The Coral Walls
“The Coral Walls” a one-of-a-kind art piece was inspired by the Heart of Sharjah coral walls.
The creation and making of the project took part in the heart of Sharjah Heritage Area where we could feel, breathe and insight into the history of the UAE and its people.
In this project, special hardwood pieces were meticulously combined with corals which have been handpicked from Sharjah beaches over the years. Various techniques and processes of resin were used not only to combine the wooden pieces with corals but also to make the art piece last a lifetime.
Hand-carved black walnut pieces complement the corals’ unique complex texture giving a taste of harmony of nature.
As artists and expats, we believe that getting acquainted with the environment, nature, history, and the heritage where we live is always essential. Ever since we came to the UAE, corals have been our curiosity and passion. On our first visit to the Sharjah Heritage Area known as the Heart of Sharjah, we were charmed by the coral walls of the pearl merchant’s house.
Hearing the journey of a coral from beaches to the walls, and learning more about what the coral walls are, ignited our inspiration while creating this art piece, “The Coral Walls”.
The UAE’s heritage is highly impacted by the country’s coastal environments besides the deserts. In the country, the coastal areas’ residents built their homes out of fossilized corals and mud bricks. The use of these natural materials allowed walls to breathe depending on the various temperatures during the day. It was assumed that the coral blocks absorbed and stored the heat and then diffused it back at night.
The coral stones are not used anymore in new architectural constructions due to the availability reasons of the corals and the advancement of new materials whilst some coral stone walls are conserved and protected in historic sites of the country to preserve the heritage within us.
With this new sculpture series of “The Coral Walls” our aim is to give a glimpse of traditional landscape knowledge not only to new generations of the country but also to newcomers from all around the world while embracing the UAE’s rich culture and traditions.
Heart of Sharjah - Coral Stone Walls
Vol. 1
"The Coral Wall" series Volume 1 was inspired by the Heart of Sharjah coral walls.
In this project, special hardwood pieces were meticulously combined with corals which have been handpicked from Sharjah beaches over the years. Various techniques and processes of resin were used not only to combine the wooden pieces with corals but also to make the art piece last a lifetime.
Hand-carved black walnut pieces complement the corals’ unique complex texture giving a taste of harmony of nature.
* "The Coral Wall" series Volume 1 is made of 84 pieces (44 corals + 40 walnut wood) coming together perfectly like a puzzle.
* 44 coral skeletons got strength using some processes to be everlasting, then combined with carved walnut bases using pearl white resin.
* 40 hand carved black walnut pieces embraced each coral piece smoothly. Finely sanding and finishing oil and waxing gave the picturesque texture.
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60 x 80 cm / 7cm thickness / 18 kg
For underwater photos credits to @coralgardeners
Vol. 2
"The Coral Wall" Series Volume 2
In “The Coral Walls” series Volume 2, we wanted to unveil the Gulf Region’s maritime flora & fauna’s immersed harmony and bring it to your attention, using nothing but nature’s other mediums like hardwoods and finger coral skeletons brought together by resin.
Have you ever heard of subaqueous dunes before? If you live in the UAE, you must be familiar with sand dunes due to deserts in the region, but what if these dunes are underwater? Then, we call them “subaqueous dunes” common in oceans, seas, and rivers. For those who are into diving or snorkeling, you must have come across the unique beauty of subaqueous dunes.
What about the coral nurseries built to rehabilitate and restore the coral reefs in Gulf Region?
Those two main motives were our main inspiration for this project. Carved white oak pieces represent the subaqueous dunes and their wavy patterns, while the finger coral skeletons attached to the carved walnut pieces represent the planted batches of corals on the rope nurseries.
While we are creating our The Coral Walls series inspired by Sharjah’s historic coral stone walls that represent their heritage, as Nidanin, we also want to raise awareness to have a positive impact with another art piece on coral preservation.
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Hand carved white oak and black walnut (Finishing oil & Wax finished)
Hand-picked coral skeleton , Black resin , Ashwood black paint frame 51x97 cm
Vol. 3
"The Coral Wall" Series Volume 3
When we first started this “The Coral Wall” series in Sharjah, we were only aware of the typical coral walls you could see on the exterior; however, there are a lot of hidden gems.
We would have never noticed the corals hiding in the plain sight around us until the restoration took place in front of our studio, SAF Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, in the preservation of the Sharjah Heritage area.
The best part of this project is the piece that you see was one of the shattered remains of the restoration. While they were working on restoration, we learned a lot about the preservation process of the Coral Stone Walls. That’s why it is even more meaningful and precious for us.
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Cube 20x20 Mahogany wood - Golden resin
Base 14 x18.5 x 4 hand carved African dabema wood - wax finished
Vol. 4
"The Coral Wall" Series Volume 4
Another perspective of Coral Stone Walls in this volume..
In this project, handcarved white oak and 4 different types of coral skeletons were used in the ashwood frame.
"The Coral Wall" Series was inspired by the Heart of Sharjah coral stone walls. The creation and making of the project have been taking part in the heart of Sharjah Heritage Area, where we could feel, breathe and insight into the history of the UAE and its people..
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Hand carved white oak (Finishing oil & Wax finished)
Hand-picked coral skeleton , Pearl white epoxy resin
Ashwood black paint frame 42x42 cm
Vol. 5
"The Coral Wall" series Volume 5 is made of 43 wooden pieces and 4 coral skeletons coming together perfectly.
* 43 hand carved African Dabema Wood pieces embraced with 4 coral skeletons smoothly using pearl white resin. Finely sanding and finishing oil and waxing gave the unique soft texture.
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Sculpture size:
18.5 x 106 cm / 4.5 cm thickness / 8 cm thickness with coral
Frame size:
30.5 x 118 cm (Handmade Mahogany Wood)
10 kg total weight
Vol. 6
"The Coral Wall" series Volume 6
Transformation of a rescued coral to a unique sculpture..
Two rescued coral pieces from debris of the nearly 200 year-old house restoration area in the Heart of Sharjah and 600+ year-old Turkish Olivewood piece came together using Black epoxy resin.
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Hand-carved white oak base and brass pipe.
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Sculpture size:
16 x 17 cm / 6 cm thickness
Base size:
11 x 15 cm / 4,5 cm thickness
Total height: 31 cm
Vol. 7
"The Coral Wall" series Volume 7, also called “Carriers of Coral”, explores old maritime stories embedded in Sharjah’s coral architecture.
Carved wooden forms, shaped like Arabian Dhows (Traditional Sailing Boats), carry coral fragments—symbolizing the historic sea journeys with a glimpse of heritage that brought building materials, culture, and memory across the Gulf.
The past floats in the grain of each wooden piece while echoing the movement of wind and tide. Then, it settles in the pores of the corals, speaking of time, erosion, and life.
And now, that journey continues with this art piece—held in stillness and resilience, yet always in motion. Hopefully, the stories it carries find new life through viewers' eyes.
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Vol. 8
"The Coral Wall" series Volume 8
Mini Sculpture
12 hand-carved American walnut wood pieces
11 hand-picked coral skeletons with walnut wooden base. Total 23 pieces
Pearl white epoxy resin
Finishing oil & waxed finished
Black paint Mahogany wood base
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Sculpture Size:
13 x 21 cm / 3 cm thickness /
Base size:
8 x 12 x 2.5 cm
Total height: 23.5 cm , Weight: 686 gr
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