13 February @ 11:00 AM
Join the curator Dr. Michaela Watrelot and Brazilian abstract artist Ana Elisa Murta for an intimate exploration of Hour Eternal: 20 Years of Emirati Abstraction and Mineral Garden before the exhibitions close on February 16. Delve into the artistic narratives, creative processes, and conceptual depth behind these captivating showcases in a special experience led by the curator and artist.
0 people are attending Final Curator & Artist – Led Tour: Hour Eternal: 20 Years of Emirati Abstraction & Mineral Garden
0 people are attending Final Curator & Artist – Led Tour: Hour Eternal: 20 Years of Emirati Abstraction & Mineral Garden
Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1982, Ana Elisa Murta is a visual artist whose work bridges abstract expressionism, sustainability, and innovation. After a successful corporate career, she fully embraced art in 2017, following her relocation and motherhood, and developed a distinctive style defined by layered textures, vibrant colours, and intuitive experimentation. Her process, guided by emotion and tools such as palette knives, seeks authenticity and depth through the dialogue between material and gesture.
A turning point came in 2022, when an allergy to conventional paints led her to pioneer her own non-toxic pigments using minerals from her native Minas Gerais, repurposed from mining by-products. This alchemic and sustainable practice reflects her commitment to environmental consciousness, innovation, and ancestral connection.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Embassy of Brazil in London, in Montreux, Switzerland, and at the Museu Mineiro in Brazil, and is recognised as part of Brazil’s public heritage. Alongside her artistic practice, she leads workshops that merge creativity with ecological education, inspiring sustainable approaches to both art and life.
Dr. Michaela Watrelot is a curator, educator, and author with a PhD in History of Art from Charles University in Prague. At Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, she leads exhibition planning, education, and strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans 19th- and 20th-century art, public art commissions, and art market studies, and she is the author of Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market: The Rudolphe Kann Collection (Routledge, 2023)