A BRUSH WITH BRILLIANCE SACHA JAFRI

FEW THINGS BRING MORE JOY TO THIS CELEBRATED ARTIST THAN THE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE OF FATHERHOOD. EVEN AS THE VALUE OF HIS PAINTINGS CONTINUES TO SOAR, HE REMAINS INDIFFERENT TO THE ALLURE OF FAME OR COMMERCIAL SUCCESS

- SHAIKH AYAZ

Sacha Jafri is a man on a mission. This British-born, Dubai-based artist’s dream is to bring ‘love and empathy’ back to the realm of art and to the world at large. And his ambition extends well beyond earthly boundaries, as evidenced by his remarkable feat in December when one of his heart-shaped artworks (made of lunar-resilient alloy and depicting a reconnected humanity, with a couple holding hands within a flourishing new world) was sent to the moon — it was a first. Sacha has a knack for grand gestures, which has earned him the title of an artist of ‘many firsts.’ An exponent of “magical realism in art,” the 46-year-old boasts an enviable portfolio, having been commissioned to make portraits of such notable figures as King Charles, Sachin Tendulkar, David Beckham and Virat Kohli. His collectors and collaborators include Bill Gates, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Will Smith, Warren Buffet, Lionel Messi and Leonardo DiCaprio. What’s more, during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 he found ample time to paint what has come to be known as ‘The World’s Largest Art Canvas.’ Sacha’s gargantuan original floor canvas, which spanned over 17,000 square feet, set a Guinness Record. The final painting — fashioned out of the salvageable sections from this huge piece — was titled The Journey of Humanity and was later auctioned for $62m. In 2022, the father of two broke further new ground by unveiling his art on the Burj Al-Arab helipad, making it a first-of-its-kind exhibition in the UAE.

SOULFUL CONNECTION WITH ART