I am Diaa Allam, the artist behind the “UAE50 NFT Art Project”, a collection of 50 unique original calligraphy artworks in the shape of the UAE flag.
Each artwork is an acrylic on canvas painting measuring 100 X 70 centimeters and features an Arabic word that embodies the spirit of the UAE.
I chose the 50 words based on my own interpretation of the characteristics of this beautiful and blessed country that has been home to me all my life. One of the words, for instance, is ‘aman’ which means peace, then there’s ‘ittehad’ denoting unity and ‘shumukh’ which stands for glory.
Besides the physical art pieces, there are 50 digital video files that display an augmented reality-based graphic of the word. Anyone who buys the NFT (non-fungible token), gets the physical artwork as well.
As an urban planner and landscape architect by profession, my creation is a tribute to the UAE for its 50th anniversary. I had been planning this project since I created a symbolic calligraphy artwork to mark the UAE’s 40th anniversary 10 years ago. It’s been a long journey and I am glad that it has come to fruition.
The UAE50 NFT Art Project was unveiled on Flag Day on various local television channels and also hosted at Nakheel mall in Palm Jumeirah for the entire month of December 2021.
You can look at artworks from the collection here.