Arab artists: Mattar’s brush strokes represent the artist’s pulse

Emirati painter, sculptor, and photographer Mattar Bin Lahej, was born in Dubai in 1968.

A self-taught artist, his work came to prominence over the past few years through his participation in several exhibitions inside and outside of the United Arab Emirates.

In 1992, Bin Lahej founded the Mattar Gallery for Fine Arts, the first Arab gallery of its kind to be run by an Arab artist. But the artist has never depended on the heritage in which he carved his niche.

Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej

“The wet sand was more than a part of my painting, part of my tools. It meant everything to me,” he said.

Bin Lahej rejects criticism from audiences who view his paintings as a mass of flying threads and ribbons.

“These lines have not come from thin air. Each stroke reflects the pulse of the artist’s sensitivities and feelings,” he said.

“I found out that fast-paced lines can be transformed to project images of three dimensions.”

Bin Lahej is certain on how to progress in his work, seeing formidable opportunities.

“Globalization has transformed us to be like free birds flying to the furthest destinations,” he said.