Food for Thought
We are inheriting a culture of eating in the UAE that is bypassing our traditional recipes and laying on some serious calories that are often hard to lose. At the tap of a button, food is delivered to our doorsteps within minutes thanks to the newest and most intuitive apps. No matter how late or early, there is always a drive-through a few hundred meters away. Even in flight, the menu options are deliciously varied, leaving us with no choice but to indulge in calories even when we are 30,000 feet above ground. Today, indulgence has become more accessible than ever before.
The series of works entitled ‘Food for Thought’ are in a Cubist style. In each piece, I seek to capture the phenomena of the new wave culture of eating out with our Emirati traditions. It’s my personal take–a satirical representation of modern culture as food for thought.
What’s a Movie without Snacking?
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
Popcorn and movies are like two peas in a pod: comfortably inseparable. Add to that a serving of nachos with gooey cheese and peppy salsa. And now, we even have offerings by Michelin-Starred chefs. Experience and calories go hand in hand.
Frozen feasts
Acrylic on canvas
120 x 150 cm
One scoop of vanilla ice cream contains about 140 calories. Lay on the milky treats, add on a dose of sprinkles and chunky praline and... voila! You have about 500 calories in a cone. What a treat on a sunny day out at the beach! Isn’t that a sugary treat that melts your heart? Homemade pudding your grandma serves are so passé!
Chopstick Couture
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
Unlimited sushi for just AED 99! Japan’s staple has turned into a fad for UAE millennials who consume copious platters of these little rice morsels that are so on-trend. Is maneuvering chopsticks enough to burn off the carbs?
But first Coffee
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
The new wave of café culture and endless cups of caffeine-filled, sugary mochas has taken over the good old Gahwa. According to a recent news report, more than 2,200 cafés opened in the UAE in the last two years, making creamy lattes doused in saccharine syrup an increasingly common part of the new age lifestyle, where days cannot begin and conversations are not meaningful without coffee. Bring on the calories!
Cola Rush
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
Why opt for a tall glass of water when an icy serving of cola can complement meals? Wash down your dinner or snack with slushy drinks and pile on the sugars with sodas. Even footballers advertise it, so it can’t be that bad for the heart, teeth, or digestion. Or can it?
Come Fly with Me
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
Even in flight, the menu option is deliciously varied, leaving us with no choice but to indulge in calories even when we are 30,000 feet above the ground.
Drive-through cholesterol festival
Acrylic on canvas
120 X 150 cm
Any time of the day or night, a burger is always readily available among the fast food drive-through options scattered around every locality. And what’s a burger without fries and cola? If you want a slice of tradition, there is always shawarma too. Balanced meals can take a step back.
Hands full of Sugar
Acrylic on canvas
100 X 120 cm
We are far more concerned about getting the right filter for our dessert plate, checking into the latest trendy restaurant on social media, and finding suitable IG hashtags for cupcakes over counting the calories or the huge amounts of money we pay to stay on top of our social media game. And you know how colorful bags of candies can look on Instagram!
Badr Abbas is an award-winning Emirati contemporary artist who has had his work exhibited in local and international venues. His love for art began while he was a boy dabbling in artistic competitions. A member of the Emirates Fine Arts Society, Badr's work displays Emirati folk heritage and also uses symbols from old and new Arab Traditions and culture. He expresses himself with his unique interpretation of simplified modern cubism. Although Badr started as a realistic painter in the classical style, his work has evolved to a more unique and distinct style of art.
Abbas is a self-taught artist. He balances passion with his forward-looking approach to the modern world. He sees himself as a connector of people and places, and that is integral to his work, where he often merges culture with technology and elements from the modern world to portray the lifestyle of now. In his paintings, he likes to reflect on his values, his dreams, his aspirations, his vision, his experiences, his lifestyle, and his purpose.