The World's most expensive Artist pays tribute to Dubai

Coined the Queen of the ‘World’s Most Expensive!’, Debbie Wingham,  is no stranger to the Middle East. Her work has been famously sought after by Celebrities, Royals and Art aficionados alike.

After producing Guinness Record breaking Haute Couture, opulent accessories, and a show stopping piece of confectionary, the chameleon of medium returns following a 3 year industry hiatus.

Her new collection, inspired by Dubai, pays homage to the cities extraordinary transformation through time.

Though the Middle east has long been seen as a muse for the artist, the UAE in particular, has been a wonderful platform to showcase her most illustrious pieces.

Wingham’s esteemed pieces include a black diamond dress, the red diamond abaya, World’s most expensive shoes and the World’s most expensive Christmas tree, to name a few.

In 2018, her million dollar bride cake went viral. A life size edible Installation of an Arabian bride, covered in a litany of diamonds, revealed at Dubai Bride, marking her transition from fabric to fondant. 

She has since created a number of edible Installations for celebrities, including Pop-star Justin Bieber, Rapper Drake, and been a judge on the Food Network’s ‘Big Bake’. 

During the pandemic, Wingham began painting. An art form she hadn’t explored in many years.

“I used to love painting, but somehow my love for design overshadowed that! Lock down was the perfect time for me to pick up a brush again and really immerse myself in this medium” says Wingham.

Her first entire collection inspired by two things time and the Middle East, particularly Dubai.

Wingham said.  “Time seemed like a very relatable topic, especially because throughout the pandemic time is the one thing that hit us, whether it's counting down the moments to see our loved ones or one day melting into another without differentiation”.

“Then the other element I introduced subconsciously at first was the Arabian influence. I often lean towards Arabic influence and This is self evident in the Time collection”.

The time peace collection (not piece) is somewhat surreal with an undertone of Alice in wonderland echoed in the eclectic yet exquisite frames that mirror the look and feel of a classic pocket watch. 

All unique in style and size and individually hand sculpted, the subliminal meaning behind the paintings and the titles are particularly timely, if you pardon the pun.

“Time for world peace”, “Protect the hands of time” and “Time to step out of the darkness”, some of the titles might sound macabre but the imagery tells a different story, a tale of hope, unity, belief and growth - especially coming out of this relentless past year.

Much of the collection is hand finished in 24 carat gold, and in true Wingham style, all the paintings feature a diamond as well.

One of the grander pieces in the collection features Dubai architecture including, the Frame and the current contender for the worlds tallest building Dubai Creek Tower, the Title of the piece “Time to think big" certainly a caption that embodies both Dubai and the Wingham mindset.

Wingham often describes Dubai as dreamy and in this painting you can really visualise the dream, it’s an ethereal piece and it’s framed in a distressed solid real silver frame standing at an impressive 4 ft tall! Once this piece was completed, it spoke to her the most out of the collection and it evolved into a mini series, inspired by Dubai thought the years

Wingham plans to use the collection as means to support and give back to people who have suffered at the hands of the pandemic. A size-able percentage of all the work sold will be given to a reputed UAE based charity and an auction will be held towards the latter half of the year to auction off a piece sealed with a diamond and adorned with gold accents! 

“ I plan to expland on the Dubai through the years collection before my grand showcase in Dubai at the end of the year. I really want to tell the story of the both the past and present Dubai as we see it. I also intend to present something spectacular to my home away from home and my the city I love – Dubai!”

For now, with restrictions wingham intends to sell NFT versions of her collection, keeping the physical paintings for her Dubai showcase.

“I will be offering a unique collective of pieces from the Time Peace Collection, what’s interesting about my NFT range is the time peace collection borrows itself well to choosing a vintage watch frame, and the artwork that will go inside, so it will be a unique formation each collectors purchase adding to the scarcity and exclusivity of my pieces.

It will have the excitement of a high value trading card and be like a NFT game of sorts, I plan to sell NFT off in chunks like the ultimate luxury jigsaw ”.

-Ends-

Tehzeeb Ahmed
tehzeeb@buzzybee.me 

© Press Release 2021