Timur D'Vatz was born in Moscow but he completed his studies at the Republican College of Art in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He subsequently studied in the postgraduate programme at London's Royal Academy and has been awarded a number of accolades including the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2002. His work has been described as fused with medieval symbols and legends and its modernist form has a vibrancy of colour.

"My work is based in history but I am conscious of bringing it into contemporary reality," he says. "It is modern work with reference to the ancient elements of history. In this way I am creating my own mythology based on my own imagination and what I read in books and from places I travel."

Saying that he was proud to be exhibiting for the first time in the region, D'Vatz continues: "Dubai is a huge dream, a modern fantasy. There are references to different cultures everywhere and I think it is that mixed crowd that brings about a utopian situation. I hope I can bring something new to what is already here."