Airports are usually places for checking departure boards and shuffling from one gate to another. But at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 1, a new exhibition is inviting travellers to pause.
Opened earlier this month, the exhibition features twelve paintings created by artists from Mawaheb, a Dubai based art studio for People of Determination. Their work transforms a busy terminal into a space where creativity and personal stories take centre stage.
The collection is colourful and diverse. Shapes of My Mind explores bold forms, while Prezioso shines with touches of gold. Leila’s Lillies feels gentle and calm, while 1000 Shades bursts with bright energy. Other works draw inspiration from surrealism and pop art, blending humour, memory and imagination. Each canvas has its own mood, but together they spark curiosity and may even invite a brief moment of connection between artist and traveller.
Encountering art in an airport is unusual. Between luggage, passports, and security checks, most people do not expect a reason to stop. Yet here, in one of the busiest hubs in the country, these paintings offer that very pause, showing that creativity belongs everywhere, not just in galleries.
The exhibition is also part of a wider story, Dubai Airports has worked with Mawaheb since 2017, sharing a commitment to inclusion and accessibility. This year, the collaboration also aligns with the UAE’s Year of Community, highlighting the importance of connection and belonging.
In the end, these canvases do more than decorate a terminal. They give travellers a glimpse into different perspectives and voices, offering a rare moment to pause, notice, and reflect amid the constant movement of travel.
Rania is an explorer of new places, a reader of stories from around the world, and loves experimenting with new food. She embraces different cultures and chases learning wherever she goes.
