Latifa Al Ketbi, Mariam Al Binali, Maitha Al Khayat, Salama Al Nuaimi, Sanaa Al Falasi, and Shaikha Al Shamsi.

A key objective of the exhibition is to offer literary and cultural enthusiasts an understanding of the way in which local artists and illustrators in the UAE creatively portray authentic Emirati identity in the way they build a story’s characters, their physical attributes, expressions, clothing as well as the colours and other accents they use to complete and finetune them. The displayed works include Emirati women in traditional garments and the burqa; UAE’s local environmental elements including the coastal areas, mountains and the desert; traditional ships and other elements that hark back to the roots of the nation.