appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Nagmani

Filipino artists are making an increasing impact on the world stage. One name to have found considerable recognition abroad is Dubai-based Ely Caluag, whose novel renderings of both the UAE’s cityscapes and its beloved leaders – in both traditional and digital forms – have made him a hero in the country.
4 things to know about Dubai’s crown prince Sheikh Hamdan

In an exclusive interview with STYLE, we caught up with the artist to find out what motivated him to start painting in the first place, what art means to him and much more.
What prompted you to start painting?




















View this post on Instagram



















Kingdoms I /// HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and ruler of Abu Dhabi. #abudhabi #ابو_ظبي #raslakhaimah #ajman #عجمان #sharjah #الشارقة #ummalquwain #umm_al_quwain #ام_القيوين #uaq #rak #dubai #دبي #mydubai #fujairah #الفجيرة #artists_sharing #uae
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Aug 4, 2016 at 2:41am PDT



I was surrounded by artists. My uncles were painters and my mum was a dressmaker, so I started drawing as a kid. I learned how to draw as early as [age] four, sketching mostly dinosaurs. When I needed to decide which career path to choose, I took architecture, knowing quite well that fine arts will not lead you to prosperity. But after a couple of years into university, I determinedly shifted to fine arts, as I discovered there is a new digital realm of art taking shape.
Take a peek inside Meghan Markle’s former LA mansion
When did you actually begin to paint?




















View this post on Instagram



















حــي بنسـيـم الـشـرق لمـريـف=لـي نفحتـه نرجـس او مشمـوم رحبـت بـه واصبحـت فـي كيـف=مـنـي أو زالــت كـــل الـهـمـوم — I greet the air and wind coming from the country east .. that has smells of flowers.. I greeted it and got inspired and it made me happy and removed all bad thoughts — @foundermemorial @yearofzayed #yearofzayed #عام_زايد #بابا_زايد @elygraf
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Nov 15, 2018 at 5:11am PST



As a kid, then as I started my professional life, I got commissions here and there, and later, in 2014, I finally made it my full time job.
Did you go to an art school to learn the craft?




















View this post on Instagram



















HH Sheikh Hamdan @faz3 Sketch no.03 Toned chipboard is the best! Last post before i get unfollowed. #faz3 #sheikhhamdan #fazza #hhshkmohd #dubai #دبي #sketchpad
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Feb 22, 2017 at 12:22am PST



I went to the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts [in Quezon City], from 2004-2008, where I learned the serious part of it.
Who is Claude Sfeir, one of the world’s top watch collectors?
Where do your inspirations come from?




















View this post on Instagram



















This is how we roll! 1/3 on my profile for full view #dubai#mydubai#dubai2020#hhshmohd @branddubai @faz3 @hhshkmohd @emirates #hoopoe
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on May 18, 2015 at 12:43am PDT



I get inspired by my immediate surroundings, cityscapes, nature and the people I work with. That’s why I mostly have UAE subjects shown in my art, digital or traditional media.
Why do you paint UAE landscapes and not ones in the Philippines?




















View this post on Instagram



















Artwork no1 “Polarity”, new digital series about opposites and contrasts. ________________________________________ #uae #abudhabi #digitalart #sheikhzayedmosque #etihadtowers
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Jun 30, 2018 at 3:03am PDT



During my university days, I saw Dubai as an emerging and booming city and I fell in love with the structures being built. So, right after a year of my work in Manila, I travelled to Dubai and tried my luck. And it all worked for me right away.
6 things to know about Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
What’s the first thing that springs to your mind when you think about the UAE as a whole?




















View this post on Instagram



















Weather is rough yet Dubai can withstand the toughest storms of all #Dubai #دبي #urbanwild #burjkhalifa #sandstorm _______________ Collab with photographer and longtime friend @ismailnoor
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Feb 17, 2017 at 9:48pm PST



I think it’s a hyperactive country with an intense love for its leaders and culture, yet looking forward ... an advanced city of technology, and a secure, healthy, multicultural space to live in.
What are your other interests?




















View this post on Instagram



















Artwork 05 “Polarity” ————- A digital art series contrasting nature and civilization. Reimagining nature and future. ————- @motf_ae @elygraf
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Feb 1, 2020 at 11:02am PST



I play piano since it allows me to portray the world in my work with finesse.
How do Queen Elizabeth and the British royal family make their millions?
Which UAE rulers have you painted so far? What have they all said to you regarding your works of art?




















View this post on Instagram



















He who first raised the nation. #الشيخ_زايد #sheikhzayed #yearofzayed #uae46 #uae
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Nov 30, 2017 at 5:58pm PST



I’ve painted most of the leaders here, but mostly Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE.




















View this post on Instagram



















The United Arab Emirates. #happy48thnationaldayuae # _____________________________________________ All rights reserved. Credits @Elygraf A repost and artist tag is appreciated. Reproduction and reprint is prohibited
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Dec 2, 2019 at 10:26pm PST



The local Emiratis always thought that I’m a local as they saw the spirit of their country in my works of art. I’ve always hidden my identity as an artist since I wanted to let my work speak volumes about my artistic vision.
Have your all masterpieces been bought?




















View this post on Instagram



















Thank you Ministry of Education @moe_uaestudents for selecting my Sheikh Zayed digital artworks as covers for the 2018 curriculum books in honoring the 100th birthyear of the UAE founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. @yearofzayed #yearofzayed #ministryofeducationdubai #عام_زايد
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Feb 14, 2018 at 11:08pm PST



Yes, all my masterpieces have been sold and I simply think it’s a blessing.
Have your paintings been exhibited in other countries too?




















View this post on Instagram



















No hate, no violence, no tragedy can make humans happy. We have one home. Let’s share this in peace, tolerance, harmony, wisdom and love for our children, our nature, and future generations. My prayer for all. —- Digital composition: @elygraf All Rights Reserved © —- #elygraf #savetheplanet #saveearth #climatechange
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on Jan 21, 2020 at 10:16am PST



Not yet, but soon. Other projects are coming where I will be focusing on international subjects.
The Dubai rich kid with a million-dollar sneaker collection
What are your future plans? I mean would you like to paint other personalities in years to come?




















View this post on Instagram



















When dad shows how its done! 2/3 on my profile for full view #dubai#mydubai#hhshmohd#fazza#faz3#dxb#palmjumeirah#burjkhalifa#emiratestowers#dusithankdubai#eiffeltower#q8#uaeroyalfamily @branddubai @faz3 @hhshkmohd @emirates
A post shared by ELYGRAF ™ (@elygraf) on May 18, 2015 at 12:47am PDT



Yes, I’ve been working behind the scenes on my personal exhibition that will showcase another spectrum of my interpretation of Arab and other cultures.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .


The tragic Qing dynasty politician whose legacy lives on in descendant’s new novel

16th Gwangju Biennale rises above controversies as one of art world’s best in recent years

Why France’s Louvre Museum is looking East to help fund its €1 billion transformation

Hong Kong artist Lau Wai looks at the unsettling future of humans and AI in solo show

How painting portraits of UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan made Filipino artist Ely Caluag a hero in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Filipino artist Ely Caluag is known for his UAE-inspired works in both digital and traditional art form. Photo: Instagram and Handout

Ely Caluag is an award-winning Filipino artist based in Dubai. Photo: Handout

Sheikh Hamdan, crown prince of Dubai – 4 things to know about the politician, philanthropist, car collector and thrill-seeking heir

Falconry is a traditional pastime in the UAE, where Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum is Crown Prince. Photo: Instagram

6 things to know about Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi: philanthropist, arts patron – and de facto ruler of the UAE

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, is the Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. Photo: Instagram

Emirati bird keeper Mohammed Rakan Bin Harwon Al-Qubassy looks on as his falcon flaps his wings in the Liwa Oasis, southwest of Abu Dhabi, on December 1, 2015. Falcon birds were traditionally used for hunting, however hunting is now prohibited in Abu Dhabi. AFP PHOTO / KARIM SAHIB / AFP / KARIM SAHIB

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a strong and powerful figure

Inside the ruler of Dubai’s 800-acre horse farm in Lexington, Kentucky – where the stud fee is US$200,000

The Sheikh of Dubai owns Jonabell Farm in Kentucky. Photo: Business Insider

Katie Warren/Business Insider

REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Medaglio d'Oro. Katie Warren/Business Insider

Jonabell Farm in Kentucky. Katie Warren/Business Insider

How the ‘free, intelligent and full spirit’ of the Year of the Rat inspired Chinese artist Zhang Huan’s bold Lunar New Year piece for Hennessy

Chinese contemporary artist Zhang Huan presents his Eaux-de-vie work, at Hennessy's headquarters in Cognac, France. Photo: Handout

Hennessy's 2020 Chinese New Year limited editon by Zhang Huan  PHOTO Handout

Zhang Huan uses vibrant hues in his masterpiece Eaux-de-vie for Hennessy's 2020 Chinese New Year collaboration  PHOTO handout

Artist Zhang Huan with Hennessy master blender Renaud Filloux de Girone   PHOTO Handout

Eaux-de-vie by Zhang Huan - a close up of the cells seemlingly floating   PHOTO handout

Limited edition of  2020 Chinese New Year Hennessy bottle designed by Zhang Huan  PHOTO Tracey Furniss

Magazines

Style

News & Trends

Leisure

Despite hailing from Southeast Asia, Caluag’s patriotic portraits of royalty have made him a national hero in his adopted home in the Middle East


Royalty

The Philippines

Middle East

Fame and celebrity

How painting portraits of UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan made Filipino artist Ely Caluag a hero in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Despite hailing from Southeast Asia, Caluag’s patriotic portraits of royalty have made him a national hero in his adopted home in the Middle East

Despite hailing from Southeast Asia, Caluag’s patriotic portraits of royalty have made him a national hero in his adopted home in the Middle East