Palestinian-Emirati artist Feryal Matar's six-decade career bridges art, craft and women's education in Sharjah
Feryal Matar, who was born in 1935 close to Nablus, has dedicated over sixty years to her artistic career while also instructing at the Sharjah Women's Association from the 1970s until the 2000s. Her artistic repertoire encompasses oil painting, calligraphy, textile art, wood carving, metalwork, and mixed media. Matar's artwork often showcases Palestinian symbols, scenes of Emirati nation-building such as 'Men of the Sea' (1987), and landscapes inspired by Japanese aesthetics. She has displayed her work globally and featured on Dubai TV's 'Rukn Al Fann' during the 1970s. Her pieces are sought after by notable figures, including Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi. Matar's educational approach established a three-tier art education system, promoting women's empowerment as business leaders and educators.
Key facts
- Feryal Matar was born in 1935 near Nablus and is a Palestinian-Emirati artist.
- She taught hundreds of women at the Sharjah Women's Association from the 1970s to the 2000s.
- Matar's work includes oil paintings, calligraphy, textile embellishment, and mixed-media pieces using natural materials.
- Her subjects range from Palestinian emblems to Emirati nation-building scenes like 'Men of the Sea' (1987).
- Matar exhibited internationally and starred in Dubai TV's first art program 'Rukn Al Fann' in the 1970s.
- Her daughter Amal Abu Kuwaik is leading a revival of interest in her mother's legacy.
- Matar's teaching introduced a three-tiered system to professionalize art education for women.
- The UAE's art scene developed through institutions like the Emirates Fine Arts Society (founded 1980) and the Sharjah Biennial (launched 1993).
Entities
Artists
- Feryal Matar
- Amal Abu Kuwaik
- Ismail Shammout
- Tamam Al-Akhal
- Hassan Sharif
- Mohammed Kazem
- Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim
- Hussein Sharif
- Abdullah Al Saadi
- Ibrahim El-Salahi
- Safia Farhat
- Safeya Binzagr
- Hilma af Klint
- Piet Mondrian
Institutions
- Sharjah Women's Association
- Emirates Fine Arts Society
- Sharjah Biennial
- Sharjah Art Museum
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
- Tate Modern
- Barnet College
- Saint Martin's School of Art
- Central Saint Martins
- University of the Arts London
- Byam Shaw School of Art
- University of Khartoum
- National Office of Handicraft
- House of Artisans
- Alserkal Avenue
- Jameel Arts Centre
- 421
- Sharjah Library
- Sharjah Science Museum
- Flying Saucer
- ZAK Smart Medical Services
- Afterall
Locations
- Nablus
- Palestine
- Gaza
- Kuwait
- Dubai
- Sharjah
- United Arab Emirates
- Switzerland
- London
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- Abu Dhabi
- Cairo
- Egypt
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Saudi Arabia
- Jeddah
- Casablanca
- Morocco
- Khartoum
- Sudan
- Tunisia
- Oxford
Sources
- Afterall —