Dubai, UAE, 04 December 2021: UAE NFT, an Emirates-based NFT collection, has announced the launch of specially commissioned limited edition NFT digital art celebrating the UAE on National Day, available for free to buyers.

 

The distinctive pieces of art were created by seven well-known local, regional and internationally based artists as part of the “From Desert to Mars” collection and feature their own take on the UAE’s journey as a nation over the last 50 years. 

 

The sale of the UAE NFT commissioned work begins on December 2nd and is being done to promote the technology and encourage an active NFT community in the UAE while celebrating UAE National Day. As a result, only 1,971 pieces - to mark the 50th anniversary of the UAE - will be available for each of the seven individual artworks. A total of 13,797 artwork pieces.  

 

“As the UAE marks its 50th year it is the perfect time to look at the extraordinary journey undertaken by the nation and its people during this period and look ahead to a promising future. To celebrate this and the UAE’s spirit of innovation, UAE NFT has commissioned limited edition digital artworks from seven of the best local and international artists to showcase the country’s transformation, which is being made available to buyers for free. The NFT market holds huge untapped potential in the UAE and with these offerings we hope to introduce more people to this technology while fostering a proactive NFT community movement,” said Giuseppe Moscatello, a UAE-based Art Curator.

 

Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, commented: “In line with the sectoral priorities in Dubai Culture’s strategic roadmap, the Authority is committed to empowering and attracting talents, promoting a cultural and creative environment and ensuring that culture is available everywhere to everyone. This NFT artwork sale is a wonderful way to not only celebrate the history and heritage of the nation on UAE National Day but also to encourage a thriving NFT community. NFT has opened up a whole new horizon for creative expression, and by helping foster a community of artists in the UAE, we can showcase our talent to the world.”

 

People who buy all seven of the artworks not only receive pieces that will gain in value but also become members of UAE NFT and enjoy potential benefits in the future. NFTs or non-fungible tokens are unique digital assets that live on blockchain technology and can be photographs, digital artwork, music clips, videos, or even a ticket to an event. They have grown in popularity recently with the global NFT digital art market alone hitting US$3.5 billion in sales during the first three quarters of 2021, according to the Hiscox Online Art Trade Report 2021.

 

The artists featured in the UAE NFT collection include:

• Mattar Bin Lahej, an Emirati artist from Dubai and the founder of Marsam Mattar, created “Still” his first NFT artwork, which highlights the UAE’s unstoppable evolution through the movement of a rolling ball formed by small pixels that resembles the design of the country’s iconic wind towers – Barjeel. 

• Anantha Krishnan Nadamel, a 23-year-old digital artist and designer from Kerala, India, also known in the NFT community as Beeple of Kerala and co-founder of the NFT Malayali Community. His “In the Verge of Inevitables” featuring a hypothetical city in the UAE, that captures a moment during the Cenozoic era prior to the introduction of the greatest inventions by mankind.

• Thomas Dubois, a French artist, has a background in architecture and created “Beginnings Pearl” which is a homage to the UAE’s pearl diving history and culture that dates back more than 7,000 years. For many years, the finest pearls in the world were found in the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf and the artwork celebrates this.

• Arefeh Norouzi, is a 24-year-old self-taught abstract artist based in Iran. In “Over the Horizon”, she examines what is really waiting for us beyond the horizon. This fascinating animation questions if life is possible on other planets, similar to the UAE’s quest for the potential of life on other planets.

• Kaiwan Shaban, a 22-year-old Kurdish digital artist, honors the UAE through his “The Highest” artwork he acknowledges the country’s technology, diversity of cultures, religions and food. The figure represented in “The Highest” is walking in the desert surrounded by palms and nature, toward the iconic landscape of the city, which represents modernity and the future.

• Jasim Al Bulushi, is an environmental artist, graphic designer and photographer from the UAE. In “Desert to Mars”, he features a spaceman staring at the modern city from a hypothetical desert on planet Earth symbolizing UAE’s incredible journey to space.

• Kristel Bechara, is a contemporary artist based in Dubai and the first in the Middle East to launch an NFT. Her “Wings of Glory” artwork is a tribute to the bold and daring spirit of the UAE which continues to soar to new heights of achievement and success. 

 

“NFT’s are an exciting new future for artists and I’m delighted to be part of this collaboration with UAE NFT. As an Emirati I’m proud to highlight the amazing progress the country has made over the last 50 years and by encouraging more people to get involved with the NFT community we can help to make it a creative hub for the country,” said Mattar Bin Lahej.

To get an NFT artwork from the collection customers should visit https://uaenft.io/, setup a MetaMask wallet and add Ethereum into the account. Then simply select the NFT artwork(s) you are interested in, press claim and pay the gas fee to receive the art piece(s).