In Spring 2004, students of Latifa College were commissioned by Emirates Bank to paint a camel sculpture for part of a public art project and charity auction. A competition was held between the students, with representatives of the bank making the final selection of the winning design. The competition was won by Omaima Hidmi, with her design of the Emirates Banker, a humorous interpretation of the traditional British banker. All students participated in painting the finished sculpture.

The original Emirates Banker was stolen from the streets of Dubai shortly before the charity auction was held, resulting in the work being recreated at short notice by the College as Emirates Banker II. The camel went on to attract the highest bid of 350,000 dhs at auction, and a children’s book, The One That Got Away, was written about the disappearing camel. The camel is now on display outside the Emirates Bank in Al Wasl Road, Dubai.

Following on from the success of the Camel Caravan, Emirates Bank commissioned the students to create a horse as part of the Celebration of the Arabian Horse. Using the concept of collaged antique money, which had been introduced with the Emirates Banker, the students created a horse that was completely collaged in reproductions of obsolete currency, recoloured to graduate from blue to gold, the colours of the Emirates Bank logo. Omaima Hidmi again initiated the design. The Arabian Stallion now stands outside the Emirates Bank in the Al Wasl Road, alongside the Emirates Banker II.

The students were later approached on behalf of A-1, the motor racing company launched by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum, to create a horse representing the spirit of this new venture. Latifa Saeed designed the horse that was painted with exposed engine parts and swathed in motor racing’s iconic chequered flag. The finished horse was displayed in the foyer of the company offices in Dubai.

A third horse was painted as the result of a private commission from HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. A team of five students painted this horse in a contemporary, graphic style as a tribute to Sheikh Hamdan and his commitment to progress in Dubai.

As a final component of the Desert Trilogy, the students at Latifa College were asked by Emirates Bank to create a falcon as part of the Flight of the Falcons public art project. This time the project was undertaken by two students, Omaima Hidmi and Mariam Al Mazroui, who collaborated on the concept development, design and painting of the falcon in the Summer of 2006. The 21st Century Falcon was painted in an abstract graphic style, depicting the modern image of Emirates Bank. On the underside of the falcon the familiar logo suggests the security and stability the bank continues to provide, whilst the striking abstraction of the same logo across the back of the wings represents the bold and innovative way in which the bank meets the constantly-changing demands of its contemporary customers.

The 21st Century Falcon was displayed on the World Trade Centre roundabout on the Shaikh Zayed Road in Dubai.