Artist Leena Al Ayoobi is one of a kind personality who has started and brought back the wave of the bright colors that reigned in the Arabian Peninsula while showcasing the diversity of Arab women that is too often overlooked.
The market for NFTs is undoubtedly booming with the advent of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. In such a creative space, the explosion of NFT art and NFT artists does not go unnoticed. There are many artists who have made their name in the NFT sphere, but one such unnoticed talent is Leena Al Ayoobi, a Bahraini artist, designer, and the Founder of Dar Alfann Gallery.
A gifted artist, Al Ayoobi has been fascinated with Japanese anime since her childhood. Transforming her curiosity into creativity, and then a passion, she mastered the art of drawing anime characters which later got reflected in her artwork. Al Ayoobi is best known for creating the first NFT for Binance which is the largest crypto currency exchange company in the world.
. To up-skill herself, she completed her Diploma in Watercolor Painting and another course in History of Art from London Art College and other courses in Accademia Riacci in Florance.
Some of her well-known work include creating the first NFT for Binance and working withStarbucks Middle East to create the artwork for a limited edition cup for Bahrain National Day. Al Ayoobi is the only signed artist for designing customized GCC themed home accessories with Home Center group. Today her artistic abilities is talked about in the entire Middle East marking her name as a
contemporary world artist with a touch of Bahraini culture. To enhance her portfolio further, Al Ayoobi has collaborated with brands like Starbucks, Mont Blanc, GE Aviation, CFM, and the Standard Chartered Bank.
Before delving into the creative psyche of her, Al Ayoobi used to work as an Investment Analyst at Ernst & Young for nine years. It was only in 2014 that she started displaying her artwork publicly with her first exhibition at Bab Al Bahrain hosted by the Ministry of Culture.
“Art is a beautiful way to express so many things, it’s easier to connect and be in touch with artists from any part of the world with social media these days, it helps spread creativity,'' says Al Ayoobi. On the feminist side, she mentions that, “I don’t feel that women in the Gulf are well represented in the art scene; when women are shown in art, I believe that they are not shown in the right way.”
Voicing her opinion further, Al Ayoobi says, “I want to focus on the subject of women and violence against women.” She also has ideas regarding NFT projects that hold a chance to transform the art industry in the region and open opportunities for emerging artists.