On March 25, as the UK entered into lockdown, Viktorija Osipova looked at a blank wall in her apartment and had an idea.
Through small doodles, she would create a visual diary of her time spent isolating. And, 113 days later, the ceramic artist's wall became a collage of illustrations chronicling details, memories and events, big and small – these include recipes, Netflix binges, birthdays, online orders and trips to the supermarket.
"I have always wanted to do a painting on my living room wall. As it looked so bare and I hadn't done much painting on canvas for a while, it all suddenly made sense to use the wall as my creative surface," she says.
The artist is one of many people to have taken on creative endeavours indoors since the pandemic started.
Osipova moved to the UK from Lithuania 13 years ago. She studied fine art in London and currently works as an art and display technician at a secondary school, where she learnt how to work with ceramics.
The first day of her doodle wall project, she recalls, was exciting. “I kept on adding little things I did on that day, such as the meals I cooked, the films we watched and other events that may not have been exciting at the time, but that were a part of my daily life for those 113 days.”
In the first four to five weeks of lockdown, Osipova developed a routine where she would take notes during the day and paint them in the evening. As the weeks went by, she would paint in the mornings or paint details from missed days in one go.
One memorable week documented in her doodles is the time she spent with her colleagues making protective face visors. Using laser cut tools, they constructed more than 1,000 face shields, which they donated and distributed to local hospitals and care homes.
“It felt great leaving the house to see some familiar faces at work, and the process of making the visors and seeing them received by frontline workers in need was amazing,” she says.
In her drawings, even the mundane can seem momentous. Once, she woke up in the middle of night after smelling smoke, which turned out to be a minor incident just outside her apartment. The next morning, she painted the blue lights of the fire trucks.
She has also marked national holidays in the UK, Lithanuia and the US, commemorated friends’ birthdays, and even marked her first takeaway meal on the wall.
Most of Osipova’s work is with ceramics, designing plant pots and creating sculptural pieces. During the period of country-wide quarantine, she found time to experiment with new materials and designs.
Reflecting on her time in lockdown, she says it gave her the opportunity to make more art. “I had all this time to myself to be as creative as I possibly could.”
"This project has not only helped me to keep myself busy during this period, it has also kept me focused," she says, adding that sharing daily pictures on her Instagram page and discussing her progress with friends and colleagues motivated her to keep going.
“I hope the project has inspired others to view the walls of their homes differently – as an opportunity to escape, express themselves, and share their creativity with others,” she adds.
On the 113th day, there was only room on her wall for one small doodle. And what did she decide to draw? The spiky figure at the centre of this pandemic. “There was just space to add a small coronavirus illustration, in the far bottom corner of the wall, as a reminder of the terrible icon that has caused such destruction, and that we have sadly become so used to seeing as a backdrop to our lives,” she says.
Now, Osipova is back to focusing on her ceramic art, which she sells online and at craft markets. While it may take time before craft fairs take place again, the 32-year-old artist is busy working on new creations and has even now received requests for wall design prints.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
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Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
