Staying Strong, Consciously Creating: How UAE’s art community responded to the war

Even as UAE residents grapple with the new normal, post a ceasefire in the US-Israel and Iran conflict, the shadows of the past few weeks weigh heavily on their minds. The local art community too has been bravely navigating the breakdown of event schedules, disruptions to their normal life and to their creative process. In the wake of gallery closures, art fair postponements, shipment delays, artists in the region shared that they felt vulnerable, battled anxiety around uncertainty and feared for their life. But as they slowly eased back to their art practices, it lifted their spirits, they began consciously integrating and expressing their emotions into their art, aiding to their mental well-being.

Middle East Masala spoke to artists in the region on how they coped and created during times of conflict:

Petra Kaltenbach

Artist, Curator and Art Advisor to World Art Dubai

At the onset of the war, German artist Petra Kaltenbach felt distressed and deeply disoriented. For the first few weeks she was unable to create any art. “The orientation between healing, tension and the reality of the war did not come easily and not until I turned inwards. As I initiated my own process of transformation through meditation and consciously regulating my nervous system, I was able to slowly return to my practice with more awareness, depth and a stronger sense of purpose,” she shares. After a period of reorientation, she is now ready to integrate the experience of the war into her work. One of her most recent works — part of the Everybody’s Darling pomegranate sculpture series — executed in hydro-chroming, with a high-gloss surface, reflects the belief that everything exists without judgment. It embodies the idea that there is no light without shadow.

“Interestingly, I have witnessed a profound shift — both within the UAE and within myself. Here in the UAE, it became very visible how people developed a deep sense of gratitude for the country and its leadership, especially those who remained here during this uncertain period,” Kaltenbach reveals.

To the art community in the region, she recommends, “Keep creating, keep showing, keep engaging as art creates spaces for reflection, for connection, and sometimes even for healing.”

Rima Moukahal

Abstract Expressionist Artist

A childhood spent in war-torn Lebanon made Rima Moukahal, accustomed to navigating difficult circumstances early on in life. In mid-February 2026, when she travelled to her hometown in Beirut, she found herself caught yet again in the midst of a war. At that time delving deeply into her art practice was the best possible way to soothe herself. “I stocked up on art supplies, canvases and paints in large quantities to maintain a consistent creative schedule,” says Moukahal, who is based between Dubai and Beirut.

Living through her current reality, the artist was drawn towards the experience of how women bind families in home especially during turbulent types. “Through my art I sought to express the profound sorrow and anguish tied to worries about home, security and safety. But more than that my work illuminates how women’s enduring love and care for families, relatives and friends is a powerful source of healing and strength in the face of adversities,” she reveals.

To shelter her own creativity and to maintain her mental health, she took on the role of a nurturer. “Decluttering my home and cooking meals for friends, brought a sense of  order and purpose to my daily routine. These small acts of care and connection reinstated my faith in humanity and the belief that even in the darkest moments, one can prepare the ground for better days ahead,” she says. Encouraging artists to trust their own rhythm, she says, “What matters is staying connected through small acts, quite reflection or simply engaging with the world around you. Even in stillness something is taking shape. So, allow yourself the space to feel, to pause and to move with the flow, because that too is part of the creative process.”

Ahmad Al Awadhi (Rukni)

Eminent Artist and Art Patron

Before the onset of the war Emirati artist and art patron, Ahmad Al Awadhi popularly known by his artistic name Rukni was spotted on most evenings at an art exhibition or a cultural gathering. As a compassionate art advocate he has witnessed the opening of several art events in the emirates. But all that changed as the war progressed. As exhibitions and art fairs were postponed and cancelled, Rukni found himself increasingly home-bound in his studio in Sharjah. “A change in my routine during the war meant that I had more time to create art. I found peace in my art, painting canvases in shades of blue, capturing the essence of harmony in our country through symbols of peace and serenity, drawing vintage homes in Sharjah, reminiscent of my childhood memories,” he reveals.

Even as he missed interacting with the art community, Rukni found solace in his garden, tending to his favourite flowers. Confident that the UAE will bounce back soon from the conflict, he urges all artists to keep themselves busy by exploring their art practice, reassuring them that this time too will pass.

Ghaleya Al Mansoori

Multidisciplinary Artist, Educator and founder of Kenaz Art Studio

Emirati artist Ghaleya Al Mansoori has been promoting local traditional crafts through workshops and art classes at Kenaz, UAE’s first mobile art studio. With Kenaz, Al Mansoori has been traveling to far flung places in the UAE encouraging and sensitising budding artists. As the conflict unfolded in February 2026, Al Mansoori felt a strong urge to involve the community and connect them to art. “My daily schedule became less about rigid studio hours and more about finding moments of stillness to process the weight of the global events. I was able to safeguard my wellbeing by engaging in community-centred acts bringing people together to create in shared spaces,” she reveals.

Through Kenaz, Al Mansoori has introduced two community initiatives during the war — the Art of Resilience series exploring the wisdom of ancestors to find solutions for the future and Amanat Watan, Art of Gratitude challenge, inviting artists and creatives of all ages to paint stories of optimism creating a visual testament to a bright future for the UAE and as a tribute to the dedication of frontline defenders. “I believe collective energy acts as an antidote to the isolation that grief brings. True cultural resilience is not found in a single loud gesture but in persistent documentation of our existence ensuring our stories will never be erased,” she tells.

Kristel Bechara

Contemporary Visual Artist

For the past few weeks Lebanese artist Kristel Bechara was immersed in curating her solo exhibition — Born From Light — that she bravely opened to a vibrant in-person audience at Goshi Warehouse Village in Dubai recently. As the world outside felt crippled with fear and anxiety, for Bechara her studio became her sanctuary. “My solo show has been in the works for several months and I was deeply submerged in finishing my final paintings. During this time it was a conscious decision to not let the darkness around seep into my work. I intended for my viewers to feel deeply empowered, peaceful and hopeful, when they stood in front of my canvases,” she relates.

Keeping a routine, spending time with family and disconnecting when needed, helped the artist to stay centred the past few weeks. “Creating art is in itself so destressing. The process of mixing colours, feeling the textures in my hands, following the rhythm of the brushstrokes — all helped me to unwind,” she tells. The solidarity within Dubai’s close-knit creative community, Bechara says, was also a great source of strength for her during these challenging times.

Ali Hammad

Classical Realism and Figurative Artist

Passionate about his realistic and figurative art, Abu Dhabi-based Pakistani artist Ali Hammad says he steered his entire focus on being optimistic and noticing only positive things around him. “As a realist painter, one needs to have intense mental concentration and patience to create, traits that truly helped me to forget everything that was happening outside. Observing and engaging with the beauty of art was a great distraction from international news,” he shares.

During these days Hammad’s life revolved around staying true to his art and his teaching practice. Art, he firmly believes, will live long in the hands of its creators and promoters, and in both war and peace, artists will find ways to express their creativity.

Content credit @middleeastmasala. All pics supplied by artists.