After six years of drawing and painting birds, Fathima Mohiuddin, who goes by the artist name Fatspatrol, decided on a new subject: people.
"I experienced a bit of a shift last year when the world went into lockdown," she tells The National. "It took me down the road of thinking about what makes up a human being. When we're stripped away of social interaction and engaging with external images like we were last year, what makes us human?"
Her latest work The Humans, commissioned for a Yas Island development, features several stylised characters, each unique in their appearance and style. The figures, rendered in profile, are made with bold black lines and various shapes painted on a 100-metre stretch of white wall, which is located next to Etihad Arena.
“The figures represent all of us,” Mohiuddin says. “Each human on the mural has something different that drives and motivates them. In my head each one has a unique character and story but I also like that there’s room there for the viewer to give them their own story.”
Mohiuddin attributes her quirky visual style to diverse influences from within the UAE, including Arabic calligraphy, henna, Indian textiles and architecture. “I am a product of experiencing the unique cultural mash-up that is the UAE, and in that sense speak to the local community through my style,” she explains.
I'm of Indian origin, born and raised in the UAE, a Canadian immigrant; an altogether fairly complex cultural make-up
The artist, 37, grew up in the UAE and has been living between Dubai and Canada for the last three years. She studied studio art and critical theory in Toronto, then went on to complete her Master's degree in sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London in England, where she her wrote her thesis on public and street art.
“I’m of Indian origin, born and raised in the UAE, a Canadian immigrant; an altogether fairly complex cultural make-up. Mark-making has been a way for me to create a unique voice of my own in my style."
Work for The Humans began earlier this year. Miral, the developer that commissioned the project, reached out to the artist in March 2020, around the time when she was beginning to experiment with drawing humans instead of her usual feathered figures. The large-scale mural took six weeks to complete with the help of two assistants.
With its black lines and exaggerated shapes, Mohiuddin seemingly borrowed from street art and graphic design. Her choice of colour, or lack thereof, was a way to bring focus to the subject and the forms within the work, which are usually done in a free-flowing, “stream of consciousness” process, as the artist describes.
“Sometimes I feel like a minimal colour palette like that is enough and doesn’t necessarily need to be injected with the emotion and implications colour brings. It leaves space for the viewer to think and breathe between the heavy lines and forms,” she explains.
Through her public art, she has also participated in educational outreach, painting with children wounded by war in Jordan and creating artwork for awareness campaigns on gender-based violence during the pandemic. "I think artists have a responsibility to understand the socially communicative value of art and use it for positive change and progress. We all have a part to play in moving the world forward."
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport