Style File: Tini Meyer

Not many people can claim to have recreated a Pre-Raphaelite painting in the name of modern art, but then Tini Meyer is no ordinary artist. After being inspired by an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, she collaborated with the British artist Cyrus Mahboubian to replicate the scene. "Most of the paintings in the show were done by Pre-Raphaelites and when we discussed The Death of Ophelia, Cyrus said he would love to take a photograph inspired by the painting but would need someone crazy enough to jump into a lake for him. Naturally, I volunteered right away," says Meyer. "The shoot itself was quite the experience - I lay in freezing water (although it was summer) and there was bright moss at the bottom of the lake, and for some reason I had this fear of being attacked by animals but had to lie perfectly calm at the same time." Meyer, who was born in the Philippines and grew up in Germany, Canada and the UAE, plays a huge role in the burgeoning arts community in Abu Dhabi, and her artwork can be found in corporate collections around the globe. "I love doing installations because I have to push myself as an artist," she says. "It's hard to execute an installation for it to be aesthetic and conceptual at the same time. I always enjoy painting because it relaxes me and is almost a form of meditation." Having travelled extensively, Meyer says peoples and cultures inspire her work as "art brings communities together, helping people to connect and transcend social boundaries". Home for Meyer is now the UAE, where she continues to campaign for an affordable studio centre for artists in Abu Dhabi. She is curating the exhibition Changing Landscapes, which features emerging UAE artists in Jumeirah Etihad Towers, and is open to the public and running until Tuesday. She talks to Jemma Nicholls about her life and passions.

Tini's World

BEING STYLISH MEANS... not over-accessorising. Coco Chanel said: "Always take off the last thing you put on." FIVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME ARE... spontaneous, fun, creative, passionate and free-spirited. I MOST ADMIRE... my father for his intellect and discipline, and my mother for her energy and creativity. MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR IS... surviving as an artist and travelling as much as possible. THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN IS... a woman very dear to me told me: "Life is like a sushi bar, you must take what you want when you see it." WHAT DRIVES ME ON ARE... my goals and dreams, happy thoughts, the smell of fresh coffee in the morning. THE AMBITION I STILL HAVE IS... to live around the world via artist residencies - in cosmopolitan cities to rustic villages in the middle of nowhere. I think to live in a different place and create art in a new environment would be an unforgettable experience.