2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Dubai is perceived as a land of opportunity by many. People from all over the world pack their bags, move away from their loved ones, leave the homeland they grew in to experience the ‘Dubai Life’. Many even go for jobs that may not be optimal for them and their skillset just to experience the 9th best place to live and work in. This often results in many finding themselves in the wrong place, working the wrong job, and growing unhappy. In fact, 43% of UAE employees are unhappy with their current job and are actively seeking other jobs. And to make things even worse, 59% of UAE job seekers find it difficult to land a job. Quite the gloomy situation for UAE job seekers who are doomed for unhappiness at work.

Tell the jury about the illustration.

By using a mix of inks, oil paintings, and acrylics, mixed digital retouching, the illustrations denote a powerful and unique style, that emphasizes the drama of the composition. It took several weeks to be completely developed, and the strong lines, the stylish characters and foggy chromatic selection are perfect to recreate the powerless feeling of the unfortunate events that may happen when "being in the wrong place, at the wrong time".