French digital artist and graphic designer Zak Eazy first visited Dubai last year and was so impressed by the city, he's returned four times since. He's also turned memories of his travels into an impressive series of artworks featuring Dubai landmarks, from Burj Khalifa to Burj Al Arab.
Eazy, 26, who prefers to be known by his artistic moniker, works predominantly with Adobe Photoshop, and says his works are inspired by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali.
One striking work shows the Dubai Frame, with dolphins leaping out from waves splashing on sand dunes, while another features Atlantis, The Palm set on a rocky hilltop with a river flowing from its famous arch.
"I love to mix architecture, animals and nature in a surrealistic style. I love to take realistic things and make it more fantastical. And I love making the world more dreamy and sweet," Eazy tells The National. "I picked these monuments because they are best known in Dubai and I was really impressed by their architecture."
Eazy has created four artworks featuring Dubai, and now has his sights set on the Museum of the Future, the world's largest observation wheel Ain Dubai, Al Seef neighbourhood and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Two more Burj Khalifa-inspired projects are also in the works.
"I wanted to express the greatness of the country through these creations, because visually the architecture is top class but also the development they represent," he says. "There are so many opportunities there and you can make your dream come true. That’s what I wanted to express."
The Dubai Frame work, titled New Wave, is the perfect example of his vision, Eazy says.
"Through the Dubai Frame, you can see the old and the new Dubai. That’s why I used this monument because it’s an analogy between life before and after, life before opportunity and life after opportunity. I used dolphins to represent anybody in the world because there are opportunities for everyone in Dubai. No matter your race or colour of your skin, you will manage to swim like a dolphin in the water if you manage to take the opportunity."
Eazy, who lives in Lille in northern France, says he started creating his series in 2019, beginning with images from his home town. His Instagram account, where he curates his works, is inundated with praise, with many applauding him for his vision and artistry. Eazy is currently working to put together his own exhibition.
"I love to see [the] reactions of people because they interpret the art in their own way. Some view my art as fantastic and magical, and some see it as the apocalypse and life after human extinction," he says. "I have my own meaning but people are free to interpret it according to what they see, according to their experiences. And this is what I like the most."
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