Over a nine month period, 18 photographers, all resident in the UAE, but from all over the world, made over 250 images of Dubai’s creek-side areas of Bur Dubai and Deira throughout 2017 and 2018. Photowalks, and darkroom sessions were arranged by the Analog Photography in the UAE group. The initial idea came about in a discussion with Alison at the Majlis Gallery, and the activities were organised by Bernhard Sperling, Michael Glenister, Abdallah Kroosh, and Christopher Osborne.
The brief was simple – capture the shapes and textures of old Dubai, but remain within the cultural norms of the UAE. In order to comply with the strict laws on publication of images, the participants were encouraged to concentrate on creating an abstract body of work.
In conjunction with Tashkeel, the Dubai government arts organisation, fourteen of these images were exhibited as part of the Sikka Week celebration that ran alongside the Dubai Arts Festival in March 2018. This exhibition enabled artists and photographers who would otherwise not have had gallery access to create an amazingly well received exhibition.