‘E7SASI’ is a play on words. The original word is the Arabic word ‘ehsasi’ which translates into ‘my feelings’. The inclusion of the number 7 represents a letter from the Arabic language that does not exist in the English alphabet.
The ladies mention that ‘it is common amongst our generation to write in this “new” language that combines numbers and letters to create words written in the English alphabet that can be read in Arabic. This new way of writing is indicative of the world we now live in, where the traditional and the contemporary exist side by side, aided by modern technology.’
While Khawla is an artist and wants to represent the UAE in all important art events, Mona is an artist and a designer. She has a label called Neon Edge which she launched in 2009. Both Mona and Khawla were raised in the UAE. While Khawla is an Emirati, Mona is a half Egyptian and half German who moved to Dubai when she was two years old.
Mona has lived in Dubai for over 24 years and has acquired a deep sense of belonging within the local culture. She completed her BA of Arts and Design in Dubai. She also studied various design fields such as architecture, furniture design, interior design, graphic design, product design, jewelry design, photography, digital video making, textiles and more. Mona feels that, ‘seeing Dubai grow from a desert into a cosmopolitan city within such a short time, gave her the opportunity to be exposed to a multicultural, dynamic and stimulating environment. This helped form the person she is today, and is reflected in the art and designs she creates.
Khawla received her artistic education at Zayed University in Dubai from the college of Art and Design, and also received a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and kindergarten studies. Most of her works express the culture she was born and raised in, in a contemporary and modern way. She has exhibited her art works in many exhibitions throughout the five years that she has been painting, including the Venice Biennale in the year 2009.
