FEATURE / CURATED
Going behind the lenses of five emerging Saudi photographers, this project explores a collection of images taken during the initial social and cultural liberalization initiated between 2016 and 2019, a period aimed at transforming the kingdom away from oil dependency and strict religious conservatism.
Photography / Abdullah Al-Malki, Norah Al-Amri, Abdulrahman Saleh, Ibrahim Sarhan, Zuhair Al-Traifi
Curated / Saudi Arabia: Visualizing the Shift
SAUDI ARABIA: VISUALIZING THE SHIFT
Ibrahim Sarhan / From Deserts to Mountains
Remote mountain villages and volcanic landscapes reveal communities whose traditions and identities have endured despite isolation and rapid modernization.
SAUDI ARABIA: VISUALIZING THE SHIFT
Norah Al-Amri / Black is My Colour
Contemporary Saudi life is observed through reflections, street scenes, and the black abaya as a symbol of identity, presence, and quiet resistance.
SAUDI ARABIA: VISUALIZING THE SHIFT
Abdulrahman Saleh / Immigration and Vibrancy
The lives, traditions, and aspirations of Saudi Arabia’s expatriate communities are documented through intimate portraits of everyday resilience and belonging.
SAUDI ARABIA: VISUALIZING THE SHIFT
Abdullah Al-Malki / Makkah Behind the Scenes
Through intimate, spiritually grounded street photography, Abdullah Al-Malki offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into everyday life and emotion in Islam’s holiest city of Makkah.
SAUDI ARABIA: VISUALIZING THE SHIFT
Zuhair Al-Traifi / Alleyways and Tear Downs
Working-class neighborhoods are portrayed in their raw, unpolished state, capturing daily life in alleyways, markets, and urban spaces shaped by decay and change.