A monumental mural now stretches across the walls of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation (WTEF) in Southeast D.C., featuring the intersection of color, culture, and calligraphy.
Painted over the course of merely three days by D.C.-based artist Shawn Perkins and artist Saggaf Assagaf, the mural stands as a bold symbol of diplomacy and collaboration through sports, youth empowerment, and the manifestation of an international friendship.
Commissioned as part of a unique partnership between Mubadala, the sovereign investment company based in Abu Dhabi, and WTEF, a long-standing community institution in Southeast, D.C., the mural marries local roots with global vision.
At its heart is a simple yet profound narrative: A child dreaming of becoming a tennis champion – serving as a visual metaphor for aspiration, education, and discipline for the greater Southeast community.
“This mural is the result of a meaningful partnership between [Mubadala] and [WTEF],” Assagaf shared on social media, “and a special collaborative mural between myself, representing my beloved country the UAE, and the incredibly talented local artist [Shawn Perkins] representing Washington, D.C.”
The mural’s imagery braids together motifs from both cities — the Capitol dome mirrored with the silhouette of Abu Dhabi’s skyline — punctuated by bursts of Arabic calligraphy spelling out “Partnership,” “Excellence,” “Youth,” and “Education.”
These words, Assagaf explained, “reflect Mubadala’s vision to empower future generations.”
The project culminated in a public unveiling where more than 60 children from WTEF, along with community members and sponsors, added their own brushstrokes to the mural — a living testament to collective authorship.
“Over three days, we painted side by side,” Assagaf said, “and on the unveiling day, children and the community helped complete the work in front of the media.”
For Shawn Perkins, the collaboration was more than professional—it was personal.
“Being part of this mural at WTEF has been an incredible experience, not just as an artist but as someone who grew up understanding the importance of spaces like this in a community,” he said. “Collaborations like this remind me why I love what I do: they bring people together, spark conversations, and hopefully inspire the young people who walk past this wall every day to dream bigger.”
Courtney Kolker, the mural director, also emphasized the power of artistic partnership, praising the artists’ synergy.
“This mural represents the best of what collaboration can be,” she said. “From the beginning, Shawn and Saggaf approached this work with mutual respect, creative alignment, and an ease that made the process feel like they’d worked together for years. As the mural director, my goal was to create space for that kind of trust and synergy to unfold — and what emerged reflects the shared values at the heart of both Mubadala and WTEF: community, creativity, and cultural exchange.”
For Assagaf, who is also an avid tennis player, the project held unique resonance.
“As an artist who also loves playing tennis, this project was especially meaningful to me. I hope this mural shows young tennis players that art and sport are both powerful forms of expression—and that creativity and discipline can grow hand in hand.”