Today marks the launch of the inaugural Driven by Change residency at Studio Thirteen by awarding a female Saudi artist a career-enhancing residency programme in the latest phase of the Driven by Change initiative.
Photo – courtesy of Driven by Change © Driven by Change artist in residence, Nujood Al-Otaibi and mentor, Rabab Tantawy at Studio Thirteen.
Artist, Nujood Al-Otaibi, who creates artworks inspired by her hearing impairment, is the latest creative to join the Driven by Change community. The programme champions underrepresented creatives across the globe offering unparalleled opportunities leveraging the global platform of motorsports to showcase their work.
During the artist residency, Nujood will have access to the newly created Driven by Change residency: a funded studio space housed in Studio Thirteen in Dubai, the home of artist Rabab Tantawy, who designed the McLaren car livery at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which kick-started the Driven by Change initiative.
With affordable studios becoming harder to find, this studio space aims to provide a creative hub for artists like Nujood to hone their craft. Here, Nujood will be able to display her work and will be offered mentorship to further develop her artistic skills. She will have the creative freedom to produce unique pieces of art inspired by her culture and her life journey, some of which will be linked to the McLaren F1 Team throughout the year.
The Jeddah-based artist’s skills were borne from an early age, as her father, also an artist, encouraged her to draw. Nujood’s artistic journey began with the loss of her hearing around the age of five, and ever since she’s been expressing her feelings through the medium of art. Focusing mainly on oil paintings and mixed media collages, Nujood’s art touches on memory, identity, and how sound translates to a canvas. She takes pride in representing Saudi Arabia in the arts on a global scale, encouraging all emerging artists and those with disabilities to express themselves through creativity.
Nujood Al-Otaibi comments: “I am honoured to be the first artist in residence at the Driven by Change residency at Studio Thirteen. Through the residency, I want to not only expand my wings by exploring other styles of painting, but I would also like to inspire others. Showcasing that disabilities do not curb creativity and should in fact be seen as a gateway rather than a barrier to success.”
Going beyond the residency, the studio will also host a series of creative masterclasses to inspire the creative community, something that Studio Thirteen’s founder, Rabab Tantawy, feels very passionate about. The masterclasses will offer access to experts, to learn new skills, cross-network and share tips.
Rabab Tantawy comments: “I am proud to carry forward the momentum of the Driven by Change initiative that was started in 2021. This time, our commitment to change extends its reach, embracing the talented artists within our local community. We are excited to welcome the new artist in residence to Studio Thirteen, creating an environment that fosters creativity, growth, and collaboration. Together, we will empower artists, uplift their voices, and continue to be catalysts for transformative change.”
From Colombia to Mexico, Egypt to Lebanon, since its inception, the Driven by Change programme has championed creativity from around the world, and the residency at Studio Thirteen aims to continue this endeavour for years to come, with the ambition being for additional studio spaces to be set up and funded across the globe.
