The Place I Call Home is a photography touring exhibition curated by David Drake, Director of Ffotogallery Wales, commissioned by the British Council. This cross-cultural exhibition presents the work of talented artists from the UK and Gulf, each using photography, to explore the idea of home through the experience of people living in the Gulf and the UK at a time of rapid change and social mobility. All photographers have at some time called the Gulf ‘home’, which is reflected in their work. The exhibition travels to seven countries over a six-month period.
The project uses photography and lens-based media to explore the notion of home as it relates to contemporary experiences of the Arabic diaspora living in the UK and British people living in the Gulf. Much of the work turns the notion of home on its head, questioning stereotypes we hold about each other’s nationalities, cultures and the notion of home.
The Place I Call Home is on show in Muscat from 14 November – 15 December in the Stal Gallery, introducing the work that specifically reflects unique experiences in Oman by Omani artists, Hassan Meer and Eman Ali, UK photographer Josh Adam Jones and Kuwaiti-Indian Zahed Sultan, as well as the works by the other artists reflecting on home within the UK and other Gulf countries.
Photography is an amazing medium for capturing, communicating and sharing people’s stories across cultures. The Place I Call Home is in line with British Council’s work in Oman; to create new opportunities to develop mutual understanding and respect through sharing and appreciating each other’s culture, history and heritage, and develop long-term arts and education relationships between institutions.
Photography is arguably one of the most democratic art forms, and our aim is to engage more young people with it by providing them the opportunity to participate in workshops and events and to start new conversations about its use. The project aims to inspire and trigger interest in the variety of lens-based media - photography all the way from a smartphone to analogue photography.
More information about the exhibition and artists can be found on www.theplaceicallhome.org.
#ThePlaceICallHome
Photographers in the Gulf can use the hashtag #everydaygulf to have their images pulled across into a dedicated website that has been set up to engage and showcase local talent around the theme of “home”.
Waseem Kotoub, Senior Programme Manager, Culture and Sport, Gulf at the British Council said: “We want to showcase how photography is being used in the UK and the Gulf to capture and make sense of the world and how it can transcend borders and build understanding. The exhibition is exploring the impact of the creative art forms on people’s lives and the role they can play in society’s understanding of itself - and how this impact should be shared and discussed. Artworks created by young Gulf and UK artists have made references to the strong and rich history and identity that informs the modern Arab art world”.
When and where will it be happening?
|
Country |
Exhibition Dates |
Photographers commissioned by country |
Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kuwait |
1-21 October 2019 |
Mohammed Al-Kouh |
Amricani Cultural Centre, Kuwait City |
|
Oman |
14 November - 15 December 2019 |
Eman Ali Josh Adam Jones Hassan Meer Zahed Sultan |
Stal Gallery, Muscat |
|
Qatar |
2-21 December 2019 |
Abi Green Sara Al Obaidly Mashael Al Hejazi Sebastian Betancur-Montoya |
The Fire Station, Doha, Qatar |
|
Bahrain |
15-31 January 2020 |
Hussain Almosawi & Mariam Alarab
|
Bahrain Museum Art Space |
|
Saudi Arabia |
9 -29 Feb 2020 |
Moath Alofi |
L’Art Pur |
|
UAE – Abu Dhabi |
7 – 21 March 2020 |
Richard Allenby-Pratt Gillian Robertson Ben Soedira Ammar Al Attar |
Maraya Arts Centre |