Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 5 February 2018. The longest running photography event in the region, currently in its 14th edition, opens tomorrow in Concrete, Alserkal Avenue at 7:00PM. Photographers and photography enthusiasts of all skills levels are invited to attend the opening night. The ceremony will kick off GPP Photo Week 2018, a six-day event full of photography workshops, talks, exhibitions, and art programming covering a range of skills and techniques related to the medium. The event – the longest-running of its kind in the region – will run from February 6 – 12 and will take place throughout Alserkal Avenue. Visitors will have the opportunity to attend a variety of exhibitions, including:
Souls Against the Concrete & Arabs of New York by Khalik Allah in partnership with Cadillac
Khalik Allah is a New York-based photographer and filmmaker. Shooting analogue at night using artificial light, Khalik captures dignified portraits of a marginalized community in Harlem. Exhibited for the first time in Dubai, Souls Against the Concrete is shown in conjunction with Khalik’s portraits of the Arab diaspora in NYC. This new work is presented in partnership with Cadillac as a continuation of the brand’s Arabs of New York campaign.
Beyond Here is Nothing by Laura El-Tantawy
Laura El-Tantawy is a British-Egyptian photographer who has spent her life moving between the East and West. Beyond Here is Nothing poignantly retreats from the public sphere into a private world where the mental burden of loneliness and the constant search for belonging presents itself in the form of ambiguous visuals, ominous shadows, and subtle textures. El-Tantawy’s haunting imagery confronts the viewer with their own feelings of not belonging, but also with the beauty of it.
Black to the Future | Reimagining Now by Osborne Macharia
A combination of two independent works, titled Magadi and Nyanye, Osborne Macharia’s exhibition, Black to the Future | Reimagining Now, introduces the viewer to seven transcendental women who lead the charge toward a better tomorrow. Through this work the viewer has an opportunity to reimagine the present, and forecast a future, where women of any age, and people of any color, can be celebrated as empowered leaders. Macharia is a self-taught Kenyan photographer whose style embodies Afrofuturism.
Red Zone by Jalal Sepehr
Jalal Sepehr in an Iranian artist who was born in Tehran, where he currently lives and works. Sepehr’s series Red Zone reflects upon the turmoil currently facing the Middle East and beyond. Taking various forms, Sepehr’s symbolism attends to the challenges facing asylum seekers, the effects of war, and the process of endless emigration.
In addition to these exhibitions, GPP will be hosting Shift Your Focus, a community group show in Nadi Al Quoz, and Cheb & Chndy’s Mood Board, an interactive Instax installation by Cheb Moha and Chndy at A4 space. Neighbouring creative spaces around Alserkal Avenue will also be contributing to GPP Photo Week 2018, and attendees will be given the chance to visit exhibitions such as Saudi Seen by Art Jameel; Color Pattern People by Olaf Breuning; New Japan Photo – Issue 4 & 5 by CHI-KA; The Million Street by Yiannis Roussakis; a selection of works by Jaber Al Azmeh; Walk Along In Afghanistan by Pia Torelli; Nose Art by Manolo Chrétien; Dhows From Around the World by Sue Johnston; Drinkers of The Wind by Tariq Dajani; a virtual reality exhibition by techarc; Occupy with RC Concepcion by RC Concepcion; The Rug Company’s 20th Anniversary Collection by The Rug Company; Focus by The Third Line; and All Together Now by Total Arts.
SONY PhotoFriday, the annual highlight of Dubai’s photography calendar, will return as part of GPP Photo Week 2018 on Friday, February 9. SONY PhotoFriday is expected to see more than 3,000 photographers and photography enthusiasts meet and learn from the best photographers from around the world. The day, packed with all things photography, features 12 unique 90-minute sessions, technical and inspirational talks, and creative panels led by some of the most prominent regional and international names in the business, including: Tanya Habjouqa, Tasneem Alsultan, Toufic Araman, Brian Smith, Maggie Steber, Sara Lando, Zack Arias, Kevin Mullins, and RC Concepcion.
Throughout the event, attendees can participate in a variety of free activities, including photo walks, Snap Sessions, Spotlight programming, kids activities, the ShootOut, and a full art program presented by Cadillac. In addition, participants can avail of special offers on the latest photography gear from the world’s leading brands and enjoy free camera cleaning services from Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm from 7 – 10 February.
This year’s event will also see the addition of Cadillac as the official presenting partner of GPP Photo Week 2018. Through this role, Cadillac has commissioned renowned photographer Khalik Allah to create a series of portraits of the Arab diaspora of New York City as a continuation of the brand’s Arabs of New York campaign. These portraits – exhibited for the very first time at GPP Photo Week 2018 – will be shown alongside Khalik’s signature body of work, Souls Against the Concrete.
GPP Photo Week strives to create an accessible entry point into the world of photography for people of all walks of life. This year’s theme is Shift Your Focus is aimed at encouraging attendees to think about photography, and the rapidly changing world around them, in a new light. The event will provide attendees with the opportunity to engage with photography while immersing themselves in Dubai’s burgeoning art scene.
