Until the 15th of September 2023, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children is hosting an exhibition titled Shades of Dubai. It is staged by Dubai Culture, Nikon Middle East, and Dr Mukesh Batra (the founder of Dr. Batra Homeopathic Clinics) with the support of the Sikka Platform. On view are 14 photographs which pay tribute to the Emirate of Dubai’s diverse cityscape and fascinating nature.
Ten of the exhibited pictures are taken by Emirati creatives who have won the Shades of Dubai photo competition. Through an open call in April this year, one was invited to submit their best photos of Dubai, so more than 355 people have taken part in the competition. Only five photographers were chosen to present their works in the show. These are Sharafudheen Kadavath, Salem Sarhan Al Sawafi, who has previously won many photography competitions (such as, for instance, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque competition, the Khalifa International Award for Dates and Palms, and the HIPA Summer contest), Goutam Mitra, Abdullah Sameh Aly, and Ralph Emerson de Peralta.
Sharafudheen Kadavath is represented in the exhibition by two photos of his. One of them depicts the Dubai Canal, while the other highlights the Etihad Museum’s unique architecture. Salem Sarhan Al Sawafi displays his photo of a man overlooking the majestic Hatta Mountains. Goutam Mitra’s picture captures the beauty of the Al Qudra Lakes. Abdullah Sameh Aly presents two of his works: a picture of a full moon frozen behind the iconic Burj Al Arab and a photograph of another Dubai landmark, Ain Dubai, which is the world’s biggest and tallest Ferris wheel. In his exhibited photos, Ralph Emerson De Peralta focuses on Burj Khalifa. One of the pictures is a panorama capturing Dubai in the morning. The other depicts a cityscape dominated by the majestic tower and also features the Dubai Mall and the Grand Dubai Fountain.
In addition to the winners’ photographs, Shades of Dubai showcases four pictures by Dr Mukesh Batra, who is passionate about photography. They were taken while he was exploring the emirate. Among the pictures is the one depicting Emirates Towers in the distance, as seen through the facade of the Museum of the Future.
Apart from visiting the Shades of Dubai exhibition, you might also be interested in looking through twelve historical photo albums launched by the Akkasah photo archive.
