Artists drew inspiration from the spirit and breadth of 'Wathba' to transform this inspiration into their own unique visual readings, differing in form but intersecting in essence. Among the participants was the visual artist Maryam Al Hosni, whom festival visitors spotted painting before the public in a state of intense focus. Maryam Al Hosni said: 'In Wathba, we do not paint heritage as it is, but as we feel it. The place, the surrounding heritage images, and the interaction with the audience are all elements that contribute to the formation of the painting from the very first moment.' One of the corners of the Wathba Dates Festival was transformed into an open artistic space with the launch of the live painting competition, offering a visual interactive experience that combined visual arts and Emirati heritage in a live scene practiced before the audience within the event hosted by the Sheikh Zayed Festival. The landmarks of the Wathba area formed one of the proposed axes for drawing ideas, as it is a landmark rooted in the Emirati consciousness and a place that holds the memory of the desert, the palm tree, and the deep-rooted relationship between humans and their environment. Here, painting is an open dialogue with the environment, where the idea transforms into a living work that takes shape before the people's eyes.' The live painting competition is part of the activities of the Wathba Dates Festival 2026, organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage, aiming to highlight authentic Emirati heritage and the local environment through visual arts, and to provide creators with an opportunity to offer contemporary readings of cultural heritage. Maryam Al Hosni: • 'In Wathba, we don't paint heritage as it is, but as we feel it. Painting here is an open dialogue with the environment.'
