The Gulf Through Time: Dariush Zandi’s Photographic Journey is a solo exhibition presenting four decades of evocative imagery by celebrated photographer Dariush Zandi. On view at Total Arts until December 2025, the show offers a poetic visual journey across the landscapes, architecture, and daily life of the UAE and Oman.
Drawn from Zandi’s extensive archive, the exhibited works, which include selections from his famous series Off-Road in the Emirates, capture the region’s transformation while preserving its cultural memory. Zandi invites visitors to consider the intertwined narratives of modernisation and tradition, offering a record of change and a meditation on the enduring beauty and resilience of the Gulf. Through his lens, monumental and everyday moments are preserved and form an archive that is as much about memory as it is about place.
About Dariush Zandi
Zandi (b. 1952, Tehran, Iran) is a photographer, architect, and author. He studied architecture and urban design as well as film and photography in the USA. In the early 1980s, Zandi moved to Dubai and joined the Dubai Municipality as a Senior Architect and Town Planner. He contributed to master plans for the Dubai Emirate and spearheaded the restoration of significant heritage sites, including Sheikh Saeed House, Naif Fort, and the Dubai Museum.
Beyond his architectural career, Zandi became a central figure in Dubai’s cultural scene, co-founding the Dubai Art Centre. Later, he established Total Design and Total Arts, which are among the city’s earliest institutions dedicated to art and photography.
Zandi’s photographic practice that spans over half a million images reflects a deep engagement with the Gulf’s shifting natural and cultural landscapes, balancing the precision of an architect’s eye with the sensitivity of a storyteller. His work has been published widely, featured in corporate and private collections, and remains a vital record of a region in flux.
About Total Arts
Founded in 1992, Total Arts is one of Dubai’s trailblazing art venues and holds the distinction of being the first gallery to open in the Al Quoz industrial district. With a strong focus on Middle Eastern art, it is committed to discovering and championing emerging talents while contributing to the growth of the Emirati cultural landscape. Over time, the gallery has evolved into an interdisciplinary platform for learning, collaboration, and creative exploration.
In 1998, Total Arts moved to The Courtyard, an art hub conceived as a multidisciplinary community centre. Since then, it has hosted an extensive programme of exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events.
To get more information about The Gulf Through Time: Dariush Zandi’s Photographic Journey, please visit the official web page of the exhibition.
In addition, you might be interested in exploring two group shows: Your Ghosts Are Mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices and Printed Nostalgia.
To stay connected with the latest art news, consider joining our Telegram channel.
