ABU DHABI // The chief artist behind a 600-metre mural in Abu Dhabi tapped into the UAE’s history, culture, and the words of Sheikh Zayed for inspiration to create one of the largest pieces of art in the country.
On Wednesday, Miami-based artist Elio Mercado, 32, and his team of artists were applying the final touches of paint to their “canvas” – a wall that runs parallel to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street, close to the headquarters of real estate developer Aldar.
To complete the mural, which is as long as six football pitches, Mercado was joined by an international collective of artists including Peruvians Daniel Cortez, Jade Rivera and Entes Suero, Iriving Cano from Mexico, Marcos Temoches from Venezuela and Onur Dinc from Switzerland.
During the past month they have been painting a series of images and symbols representative of the UAE, which together form the largest mural they have yet created.
“The guideline was pretty much to capture the essence of the culture,” said Mercado, who also goes by the moniker Evoca1.
Faced with the task of creating a work that will be seen by thousands of passersby every day, his creative process began by gathering ideas from UAE-based photographers Wouter Kingma, Chinthra Unni and Jassim Al Buainain and studying their images.
The result was a series of paintings that include impressions of falcons, camels and citizens partaking in cultural activities.
One such image is of a boy in traditional dress holding a lantern.
Mercado said he was inspired for this image by a quote from the Founding President, Sheikh Zayed, “Education is like a lantern that lights up your way in a dark alley”.
Mercado said: “I was happy to take that quote and turn it into a piece of the mural.”
The team of artists worked from 6.30am to 9.30am, followed by another shift from 4pm to 10pm.
Because of the hot weather, they had to dampen the wall before they could apply paint with their brushes and rollers.
“I’ve worked in the desert heat before in Tunisia, it was hot, but this was definitely the hottest,” Mercado said. “It was super uncomfortable, we couldn’t breathe at some points but we just managed.”
An exterior latex paint, specially made for desert climates and to withstand dust and heat was used.
The mural is part of a pilot project by Aldar, which has set out to embed UAE culture and heritage in its development work.
Similar projects are expected to follow.
“It’s a perfect way to engage with a crowd that’s not used to seeing art,” Mercado said.
“When you walk into a gallery, people will already have a sense of what they’re looking at or what they’re looking for. When you do something like a mural, you get to engage with fresh eyes, someone in the public who’s just walking by and maybe not used to being exposed to artwork.”
“It’s a good way to send a positive message to people.”
The project was completed under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
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6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
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26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
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The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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