Lateefa bint Maktoum is the founder and director of Tashkeel, a public studio providing specialist facilities for artists and designers living and working in the UAE.
Lateefa graduated from Zayed University, Latifa College in 2007 with a Bachelors Degree in Visual Arts. She has been an exhibiting artist since 2004, beginning by creating public art works in addition to creating work for auction in aid of charitable organizations, such as Médecins Sans Frontières, Madrasati Palestine, Art for Sight auction - Noor Dubai.
In 2006 Lateefa won first prize in the Ibdaa Media Student Awards in the digital photography category, and in 2010 was awarded the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Almaktoum Patrons of the Arts awards. In 2012 she was awarded the CEO outstanding contribution to the arts by ITP.
Her first gallery show was Perceptions at the Third Line gallery in 2006 in Dubai. In 2007 Lateefa started curating exhibitions. The first exhibition that she curated, entitled Minus Reality, was shown at Art Attack gallery and showcased the work of 30 UAE-based artists. It was this show that sparked the idea of the need for a studio for artists and designers living and working in the Gulf, leading to the establishment of Tashkeel.
Lateefa’s first international exhibition was in 2008, when she contributed to a group show entitled No Such Place 2, curated by Canadian artist and curator Janet Bellotto and held at the Roger Smith Hotel in New York. She has also participated in the DNC Slideshow exhibition in Denver Colorado, showcasing her photography work. In 2008 she showed in the Community Darkrooms with “Educating Artists Online” showing in Syracuse New York. In 2009 she exhibited artwork alongside other Emirati artists at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi in Emirati Expressions curated by Anne Baldassari. In September 2009 Lateefa was one of a number of artists from the region selected to exhibit in Across the Gulf, curated by Dr. Irene Barberis, as part of the Arc Biennial, which took place in Brisbane, Australia as well as exhibiting in La Colomba restaurant in Venice Italy. In 2010 and 2012 Lateefa exhibited a selection of her artworks in the Bastakiyah Art Fair, as well as exhibiting her artwork in Art Dubai 2011 and 2012 with Tashkeel. She also showed in the group show at the Expo 2010 UAE pavilion in Shanghai Better City Better Life. In 2011 Lateefa was one of three artists from the region selected to exhibit in the UAE pavilion at the Venice Biennial curated by Vasif Kortun also in 2011 she was an exhibiting artist part of Emirati Expressions curated by Stephen Shore at Manarat-al-Saadiyat Abu Dhabi.
Lateefa’s artwork is included in private collections nationally and internationally.
Lateefa has been the honorary patron of START since January 2008.
