RIYADH: A summer photography exhibition, “The Beach,” features the works of two Saudi sisters.
The exhibition, which began on July 26 and will end on July 31, is at Burble, a multidisciplinary creative hub’s exhibition area, “Inside the Space.”
Sisters Hajar and Shatha, who prefer to use their professional name only, create photographs that frame seemingly mundane views of the sea through a fresh perspective.
Hajar said that she “goes to the beach” to find inspiration and seeks ways to “look for new challenges” by taking the ordinary and “flipping the lens.”
Through the use of editing techniques, landscape and editorial photography, the duo experiment with what it means to have a human presence in natural environments, centering the tale on Jazan’s Farasan Islands.
Shatha tackles landscape photography while Hajar works with subjects to create editorial portraits.
In “Peace Point,” taken by Hajar, the subject is seen in a body of water in a silk-like dress that flows along with the surface ripples. The gray tones of the black-and-white piece blur the boundaries so the model looks as if she is emerging from the sea or has become part of it.
“Remnants of Human Habit” features the subject standing on the shore surrounded by receding waves and naturally carved rocks. In the corner is a washed-up brick, drawing awareness to human impact on the world through industrialization.
Hajar explained that the fashion stylist Lulus Wadaani carefully curated a wardrobe that mimics the texture of the natural landscape — ruffles like the surface of the rock or silk like the fluidity of water.
Shatha’s “Shining Shyly” personifies the sea by comparing it to a withdrawn person, never fully showing the world the light that they hold. As the light hits the crests of the waves, they begin to glimmer. While the reflection is not fully gleaming and the camera focus lies in the darker corner of the photograph, the eyes are drawn to the shine nonetheless.
The two sisters, who are displaying their collaborative work together for the first time, showcased purely black and white photos across the gallery space — a decision made with the exhibit curator — founder of Burble, Mohammed Alkhabeer.
“Everything in life has two poles, two extremes, black and white. That’s the beauty of art,” Alkhabeer said.
Hajar began her photography career in 2019, and since then has created timeless and emotive imagery based on the element of storytelling. Her professional turning point was in 2020, when her work was recognized by top fashion magazines such as Harpers Bazaar and Vogue.
As a visual artist, she values experimenting with face profiles and fabric textures as a form of self-expression for each subject.
“Shatha always supports me and assists with bigger projects. This is our first work together, and we helped each other greatly. Although the process was very tiring, we’re excited to showcase this work. Doing this together made things a lot more comfortable, and I’m so happy,” Hajar said.
Shatha told Arab News about working with her sibling: “Hajar was my first supporter and one of the reasons I stepped into the field and cultivated a love for it. We have always shared interests and one of our goals was to hold an art exhibition.”
Shatha’s interest in photography began in 2018 after she began going to exhibitions and taking her own photos using her phone. As she delved into the field more, especially with editing and coloring, she was inspired by the possibilities of the craft.
“The challenge was how I could both edit and maintain the quality of images at the same time … it was a fun challenge. Eventually, the more you experiment, the greater you develop and leave your mark as a photographer,” Shatha said.
She draws inspiration from music video and short film cinematography, dissecting production, equipment and editing techniques to train her eye.
“Art is a way to convey a stereotyped image of a specific thing without explaining it. As photographers, we must blend them to convey the identity of the product to customers in the best way,” Shatha said.
