World Largest Bead Mosaic Guinness Record set by Middle East Women

She is the first woman in the Middle East to enter the Guinness World Records book. And she’s just 25.

Meet Emirati Reem Al Gurg, who made it to the record books by creating what has been officially declared as the world’s largest bead mosaic.

Called Sahara Vision, the 3.75 square-metre artwork is made of a staggering 18,231 wooden beads and represents the confluence of Dubai’s reality and mysticism.

“I chose wooden beads because they reflect the colour of the desert,” said Reem, who took four months to complete the unique piece of art in 2007. By a strange coincidence, November 8 – the day she submitted her entry, was also Guinness World Records Day. But it could not make it to the 2008 edition as it had already gone into print.

But now her record-breaking feat, depicting high-rise buildings facing the desert under three moons, has found its rightful place in the 2009 Arabic edition of the Guinness World Records book. The colossal artwork was also displayed at the recent Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2009 where Reem had a book-signing session. Childhood prophecy

A nutrition teacher at Zayed University, Reem said she always wanted to do something special in life. “Years ago when I was in school, I used to tell my friends that I would break a world record some day,” she recalled. Reem said an animated picture designed by her husband for his company’s home page was what stirred her imagination and helped her conceive an image of the artwork.

It comes as no surprise therefore that she has named it after the company Sahara Vision, which deals in 3-D animation services, architectural visualisation and special effects.

Dubai, the city where Reem grew up, is however the biggest source of her inspiration. “I’m really proud to be living here. It’s amazing how much the city has changed and accomplished in such a short span of time,” she said. Inspiration

Reem loves challenges and, sure enough, has already taken up a new one – her daughter’s birthday gift.

Her daughter turns one on December 1. By then Reem hopes to write and publish a series of books in Arabic for two-year-olds and under, involving two Emirati characters, with an emphasis on local traditions.

Reem wants to exhibit her record-breaking work and said she wouldn’t mind selling it if she gets the right price.