Lens Light Moments Focus
Summer Collective: Lens & Light: Moments in Focus
20.08.2024
Reading 3 min

Ayyam Gallery is currently housing Summer Collective, its annual exhibition. This year, the theme is Lens & Light: Moments in Focus. On view are thought-provoking photo works by such artists as Ammar al-Beik, Sama Alshaibi, Huda Baydoun, Majid Koorang Beheshti, Ammar Abd Rabbo, Faisal Samra, Rula Halawani, Nassouh Zaghlouleh, and Tammam Azzam. The exhibition will be open to the public until 31 August 2024.

Photography began in the 19th century with practical uses such as documentation and scientific research. As the medium’s technical capabilities advanced, its potential as an art form expanded, profoundly impacting art history and cultural expression. Photography has the power to preserve moments, capturing the essence of human experience. It can immortalise joy and fulfilment, embedding memories in our lives, as well as document adversity, anguish, and turmoil, highlighting shared vulnerabilities and disparities in power.

The For My Father series by Palestinian photographer, artist, and educator Rula Halawani reflects the Israeli presence in Palestine through fading memories. Syrian filmmaker Ammar al-Beik’s works, which often allude to sociopolitical issues, reveal the complexities of human relationships, while Iraqi-born artist Sama Alshaibi examines cultural connections under the threat of displacement and the recognition of human interdependence.

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Summer Collective: Lens & Light: Moments in Focus (installation view). Ayyam Gallery, Dubai, 2024. Courtesy of the gallery.

Middle Eastern photographers like Bahraini-born Faisal Samra push the boundaries of photography with conceptual and experimental approaches, delving into themes of memory, identity, and belonging. Saudi artist Huda Beydoun’s monochromatic landscapes featuring Mickey Mouse silhouettes address social allegories and themes of anonymity and immigration, adding literal layers of interpretation.

Iranian photographer and artist Majid Koorang Beheshti brings his distinctive vision of reality through his dramatic monochrome photos, often depicting vast spaces punctuated by stark architectural structures. His foreign landscapes take on an abstract quality, sometimes evoking Bauhaus and Surrealism. Meanwhile, Syrian pho­tog­ra­pher Nassouh Zaghlouleh draws inspiration from Damascus. He cap­tures the city’s fleeting moments and details that offer an inti­mate view of Damascus’ streets and his­tory.

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Summer Collective: Lens & Light: Moments in Focus (installation view). Ayyam Gallery, Dubai, 2024. Courtesy of the gallery.

Deeply influenced by the ongoing conflict in his homeland, Syrian artist Tammam Azzam focuses on the tragedy of ruined cities. His renowned series of digital works, The Syrian Museum (2013), overlays photos of destroyed buildings with iconic European paintings, such as The Kiss by Gustav Klimt and Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Through this series, Azzam explores our perception of current events and questions the role of art. The exhibition displays photomontage pieces from the artist’s Bon Voyage series that conveys his message of hope during the uprising in Syria.

Tammam Azzam, Damascus
Tammam Azzam, Damascus from Bon Voyage Series, 2013. C-print Diasec Mounting. Edition of 5. 120 x 100 cm

Visitors can also view works by Ammar Abd Rabbo, one of the Arab world’s most significant photographers. His portfolio includes intimate portraits of world leaders, war coverage from Iraq, Lebanon, and Libya, as well as images of renowned celebrities and high-society events like the Cannes Film Festival and Paris Fashion Week.

To get more information about Lens & Light: Moments in Focus, please go to the official web page of the exhibition.

In addition, you might be interested in reading our article about four places in Dubai where one can enjoy digital art.

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