Skip To Content
See More, Live More, Love More with National Geographic
The UAE capital is a contemporary city that rises from ancient golden dunes. Among an assembly of glittering skyscrapers strung along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula, heritage still finds a place among man-made landmarks, with historic oases and forts, gleaming palaces and awe-inspiring mosques standing strong beside modern buildings.
Move just outside of the city and you’ll discover tranquil mangrove forests and a gleaming turquoise sea. Inland, the stark Al Hajar Mountains create textured contrast against a city skyline while, in the massive Empty Quarter, fiery-hued sands shift the same way they’ve done for hundreds of years.
This breathtaking landscape has inspired adventurers, explorers, artists and philosophers for centuries, and continues to do so today. Captivated by the emirate’s charm, National Geographic sent three artists to explore it, with each following independent itineraries chosen by the publication’s readers. At the end of their See More, Live More, Love More journeys, these creatives crafted beautiful pieces inspired by the capital city.
Meet the talent
Renan Ozturk is an adventure photographer and filmmaker who has explored the jungles of Nepal and Oman’s rugged Musandam Peninsula on assignment for National Geographic. In Abu Dhabi, Renan headed out into nature, exploring the stunning Mangrove National Park on the outskirts of the city, capturing incredible wildlife photographs and taking time to reflect. The Liwa desert also caught his eye, inspiring Renan to enjoy an action-packed adventure among the dunes, with the luxury Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara as his base. When not soaring down the desert slopes on a fat-tire bike or sandboard, Renan immersed himself in local culture in a pristine landscape perfect for off-the-beaten track explorers.
While in the emirate, Renan created his Jebel Hafit Ultra-bright artwork. A mixed-media, impressionistic painting featuring the craggy landscape around Jebel Hafit, the tallest peak in Abu Dhabi, the seven-foot canvas boasts vibrant oranges and yellows above the black lines of the natural scenery, rendered in acrylics, watercolours and an assortment of pens.
“I was working so fast and just letting the lines come out naturally, and that's what gives them a kind of playful quality. They're not robotic or hyper-realistic, but it's an obvious depiction of the landscape I’m looking at,” he explains.
Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky, is a musician and composer who focuses on social and environmental issues. He investigates global themes in his characterful mix of electronica and trip-hop. While in the UAE capital, Paul explored Saadiyat Island’s Louvre Abu Dhabi, celebrating a vibrant range of world cultures and art. Next, he watched incredible traditional performances at the Qasr Al Hosn site in the city, with Abu Dhabi's cultural heritage coming to life through poetry, song and dance.
Paul’s creative work, Fajar Daw: A New Dawn, was inspired by the conversations, food, events and atmosphere he experienced in the emirate. Touched by the sounds of Arabic culture and the beautiful light of the new day at the dawn call to prayer, Paul says, “This melodious recital reflects the beauty of the traditions I encountered in Abu Dhabi and the way music can bridge all cultures. I wanted to create a song that reflected the sounds of this wonderful civilisation and captured a sense of new beginnings and collaboration between cultures and geographies. Think of it as an acoustic portrait of a rapidly changing culture.”
National Geographic explorer Jeremy Collins has created eye-catching work that has appeared on the magazine’s cover, with his drawings, maps and illustrations hugely popular with outdoor industry brands. When visiting Abu Dhabi, Jeremy stepped into the world of authentic Emirati crafts at the House of Artisans at Qasr Al Hosn in the city, meeting the talented men and women preserving the capital’s centuries-old cultural heritage. Next, Jeremy headed to Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara in the Empty Quarter, journeying into the desert’s vast silence to find time to reflect and unearth fresh inspiration.
Inspiration
Articles you might enjoy
Read more articles