| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Painter |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5' 6" (168 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Salt & Pepper |
| Career | |
| Awards, Honours | • 1975- First Prize at the 1st Youth Exhibition in Dubai • 1988- First Prize at the 3rd Spring Exhibition in Abu Dhabi • 1989- Second Prize at the 4th Spring Exhibition in Abu Dhabi • 1990- First Prize at the 6th Emirates Exhibition in Abu Dhabi • 1990- Golden Dana Award in Kuwait • 1991- First Prize at the 1st Emirates Exhibition in Al Ain • 1992- Golden Dana Award in Kuwait • 1992- First Prize Sultan Al Owais Award for Scientific Studies and Creativity in UAE • 1993- Golden Dana Award in Kuwait • 1993- Juries Award at Sharjah Biennial in UAE • 1994- First Prize Sultan Al Owais Award for Scientific Studies and Creativity in UAE • 1995- Juries Award Latakia Biennial in Syria • 1996- First Prize Sultan Al Owais Award for Scientific Studies and Creativity in UAE • 1997- Honoured in Sharjah Biennial in UAE • 1999- First Prize Exhibition of “Emirates in the Eyes of its People” • 1999- Golden Soafah (palm Leaf) at the GCC Exhibition • 2006- Emirates Appreciation Award • 2016- First Prize Exhibition of “Emirates in the Eyes of its People” |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | Year, 1951 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 74 Years |
| Birthplace | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Nationality | Emirati |
| Hometown | Dubai |
| School | Al-Jahiz Secondary School |
| College/University | United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelors of Sharia Law |
| Social Media | • Instagram |
| Family | |
| Children | Son- Musab AbdulQader (Artist) Daughter- Sumaya Al Rais (Artist)  |
| Siblings | Sister- Fatima |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Abdul Qader Al Rais
- Abdul Qader Al Rais got interested in painting at the age of 8 after his father’s death, when her mother sent him to Kuwait to live with his sister in 1959.
- After moving to Kuwait, Abdul Qader considered himself lucky, as at that time, Kuwait was undergoing a phase of cultural renaissance in which the nation was growing and flourishing in art and literature.
- This cultural renaissance period in Kuwait made Abdul frequently connect with other artists at Al Marsam Al Hurr, also known as ‘The Free Studio.’ It was a significant art centre in Kuwait where they had access to books on art.
Abdul Qader Al Rais (standing) photo from his initial days of painting in Kuwait
- Amongst all the books that he had access to, there was a book based on the works of the Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci, which made Abdul learn a lot about the art culture.
- Abdul Qader Al Rais considers the Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci and the Dutch painter Rembrandt his first art teachers.
- The Kuwaiti government at that time supported art massively, so Abdul Qader had free access to all the supplies he needed to begin his artistic career.
- In 1965, he first shared his work in an exhibition with the artists in Al Marsam Al Hurr. In the same area, he participated in an arts program that combined arts and sports. That was where he was given oil and paint brushes for the first time.
- Abdul Qader Al Rais stayed in Kuwait with his sister till he was 18 years old, and by then, he had also completed his basic education at the grammar school.
- The first painting he sold in his life was in 1968 to a European man.
- Abdul Qader is known for abstract works in his paintings that incorporate geometric forms and Arabic script. He also includes the floating squares across the canvas, which has become a signature feature in his artworks.
One of Abdul Qader Al Rais’ abstract paintings
- In 1968, he painted a painting titled ‘The Wait,’ which was an oil painting which depicted a boy standing behind two other boys who are sitting on the floor.
- Soon after, the director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, chose ‘The Wait’ painting as the oldest artwork to be displayed in the UAE’s National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which was an international cultural event held in Venice, Italy.
- Abdul Qader’s first-ever solo exhibition was put on display in 1974 in Dubai.
- In 1973, Abdul Qader returned back to the United Arab Emirates and he started working at the Ministry of Labour as a labour inspector and also pursued his higher education side by side.
- In the same year, Abdul discontinued painting fully and did not pick up a paintbrush for 12 years straight. He began painting again at the airport after visiting the Carolinas in the US. There was so much greenery that he wasn’t able to experience in the desert sands in the UAE and that made him pick the brush again.
- In 1980, Abdul became the founding member of the non-profit association of art professionals in the UAE named ‘Emirates Fine Arts Society.’ He is also considered one of the pioneers of contemporary art in the Emirates.
- In 1986, he started painting again, and that was when he concentrated on painting political themes such as the Gulf War and the First Palestinian Intifada.
- Abdul Qader has always been a self-taught artist, and his early works were mostly based on the local scenery, coastlines, and idyllic landscape in the UAE.
- In 2007, Abdul Qader Rais wrote a bibliography about his life and his artistic career titled ‘The Colours of My Life – Abdul Qader Al Rais.’
‘The Colours of My Life’ written by Abdul Qader Al Rais in 2007
- In 2015, as part of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed’s campaign to beautify Dubai, Abdul Qader Al Raise was one among five artists commissioned to decorate carriages of the Dubai Metro with their artwork. The campaign was part of the Dubai Arts Season to encourage public art in Dubai.
- During 2016, Abdul Qader Al Rais’s art pieces were included in a group exhibition in Berlin titled ‘Art Nomads – Made in the Emirates,’ which represented contemporary Emirati art and culture.
- Abdul Qader’s paintings have been widely exhibited all around the world, and his artwork can be especially found in Emirati palaces, government offices, and in the personal art collections of members of the royal family of Dubai.
- Abdul Qader Al Rais’s work has been held by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai, the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, and the British Museum in London.
- He stated in an interview that if he had stayed in the UAE during his childhood, he would’ve never become an artist.
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