By Raynald C Rivera
Two Qatari photographers are in Turkey on an expedition to capture the country’s essence through its people and its picturesque, historic and unique landscapes.
After welcoming two Turkish photographers in Qatar earlier this month, Qatar Turkey 2015: Year of Culture has sent Qatari photographers, Sara Al Obaidly and Saleh Al Marri to explore Turkey and capture significant aspects of its culture and people via their lens.
The two Qatari photographers started their exploration of Turkey on Monday. Immersed in the day-to-day lives of families and artisans, the photographers enjoy a rare opportunity to photograph the essence of Turkey, among its ethnic and geographic diversity. From the vibrant quarters of Istanbul to the caves houses of Cappadocia, from bustling bazaars to peaceful mosques and sumptuous palaces, they will go behind the scenes to interpret in images Turkey’s rich culture and history as it is in the heart of its people.
In September 2015 an exhibition in Qatar will showcase the journeys of the Qatari and Turkish photographers.
Sara Al Obaidly is a portrait and documentary photographer with BA and MA at The University of Brighton in England.
Confronting contemporary political, philosophical and social issues, with a clear and incisive vision, Sara presents the intimate moments of human emotion through portraiture and a wider view of the region and its intricacies in her landscape compositions. Recently commissioned by Qatar Museums, Sara’s work ‘Qatar: Old Hearts, New World’ was showcased in an exhibition of Qatari and Brazilian artists ‘Huna Hunak’ (‘Here There’) as part of Qatar Brazil 2014: Year of Culture at the Al Riwaq Exhibition Space, Doha.
Sara has been shortlisted for the prestigious Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Award in 2014 and her piece, ‘Together We Stand’, was on exhibit at The National Portrait Gallery, London until February 2015. Her works were also shortlisted for the Association of Photographers (AOP) Award and The Al Thani Award.
Saleh Al Marri graduated from Qatar University with a degree in Media in 2008. He is currently studying for a Masters at Cairo University in the Role of Visual Culture in Social Development. Saleh works full-time as a civil servant in the Qatari government. He was introduced to the world of photography in 2007 during a university photo-journalism project for Al Raya newspaper where he started to learn how to use photography to send a message and relate an emotive story. He felt he was able to express people’s lives and tackle social issues.
After university, Saleh took more of an interest in portrait photography and then branched out into landscape and cityscape photography, which he considers to be essential as a professional photographer. However his real passion is in capturing people in daily life. Saleh is an award-winning photographer and some of his achievements include the Traditional Dhow competition in Qatar, the Sheikh Sultan festival in UAE, and a commission by Abu Dhabi TV, which created a mosaic sculpture of Saleh’s photos, unveiled in April 2015 in a popular square in Abu Dhabi.
“I have a lot of passion and enthusiasm for photography, and I want to channel this energy into a great project. And this expedition is the opportunity of a lifetime. I feel it is an occasion to represent my county in a way that will further my future and hopefully Qatar’s future,” said Saleh.
Reflecting on the exchange programme, Safiya al Hajari, Director of the Qatar Museums’ Office of Strategic Cultural Relations said: “Both countries are home to rich and diverse cultural practices. The aim for such a cultural exchange is to capture both Turkish and Qatari cultural identities through the artistic expression of photographers. Such an exchange is at the heart of Qatar Turkey 2015: Year of Culture mission.”
The Peninsula
