News Desk
DUBAI: Shamal Holding, the diversified investment firm, has announced a cultural collaboration with Dubai-based multidisciplinary artist Solimar Miller at the former Dubai Zoo site in Jumeirah 1. Drawing inspiration from the site’s natural heritage, Solimar developed a collection of 12 original artworks celebrating the indigenous flora and fauna that once defined the destination. The installation is displayed across an impactful 710-metre-long public art canvas that encapsulates the site, supporting Dubai’s Public Art Strategy.
Through Shamal’s Tamayoz programme, which champions emerging creative talent and places art and culture at the core of its placemaking approach, Solimar was commissioned to develop a creative concept that honours the legacy of an old Dubai landmark. The installation offers an artistic interpretation of the site’s history and identity while marking its transition into a low-rise residential community comprising 90 homes surrounded by landscaped courtyards and green spaces.
Chosen for her ecological storytelling and deep connection to the UAE’s natural landscape, Solimar created a site-specific series, Flora of Light, inspired by the country’s indigenous trees, flora and fauna. The 12 pieces establish a visual link between the site’s past and its future, honouring a place that holds a special place in Dubai’s collective memory.
By reimagining the hoardings as a public-facing gallery, the project contributes to Dubai’s Public Art Strategy, helping transform the city into an open-air artistic canvas. Officially unveiled today, the installation will remain on display for two years, bringing culture into the everyday journeys of residents and visitors passing through Jumeirah.
“Public art is one of the most powerful ways to embed culture into the DNA of a place. Through Solimar Miller’s work, we invite the community to engage with the story of this site in a meaningful way,” said Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Executive Officer at Shamal. “The former Dubai Zoo occupies a special place in Dubai’s collective memory, and this collaboration is a way of honouring that legacy while looking ahead to the site’s next chapter.”
Based in Dubai for over two decades, Miller’s artistic practice is rooted in ecological storytelling and the preservation of indigenous species. Her works on archival paper and textiles, often created with natural dyes derived from UAE trees and plants, carry a deep reverence for the environment.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Solimar Miller said: “My process is instinctive, inspired by the UAE’s landscape and wildlife. This series pays tribute to the animals and natural heritage, while reminding us of the importance of conservation. By placing these artworks in a public space, I hope to inspire people to preserve green spaces and natural habitats and celebrate the environment we all share.”
The future community will combine privacy, open spaces and natural elements, creating an environment that feels both nostalgic and new. By embedding art at this early stage, Shamal reinforces its approach to place-led investment—focusing on distinctive assets that create long-term cultural, commercial and experiential value while contributing meaningfully to the city’s evolving fabric.
The project sets the tone for how art, memory and modern living can co-exist in one of Dubai’s most historic neighbourhoods, as the city continues to grow as a global destination for living, working and leisure, with places designed to endure and serve communities and visitors for generations to come. It is a meaningful tribute to a landmark that holds a special place in Dubai’s collective memory.