| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Other Name | M S Halyan, Mousa Al-Halyan |
| Nickname | Abu Omar |
| Full Name | Moosa Sultan Al Halyan |
| Profession | Painter, Graphic designer |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5' 11" (180 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Awards | • 2024: Best Contemporary Art Award at the Emerging Art Icons Awards 2024 event by the Magzoid magazine • 2024: Jan Van Evck Award for Most Outstanding Painter - Surrealism at the Artistic Luminary Awards  • 2017: The Global Art Awards in the Middle East Men's category at the event held at Armani Hotel, Dubai  • 2013: Most Creative Employee Award in the Dubai Government Excellence Program • 2006: Most Creative Employee Award in the Dubai Government Excellence Program |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | Year, 1969 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 56 Years |
| Birthplace | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Signature |  |
| Nationality | Emirati |
| Hometown | Sharjah, UAE |
| Religion | Islam |
| Social Media | • Instagram |
| Family | |
| Siblings | Sister- Amal Al Halyan |
Some Lesser-Known Facts About Moosa Al Halyan
- Moosa Al Halyan was interested in painting from a young age.
- His first public painting exhibition was in 1984, at the Al Banoosh second exhibition held at Al Wasl Club in Dubai.
- He is a member of the Emirates Fine Arts Society, or EFAS (a non-profit association of professional artists in the United Arab Emirates), and has participated in many of its annual exhibitions since 1984.
- He won the first prize in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) youth exhibitions held in Bahrain (1987), Oman (1988), and Saudi Arabia (1990).
- In 1990, he won the competition initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Emirati royal and founder of the United Arab Emirates) for a mascot to commemorate the major milestone in the country’s sports history of the UAE football team qualifying for the first time in the FIFA World Cup held in Italy.
Moosa Al Halyan (right) with the mascot he created for the UAE football team
- He has been part of various biennales (art exhibitions conducted every two years), including the Sharjah Biennale (1995 and 1997), Bangladesh Biennale (1996), and La Biennale di Venezia or Venice Biennale (2015).
- He likes to draw animals and especially features horses in his paintings. According to him, it helps him to avoid issues of racism and discrimination.
One of Moosa Al Halyan’s drawings of a horse
- He specialises in surrealistic paintings.
- He has designed several of the Dubai government’s logos, including the Dubai Frame and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum Excellence Medal (a government award for corporate excellence).
Moosa Al Halyan (right) with Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum (centre) and Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita (left) at the launch function of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum Medal
- He has completed commissioned portraits of political and royal personalities.
Moosa Al Halyan drawing a portrait
- He is an art entrepreneur who owns an art design company named 59°C, where portraits, paintings, and hand-painted designs on bags and jewellery are available.
Moosa Al Halyan painting on a wallet
- As of April 2025, he is employed with the Dubai Government’s land department.
