About the exhibition
'The Place I Call Home,' is a contemporary exhibition of photography commissioned by the British Council and curated by David Drake, Director of Ffotogallery Wales, that presents the work of artists from both the United Kingdom and The Gulf, as they explore the idea of ‘home’ at a time of rapid change and social mobility.
The project uses 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.
The Place I Call Home’ will be exhibited from 9 – 29 February 2020 in Riyadh at L’Art Pur, one of Middle East’s largest galleries.
On display
Saudi Arabian artist, researcher and explorer Moath Alofi will display his photographic series The Last Tashahud, which captures desolated and makeshift mosques that offer a haven for travelers, scattered along the winding roads leading to the holy city of Medina. The work of other selected artists will also be on display, reflecting the sense of home from photography shot in the UK and other Gulf countries.
Alongside the exhibition there will be various interactive events for professional and starting photographers including a panel discussion with exhibition curator David Drake and resident artists Moath Alofi on 10 February and a photo walk and talk open to students from schools and universities, with curator David Drake on 11 February. You can find more on the Saudi Arabia programme here.
Our contribution
The exhibition seeks to promote dialogue and interaction between cultures and challenge isolation and self-segregation. The exhibition will travel to seven countries over a six-month period, including each country within the GCC along with several destinations in the UK.
Photography is one of the greatest mediums for capturing, communicating and sharing people’s stories across cultures. ‘The Place I Call Home’ is just part of British Council’s dedicated work in Saudi Arabia which seeks to creating 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.
'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.'
Waseem Kotoub, Senior Programme Manager, Culture and Sport, Gulf at the British Council.
#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."