Ahead of his debut solo show in the Gulf region, Ben Eine has created a 40 metre outdoor artwork on the perimeter wall of the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
In a truly ground-breaking moment for the art scene in the region, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan joined Her Majesty’s Ambassador Philip Parham and British Council Country Director, Marc Jessel to inaugurate the wall, with His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan taking up a spray can for the first time, to personally ‘tag’ the wall.
Sheikh Nahyan commented: “This is the second-oldest building in in Abu Dhabi. I couldn’t think of a better place to have this piece of art as it represents the strong relationship between the UK and the UAE on an official and personal level. I think it will inspire the next generation of artists to express themselves.”
British Embassy wall in Abu Dhabi supported by the British Council.
As part of the project, Eine worked alongside students from Zayed University to create the 40 metre Embassy mural that reads, ‘BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER’; a comment on the juxtaposition of the traditional and the modern that encapsulates the dynamics of this unique region.
Eine has been brought to the region by Dubai gallery ARTSPACE who will unveil his solo show Hand in Hand on Monday, March 16th, ahead of Art Dubai 2015.
Eine says, “I’m hoping that Abu Dhabi’s first piece of street art will inspire the next generation of artists in the same way that the discovery of Subway art inspired me all those years ago and changed the course of my life. The way Sheikh Nahyan and the local students have embraced the art form has really exceeded my expectations.”
Sheikha Alyazia Bint Nahyan Al of Anasy Media adds,
“Street art inspires and specifically graffiti which coincides brilliantly with Abu Dhabi’s artistic direction along with the creativity of the students involved in this
project”
Ben EINE on Instagram
