Cherished in the Lap of Nature, 2023

The Al Wathba Fossil Dunes Protected Area in Abu Dhabi comprises more than 1,700 fossil dunes, spread over 7 square kilometers. It’s been crafted over tens of thousands of years by elemental forces. Ocean levels dropped when frozen water increased at the polar caps and during these drier periods, dunes would've built up as sand blew in from the drained Arabian Gulf. When the ice melted, leading to a more humid environment, the water table rose in what is now Abu Dhabi and the moisture reacted with the calcium carbonate in the sand to stabilize it and then form a kind of cement, which was later whipped into ethereal shapes by prevailing winds. The power of nature is that it can create life and beauty out of what one considers insignificant and futile. The artwork is a tribute to the UAE government for taking the necessary steps to conserve this natural masterpiece.

Raisa Mariam Rajan 
Jute on canvas
60cmX60cm