Dubai Designer Creates Cross-Stitch Artwork For Year Of Tolerance

In celebration of the Year of Tolerance as declared by the Supreme National Committee for Tolerance, Dubai-based designer Farida Talaat has created a cross-stitched artwork representing the initiative’s official logo.

Set in an embroidery hoop, the artwork features half cross-stitches for the border, back stitches for the stems and lazy daisy stitches for the Ghaf tree leaves. It has taken a week to complete between design, preparation, hand-embroidery, treatment and finally framing.

Farida has lived, studied and worked in Dubai for over 16 years and has created the artwork in testament to the UAE’s openness. “Tolerance is a quality I value a lot. I’ve been a foreigner, immigrant and expat all my life and have lived in the UAE, Egypt, France and Canada. Giving, receiving and experiencing tolerance has been a common theme throughout and I think the UAE embodies that very value in the best way,” she says.

“Tolerance is a quality I value a lot. I’ve been a foreigner, immigrant and expat. Giving, receiving  and experiencing tolerance has been a common theme throughout my life. The UAE embodies that very value.”

Farida has offered the artwork to the Year of Tolerance Committee and will create several variations of the logo for different uses.

This is the third piece in a series of UAE-themed artworks Farida has created. Last year, she has made a needlepoint artwork for the Year of Zayed honouring the late founding father of the UAE Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan which was offered. Previously she has completed works for EXPO 2020 in the shape of the UAE flag. She is currently working on a unique artwork to celebrate the UAE’s Semi-Centennial anniversary in three years’ time, to be revealed in 2021.