Artist Juma Al Haj Documents Impact of 2022 UAE Attacks Through New Works

Emirati artist Juma Al Haj has detailed how the 2022 drone and missile attacks on the UAE by Iran-backed Houthi rebels fundamentally altered his creative process, shifting his work from structured minimalism to a style defined by "disorder." The Sharjah-born painter, known for abstract works rooted in personal and spiritual scripts, found the regional security breach forced a transition in his aesthetic language. Shift from Order to Chaos Prior to the January 2022 attacks, Al Haj’s portfolio was characterized by clean lines and organized compositions. The psychological impact of the interceptions over Abu Dhabi and Dubai introduced a new element of unpredictability to his canvas. The artist noted that the sound of explosions and the sudden shift in the domestic security landscape made his previous, highly controlled method feel incongruous with reality. His recent works now feature overlapping textures and obscured scripts, representing a departure from his earlier clarity. This "disorder" is not accidental but a deliberate attempt to capture the fragility of peace and the jarring nature of conflict. By layering paint to hide or reveal specific texts, Al Haj replicates the…