In times of uncertainty, art has the power to speak when words fall short. It captures the spirit of resilience, giving form to our shared experiences and reminding us of the strength within us. At this year’s Dubai Design Week, MASKA, Dubai’s leading gifting design studio, taps into that power with a new installation titled The Resilient Blooms, created in collaboration with renowned Emirati illustrator and visual designer Mariam Abbas.
The installation is a visual interpretation of resilience—how it grows from challenging times, much like a seed that blooms even in the toughest soil. MASKA wanted to create something that speaks to the challenges of today, offering a message of hope and perseverance in light of the hardships in today’s world. “This will pass,” they remind us, “and better days will come.” This sentiment became the foundation of their collaboration with Mariam Abbas, whose work is known for being inspired by architecture, botany, and cultural depth.
Located within the setting of Dubai Design Week 2024, The Resilient Blooms is an immersive experience. The installation presents a collection of fabric flowers adorned with Abbas’s signature illustrative style, each bloom representing the beauty that can arise when we nurture hope. The installation doesn’t stop at being a piece to view—MASKA invites visitors to interact with it by taking a part of it home. Pieces of the artwork are printed on seed paper, which can be planted to grow new life, echoing the installation’s central message of hope and resilience.
MASKA has also introduced fabric wraps featuring Mariam Abbas’s artwork, which will be available as part of their signature collection. These wraps offer visitors a chance to bring a piece of the installation’s message into their own lives, transforming the artwork into a daily reminder of resilience.
“At MASKA, we wanted to work on a project that reminded everyone that “this will pass” & “better days will come”, to battle the hopelessness that was slowly consuming us amidst all the conflict happening around us. We reached out to Mariam to help us portray that message in her beautiful illustrative style, and this collaboration was born. The installation showcases natures remarkable ability to bloom anew from a forgotten seed. Making the connection that hope is that seed, if you choose to nurture it, it will bloom even in the darkest of places. A message that we think is so needed today,” shares Fatma Al Khoori, Founder of MASKA, in conversation with Soigné.
Dubai Design Week attendees can experience The Resilient Blooms from November 5 to 10, 2024, in d3.
