Exhibition: Cracks & Bloom
In September 2025, co-founders Raniya and Raya Mansoor presented Cracks & Bloom at Mondoir
Gallery, Dubai. The exhibition marked a joint presentation of new works by the two artists, shown
together in an international gallery context. The exhibition brought together two distinct bodies of
work developed in parallel, exploring themes of identity, growth, memory, and emotional
inheritance. While each artist maintained an individual visual language, the works were presented in
dialogue, reflecting a shared yet independent trajectory shaped by time, proximity, and lived
experience.
First Retail Placement in Malé
In 2017, while continuing to operate primarily as an online platform, Oevaali Art Shop began placing
its products within physical retail outlets in Malé. This marked the studio’s first transition from
online-only distribution to local in-city retail presence.
Over the course of the year, Oevaali Art Shop products became available at Wolf Maldives,
followed later by Toddy Inc., establishing early retail partnerships within the capital.
First Bespoke Commission: Silk Scarf for Coco Privé
Private Island Maldives
In 2016, Oevaali Art Shop completed its first bespoke design commission for Coco Privé Private
Island Maldives, producing an original 90 cm silk scarf developed specifically for the property and
establishing an ongoing collaborative relationship. The luxury scarf features a symmetrical
composition centred on a floral medallion, with hand-drawn reef fish, branching coral, seabirds, and
nautilus shells arranged across the surface in a restrained marine palette.
First Edition of the Oevaali Art Shop Planner
In 2020, Oevaali Art Shop introduced the first edition of the Oevaali Art Shop Planner, conceived as
a Maldivian weekly diary combining functional planning with locally grounded design. The planner
incorporated Maldivian public holidays and the Nakaiy Calendar alongside selected international
observances, and was structured with yearly, monthly, and weekly views.
The planner was released with five hand-drawn motifs embossed on a refined leatherette cover
and has since been produced as an annual edition. In 2024, the series expanded to include the first
daily-format planner, extending the collection’s approach to time, ritual, and everyday organisation.
BCC Maldives: MSME of the Year (Medium)
In 2025, Oevaali Art Shop was awarded MSME of the Year (Medium) by
Business Center Corporation Maldives. The recognition acknowledged the
studio’s sustained growth and contribution to the Maldivian small and
medium enterprise sector.
Launch of the Oevaali Art Shop Studio, Maldives
In 2024, Oevaali Art Shop launched the Oevaali Art Shop Studio in the
Maldives as a private, experience-led space distinct from its retail
environments. Conceived as an intimate studio setting, the space was
designed to host small gatherings, creative sessions, and slower modes of
engagement with the work. The Studio incorporates a café-inspired layout
with an open coffee and tea bar, emphasising warmth, informality, and
conversation.
Opening of International Outlet, Singapore
In 2024, Oevaali Art Shop opened its first international outlet in Singapore,
marking a significant expansion beyond the Maldives. The store opened at
Bussorah Street, situating the boutique within one of the city’s historic cultural
districts.
Housed within a three-storey heritage shophouse, the space was selected for its
architectural character and alignement to Oevaali Art Shop’s continued emphasis
on place, history, and cultural context.
Exhibition: Glimpse of Light
In December 2022, Raya Mansoor presented A Glimpse of Light at Oevaali Art
Gallery, Maldives. The exhibition showcases a collection of paintings made with
acrylics and mixed media, capturing the sun rays and moonshine; symbolizing
light, hope and trusting the journey.
Continuity During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2020, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic and associated disruptions, Oevaali
Art Shop sustained its operations through the continued support of local
customers in the Maldives. During this period, the studio focused on maintaining
continuity in its practice while adapting to changing conditions.
The period underscored the importance of community engagement and local
patronage in sustaining independent creative enterprises.
Airport Retail Placement: Velana International Airport
In 2019, Oevaali Art Shop products became available at Velana International
Airport Duty Free, extending the studio’s retail presence to an international
travel context.
The placement was facilitated through Authentic Maldives, an initiative by
Business Center Corporation Maldives, supporting the visibility of Maldivian-
designed products within the national airport retail environment.
Maldives Business Awards: Young Entrepreneur of the Year
In 2019, co-founders Raniya and Raya Mansoor were awarded Young
Entrepreneur of the Year at the Maldives Business Awards. The recognition
acknowledged their entrepreneurial leadership and the growth of Oevaali Art
Shop as a locally founded creative enterprise.
Launch of the Home Fragrance Collection
The Home Fragrance Collection was launched in 2019,
following an extended period of studio experimentation in
2018. The collection developed through hands-on testing
and lived use, with scent explored as a medium for shaping
atmosphere, mood, and spaces.
Exhibition: Oceanic
In 2019, Oevaali Art Shop presented Oceanic, an exhibition drawing from the
geography and marine life of the Maldives. The exhibition featured works
across acrylic painting, clay sculpture, and resin-based forms, revisiting and
reinterpreting themes first explored in The Island Collection (2015).
Oceanic was presented in partnership with Dhiraagu, marking one of Oevaali
Art Shop’s early corporate-supported exhibition collaborations.
Exhibition: Heritage Through Folk
In 2018, Oevaali Art Shop presented Heritage Through Folk, a landmark exhibition
that marked a significant shift in the studio’s direction and scope. The exhibition
brought together works by over ten Maldivian artists, each offering distinct visual
interpretations informed by folklore, oral histories, and cultural memory.
The exhibition included a written contribution by Xavier Romero-Frias and was
supported by access to archival and scholarly research on Maldivian history.
Taken together, the exhibition marked Oevaali Art Shop’s first formal move toward
collective storytelling and research-led artistic engagement, extending its role
beyond in-house production.
First Corporate Stockist: Kuredu Island Resort
In 2017, Oevaali Art Shop entered its first corporate stockist partnership with
Kuredu Island Resort in the Maldives. The collaboration marked the studio’s initial
placement within a resort retail context and established Oevaali Art Shop as a
locally rooted design partner for hospitality settings. Kuredu Island Resort
became Oevaali Art Shop’s first recurring stockist, initiating an ongoing
relationship.
Initial Jewellery Works
Following the introduction of the Manta Ray Pendant, Oevaali Art Shop
developed a series of early jewellery designs in 2016, including the Turtle
Pendant, the Heron Pendant, and the Maldives Map Pendant. Together, they
established the foundations of the studio’s early jewellery language and
material approach.
The Manta Ray Pendant
The Manta Ray Pendant was originally designed and released in 2016. Measuring
25 mm, the pendant presents a stylised manta ray form with outstretched wings
and a tapered central tail. The original release was executed in polished silver with
enamel detailing in the studio’s signature Silver & Ocean tone.
The Manta Ray Pendant remains one of Oevaali Art Shop’s earliest original
jewellery designs.
First Art Acquisition
Following its first exhibition, a significant portion of The
Island Collection (2015) was acquired by Nolhi Escape,
a locally owned guesthouse in the Maldives. The
acquisition marked the studio’s first formal placement
of original works within a hospitality setting.
Founding of Oevaali Art Shop
Founded in 2015 by Maldivian sisters Raniya and Raya Mansoor, in partnership
with Ali Ajikko and Ismail Rasheed, Oevaali Art Shop was established as an art and
design studio grounded in collaborative making.
Formed while the founders were based in Singapore, the studio emerged from a
renewed engagement with art-making and a shared distance from home, with
early works drawing from the oceanic landscapes and material culture of the
Maldives.
First Exhibition: The Island Collection
Oevaali Art Shop presented its first exhibition, The Island Collection, in
December 2015 in the Maldives. The exhibition comprised a focused body of
paintings inspired by Maldivian marine life and marked the studio’s first public
presentation of its work.
Following the exhibition, Oevaali Art Shop was launched as a fully operational
online platform, enabling international access and worldwide delivery.
Relocation to New Premises in Malé
On 9 October 2021, Oevaali Art Shop relocated to a new, purpose-built space in Malé, marking a
significant consolidation of its retail and gallery operations. The move followed the opening of the
studio’s first permanent retail space in 2018 and reflected the growth of its in-city presence.
The new two-floor premises were conceived and developed by the Oevaali Art Shop partners in
collaboration with all-Maldivian architects, builders, and artisanal makers. The ground floor houses
the studio’s lifestyle collections, while the upper level accommodates an in-house art gallery and
meeting spaces. The interior design emphasises natural textures, restrained geometry, and
contemporary minimalism, aligning the physical environment with the studio’s established visual
language.
October, 2021
Celebrating 10 Years of Oevaali Art Shop
On 26 December 2025, Oevaali Art Shop marked ten years
since its founding. The milestone reflected a decade of
sustained practice spanning art, design, exhibitions,
research-led projects, retail spaces, and international
expansion, rooted in Maldivian cultural context.
December, 2025
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Our Story
Dedicated to fine art and designing a life we love.
Founded in 2015 by sisters Raniya and Raya Mansoor, Oevaali Art Shop is managed and owned alongside partners Ali Ajikko and Imma Rasheed. Featuring 100% Maldivian art and design, Oevaali
Art Shop is a premier and locally-loved lifestyle brand of art and products in the Maldives, inspired by the ocean and the seaside.
Take a visual walk through our journey and below!
Opening of Dedicated Retail Premises in Malé
On 28 September 2018, Oevaali Art Shop opened its first permanent physical store in Malé, marking
a significant transition from online and distributed retail to a dedicated in-city presence.
The store was located in the Henveyru district, situated just behind the main Marine Drive, and
represented the first instance of Oevaali operating from a space wholly dedicated to its work and
collections.
September, 2018
Launch of GAIA: Semi-Precious Stone Jewelry Collection
In 2021, Oevaali Art Shop launched the GAIA Collection,
introducing semi-precious stones into its jewellery line
and expanding the studio’s material language.
October, 2019
Launch of ORIGINS Collection
In 2023, Oevaali Art Shop launched the ORIGINS Jewellery Collection, drawing from indigenous
Maldivian history and lore. The collection expanded the studio’s narrative-led jewellery practice,
translating cultural references into contemporary wearable forms. ORIGINS marked a continued
engagement with heritage as material and motif, situating jewellery as a medium through which
stories, symbols, and inherited memory could be carried forward.
December, 2023
Launch of the Littles Collection
In 2023, Oevaali Art Shop launched the Littles Collection, introducing a
dedicated line of children’s products crafted in organic cotton and natural
materials. The collection expanded the studio’s practice into early childhood
products, combining functional design with a softened visual language.
July, 2023
WIM Awards: Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur
In December 2021, co-founders Raniya and Raya Mansoor were awarded
Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at the WIM Awards. The award
recognised their leadership and contribution to the creative and
entrepreneurial landscape in the Maldives.
The WIM Awards are a national programme celebrating the achievements of
women across business and professional sectors.
December, 2021
