Quick answer: The UAE's contemporary art scene includes Emirati artists and artists who have made the country their base. Nine artists whose work is in the Tashkeel shop are based in the UAE: Wissam Shawkat, Ibrahim Zaki, Mouza Al Hamrani, Moza Al Falasi, Maitha Demithan, Ali Mrad, Jyo John Mulloor, Khalid Alastad and Shamin Sharum. Their work covers calligraphy, typography, illustration, painting, drawing, photography and digital art, from AED 63 sketchbooks to original works in the tens of thousands. You can also see work in person at Tashkeel in Nad Al Sheba and Alserkal Avenue.
How did we choose these artists?
This is not a ranking of the most famous UAE artists. It is a starting point for discovering contemporary artists working in the country through work you can see and buy. We included an artist only where their base is confirmed: by their artist page in the shop, their Tashkeel profile, their own website, or the Tashkeel team. Bases are given as the source states them. Some artists in the shop are not listed here because their biography doesn't say where they are based, or says they are based outside the UAE.
| Artist | Base | Main media |
|---|---|---|
| Wissam Shawkat | Dubai | Arabic calligraphy and typography |
| Ibrahim Zaki | Dubai | Typography, calligraphy, posters |
| Mouza Al Hamrani | Ajman | Illustration, multimedia design |
| Moza Al Falasi | Dubai | Painting, mixed media, photography, printmaking |
| Maitha Demithan | UAE | Scanography, painting, photography, printmaking |
| Ali Mrad | Dubai | Photography, drawing, writing |
| Jyo John Mulloor | Dubai | Digital art |
| Khalid Alastad | Dubai | Photography, surreal painting, digital prints |
| Shamin Sharum | Dubai | Painting, drawing, maquettes |
Which calligraphers and typographers are based in the UAE?
Wissam Shawkat
Base: Dubai. Born in Basra in 1974, he is an artist and designer working in Arabic calligraphy and typography. Since the early 2000s he has developed his own script, Al Wissam Script, and he also started Calligraforms, which merges classic letterforms with Western Abstraction and Cubism. Read more in our article on the Al Wissam Script.
Works: Love is the Lifeline of Life (2025, pigment inks on treated handmade paper, 38 Γ 29 cm, AED 10,500) and the Al Wissam Script - Exhibition Mug (AED 99.75). All works by Wissam Shawkat.
Ibrahim Zaki
Base: Dubai. A multidisciplinary designer and calligrapher with a BA in Graphic Design from An-Najah National University in Palestine. Since 2008 he has worked across Arabic typography, calligraphy and branding, and his work has been selected several times for the Hundred Best Arabic Posters. Many of his posters are hand-pulled silkscreens; our guide to Arabic calligraphy and typography posters explains what they say.
Works: the Ahwak Poster (silkscreen, unframed, AED 250) and Fairouz, 2026 (risograph, 29.7 Γ 42 cm, from AED 790). All works by Ibrahim Zaki.
Which illustrators and painters are based in the UAE?
Mouza Al Hamrani
Base: Ajman. An illustrator and multimedia designer whose work draws on her Khaleeji upbringing, touching on cultural inheritance, superstition and the human condition, often with humour and captions. She holds a BSc in Multimedia Design from Zayed University.
Works: the Umm Kulthum Poster (AED 250) and The Founding Generation Poster (AED 160). All works by Mouza Al Hamrani.
Moza Al Falasi
Base: Dubai. A multidisciplinary artist working in painting, mixed media, photography and printmaking, with a Fine Arts degree from Zayed University. Her first solo exhibition, Unfolding, ran at Tashkeel's Nad Al Sheba 1 Gallery from 15 May to 26 June 2026, as Canvas reported.
Works: What the Tree Left Behind #3 (acrylic on a Ghaf tree leaf, 20 Γ 20 cm, AED 1,275) and Substructures #4 (graphite on paper, 102 Γ 54 cm, AED 7,350). All works by Moza Al Falasi.
Maitha Demithan
Base: the UAE. A visual artist working across scanography, painting, drawing, photography and printmaking. Her artist page describes images that blur the line between photography and painting.
Works: the Gazelle Poster (limited edition, AED 160) and the Gazelle Sketchbook & Notebook (AED 110). All works by Maitha Demithan.
Which photographers and digital artists are based in the UAE?
Ali Mrad
Base: Dubai. A self-taught multidisciplinary artist whose work spans photography, drawing and writing, drawing on journeys, dreams and the nature around him. In the shop, his artworks of the seven emirates appear on a range of stationery, accessories and clothing, with one design for each emirate.
Works: the Emirates Sketchbooks (A5, 19 Γ 25 cm, one cover per emirate, AED 75) and the Emirates T-shirt (cotton, AED 95). All works by Ali Mrad.
Jyo John Mulloor
Base: Dubai. A digital artist and art director who re-imagines familiar images. His Dubai Snow design, which shows the city under snow, was created with AI tools. More in our piece on Jyo John Mulloor's digital art.
Works: Dubai Snow (digital print on HahnemΓΌhle Photo Rag, 52 Γ 65 cm, unframed, AED 500) and the Arab Mona Lisa Sketchbook (AED 75). All works by Jyo John Mulloor.
Khalid Alastad
Base: Dubai. Born in Khorfakkan in 1993, he is an engineer, artist and photographer. His solo show Little Neighbours in 2023 brought together more than 100 photographs of desert wildlife in the UAE.
Works: Antlion (Myrmeleontidae family) (2021, digital print on HahnemΓΌhle Photo Rag, 50 Γ 50 cm, AED 4,500) and Robotic Falcon (digital print, 65 Γ 43.5 cm, unframed, AED 500). All works by Khalid Alastad.
Where can I see their work in person?
- Tashkeel Nad Al Sheba: Nad Al Sheba 1, Street 120, Dubai. Moza Al Falasi's Unfolding was shown at the Nad Al Sheba 1 Gallery.
- Tashkeel at Alserkal Avenue: Warehouse 89, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai.
- Tashkeel Studio and Gallery: hosting Provisional Sanctuaries by Shamin Sharum from 24 October to 26 November 2026, with an opening reception on 23 October. Check the exhibition page for details.
Not every work in the shop is on display at any one time. If you want to see a particular piece before buying, contact the team on +971 4 336 3313 or tashkeel@tashkeel.org. For buying advice, see how to choose art for your home and our checklist for buying artwork online in the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
Who are some contemporary artists based in the UAE?
Artists in the Tashkeel shop based in the UAE include Wissam Shawkat, Ibrahim Zaki, Moza Al Falasi, Ali Mrad, Jyo John Mulloor, Khalid Alastad and Shamin Sharum (Dubai), Mouza Al Hamrani (Ajman) and Maitha Demithan (UAE).
Are these artists Emirati?
Some are, and some are from elsewhere and work in the UAE. This list is about where artists are based, not their nationality.
Can I buy work by UAE-based artists online?
Yes. The Tashkeel shop delivers across the UAE, typically in 1β4 business days, and ships internationally. Sketchbooks by these artists start at AED 63.
Can I buy for a company or in bulk?
Yes. For corporate or bulk orders, contact tashkeel@tashkeel.org or +971 4 336 3313.
Prices and availability change, so check the product page for the latest.
