Like the temptation of blank canvases, the walls of The Walk at JBR cried to be soaked in paint, and the artists heard. Now a transitory part of the major tourist attraction [JBR], the remnants of the Dubai Canvas 3D art festival provide a causal viewing gallery for art enthusiasts and novices alike.
Great conversation starters at dates and fun photo-ops for the family, you want to talk a walk own the not-so-winding streets starting at the Murjan block.
We’ll walk you through the space, with a bite to eat and a few rest spots [it’s a long ride] – find a map below:
1. The Giraffes in the Jungle
Perhaps the shade of this narrow stairway in the Sadaf block provided the perfect space to form an escapist mural of a jungle. Kids squealed as the they ran up to touch the stooping giraffe’s nose.
This is an art work by Planet Streetpainting, an art collective founded by Peter Westerink.
2. The Hidden Persian Art
You could almost miss this and wouldn’t even know it. A block after Sadaf, cross the street and you’ll find a mural depicting the myriad blues and golds of traditional Islamic architecture.
3. The Golden Eagle by Qui Xinghua
Walk further until the Sadaf block, and you’ll find a giant eagle emerging beyond the pillars. This is almost intimidating, with all its black and white detailing, as it stands perched, on the edge of movement.
One would assume it depicts the power and grandeur that Dubai stands for.
4. The Two Ragdolls
A popular among children, this piece depicts two dolls: one American and the other, Arab. They might remind one of the popular childrens’ hero, Matilda, created by Roald Dahl.
This mural is found along the stairway leading up to block Bahar.
5. King Crab
Another narrow stairway at the corner of Bahar portrays a crab and a dolphin hovering above two aquariums, attached by strings!
Does the crab control the dolphin, vice versa or are the two inextricably linked?
6. Girl on a Swing
A step further from King Crab, is a piece titled Vita Mercurio, depicting a scene in Italy. It shows a girl joyfully swinging on the porch, with the blue Mediterranean in the background.
7. Sea of Horses
Onto the next block, Rimal, you’ll notice an explosion of colors across the stairway.
This mural rightly captures the spirit of the Dubai World Cup, with horses galloping across a mighty sea.
8. The Submarine
While most of the murals follow an eye-pleasing water theme, reflecting the sea across the beach, this one puts you inside a submarine, with water gushing out of two holes.
9 & 10. The pile of garbage
The pillars of the JA Ocean View hotel sport two very interesting paintings; a pair of birds and pile of garbage. While they have no relevance to each other, one can spot a Gucci handbag stacked in the pile of garbage. It makes you wonder.
11 & 12. Two purple bunnies
At the end of the walk, you’ll find two bunnies greeting you at Shams – one sits coolly on a windowsill, while the other watches television on a couch. A throwback feel for those who grew up reading Enid Blyton books.
Here’s a map for reference:
Have you visit the Walk on JBR recently? Tell us what you thought of the street art in the comments below.