LIWA

DESERT WORKS

2012-2019

I was just passing through Dubai, catching up with a friend I'd met in Melbourne the year before, when life took an unexpected turn. The next day, I received an invitation to be an artist in residence at Abu Dhabi Art Hub - a prospect that was as thrilling as it was daunting, given I'd never set foot in the country before. But it was a leap of faith that paid off in spades. Over the years, I found myself drawn back to the UAE time and again, mesmerized by the desert's vast expanse and inspired by its unique energy. One project, 'Camel Limo', became a personal milestone, and the body of work that followed back in Melbourne has been an extension of the labour of love I experienced in the desert. Now, I'm thrilled to be bringing it back to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, sharing my vision with the people who first sparked my creativity.

(Image was taken by phone, no photoshop effects except cropping)

‘CAMEL LIMO’, Welded steel (3.2 km steel), (4500 x 8000 mm), LIWA Desert UAE 2015.

The video captures the final moments of 'Camel Limo', a sculpture that was eight months in the making. The majority of the work was done under the cover of night, when the scorching 46°C heat became a little more bearable. The sheer scale of the project was daunting - 3.2 km of 10 mm steel, hand bent and welded together to bring this vision to life. It was a true test of endurance, but for me, it was the desert that provided the inspiration and strength to see it through. When locals asked how I managed to create in such extreme conditions, I simply replied, 'The desert helped me with its mighty presence' - it's a truth that resonates deeply with me.

SAND, PLASTER, WAX, BRONZE/PRECIOUS METALS SCULPTURE

The works presented here span the period of 2014-2017, with some created in Liwa desert and others in Melbourne, as a continuation of the inspiration I drew from my residency with Art Hub Liwa/Abu Dhabi. Some pieces are still in progress, with sculptures in wax and plaster awaiting translation into bronze or precious metals, which will ultimately realise their intended form and value.

'SAND HEAD', sand, steel and plaster, Liwa UAE 2014.

'CAMEL TREE', plaster and steel, Liwa UAE 2014.

'CAMEL LIMO 2', plaster, (700 mm H), Liwa UAE 2015.

'CAMEL LIMO 1', bronze rodium plated, (90 mm H), Melbourne 2017.