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At first glance, the vertical strokes of different shades of green against a grey backdrop appear to the casual observer as trees on an island in a vast ocean.

The painting, however, is more of an abstract piece, he explains.

“I thought I wouldn’t try to paint a detailed, realistic picture. So I sat down with my brush and colours and made this. And to give it a name, I decided on ‘Ocean Mirage’ because a mirage also doesn’t have much detail to it.”

At 80 years old, Muhaimin is the most senior exhibitor at this year’s “Unveiling Visions” Art Exhibition organised by the Maldivian Artists Community (MAC).

Painting, he admits, is not his primary craft. He prefers to work with palm leaves, pearls, and fish scales to create beautiful handmade souvenirs and designs.

His work has been displayed in the Friday mosque, including an iconic fountain that has since been removed.

He beams as he proudly describes a flower vase he once made that was presented to Queen Elizabeth during one of her visits. The vase, beautifully crafted with parts of the palm tree, is one of 13 items from the Maldives currently displayed in the Royal Art Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

Muhaimin has a love for all kinds of art, including writing stories, songs, scripts for movies, and designing movie sets.

He produced the much-acclaimed Dhivehi movie "Dheriyaa," which took Maldivian cinema by storm in 1994. He also wrote the script and designed the set for the movie. The film was nominated for ten awards at the First Gaumee Film Awards the following year and went on to win eight. Muhaimin himself received an award for best set design.

He later produced a second film, "Ranmuiy," although it did not achieve the same level of success.

In his early years, Muhaimin was a dedicated public servant. He worked at the State Trading Organization (STO) during the time of former President Ibrahim Nasir and later as a personal secretary to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

It wasn’t until he retired from public service in 1993 that he dove into art.

“I took off the suit and went shirtless into the woods,” he says with a sly smile.

“I collected palm leaves, dry sticks, and wood, and started to fully dedicate myself to making art at that point. I must have worked for almost 18 hours most days. After working hard in government, I did not want to stay idle, so I worked hard. Maybe that’s why I am, with God’s grace, in good health after 80 years.”

Exhibitions like Unveiling Visions are vital for young Maldivian artists to gain a market and showcase their talents, Muhaimin says.

“This is so important. Art is perhaps one of the most important things for a nation. There’s a lot of beautiful, high-quality art here. It fills me with joy and hope to see it all.”

This is the first of a series of articles featuring artists who’s taking part in the Unveiling Visions 2024. The exhibition is open till 20th July at the National Art Gallery in Male’.