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Emirati Artist Ziad Al Najjar on Nature, Spirituality, and Unstretched Canvas

artist · 2026-04-22

Ziad Al Najjar, an Emirati artist studying for his bachelor’s at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, recently opened up about his artistic path in an interview with Canvas. He reminisces about his childhood in Dubai, especially fond memories of Safa Park and the famous water tower at Al Khazan Park, which represent the blend of nature, humanity, and spirituality. Najjar prefers using unstretched canvas like fabric to enhance the tactile quality of his work. He’ll be displaying his pieces in a joint exhibition with his brother Talal Al Najjar at NYU Abu Dhabi, curated by Tala Nassar, and later at ICD Brookfield in Dubai. His art features complex layering and soft colors, drawing from 16th-century Islamic miniatures and the 1970s New York Pattern and Decoration Movement while contemplating creating art in unusual spaces, like goat pens.

Key facts

  • Ziad Al Najjar is an Emirati artist completing his bachelor's degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
  • He draws inspiration from childhood memories of Dubai's Safa Park and Al Khazan Park, especially its water tower.
  • He works on unstretched canvas to break from traditional conventions and enhance tactile engagement.
  • He is preparing a duo show with his brother Talal Al Najjar at NYU Abu Dhabi, curated by Tala Nassar.
  • He has an upcoming exhibition at ICD Brookfield in Dubai later this year.
  • His work involves dense layering, subtle colors, and compositions that play with perception and obscured visibility.
  • He cites influences from 16th-century Islamic miniatures and the Pattern and Decoration Movement of the 1970s in New York.
  • He has a dual heritage: his father is from Dubai and his mother from New York City.

Entities

Artists

  • Ziad Al Najjar
  • Talal Al Najjar
  • Tala Nassar

Institutions

  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Canvas
  • NYU Abu Dhabi
  • ICD Brookfield

Locations

  • Dubai
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Chicago
  • New York City
  • Safa Park
  • Al Khazan Park
  • Hatta
  • South Dakota

Sources