Emirati Obaid Suroor: A brush with tradition

Not a day goes by without Obaid Suroor picking up his paintbrush. The 60-year-old Emirati artist, a retired art education counsellor at the Ministry of Education, now spends most of his time doing what he loves.

Born and raised in Ras Al Khaimah, Suroor has had a passion for art for as long as he can remember.

“I was a talented kid at school, who always finished his drawings by the end of the drawing class. Unlike the other kids, I never left my drawings unfinished. I stood out in class because my drawings always had that extra element. I loved to focus and always felt a certain harmony between myself and the drawing,” he says.

The UAE in Venice

Suroor is one of 15 artists exhibiting in the UAE’s National Pavilion at the 56th edition of the Venice Biennale, and has four paintings on show, including the striking image, Turathona Al Mi’mary, where the sky is depicted as a swath of red polka dots. The theme of the show, curated and directed by Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, founder of the Sharjah Art Foundation, is UAE art dating back to the 1980s.

There were a lot of artists working during this time, but Suroor describes it as a difficult period.

“Art was misunderstood then and looked at as a useless pursuit,” he says. “Parents at school did not appreciate the subject of art and sometimes even forbade their kids from participating or even drawing in class. Thank God we are over this phase and Emirati artists are now respected and their work is showcased worldwide.” Regarding the National Pavilion UAE, which opened in May, he says: “I thank God and all those who were in charge of bringing this exhibition together.

Original article by Elham Al Dhaheri

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Emirati Obaid Suroor: A brush with tradition