Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Hola, a photography exhibition now on in Al-Balad District, has caught the attention of Jeddah’s residents and artists since it opened last week. The exhibition features works from six Saudi photographers who all traveled to Spain’s Andalucía region as part of a trip organized by the Art Jameel foundation.



Art Jameel’s project manager, Dalya Mousa, said: “Many visitors come to the exhibition, which is a collective effort of the journey to Andalucía. It is nice that the exhibition has become a gathering place for photographers and artists to encourage photography art in the country.”



The director general of the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts in Jeddah, Omar Al-Jasser, and the deputy mayor, Sami Nawar, both attended the exhibition’s opening at Art Jameel’s House of Traditional Arts.



“It is like that we are helping in reanimate Al-Balad through art,” Mousa said. One of the featured photographers, Salwa Sajini, said the trip to Spain and being part of the exhibition had been fabulous experiences.



“I loved the exhibition, and I think it reflected our journey in a beautiful way,” Sajini said. “It will add a lot to my personal and professional life.”



She said she learned a lot about a number of different photography schools during her trip. For her it was a great opportunity to experiment with photography under the supervision of other experienced photographers.



Another participant, Abdulmohsen Kelabi, said he had a wonderful experience in Spain, and although it was a multicultural group, they were able to communicate with each other and have a great time.



“The trip was an eye opener,” Kelabi said. “It really expanded my horizons and added a new perspective as to what art and photography are. I learned a lot about Spanish culture through its art, either photography, sculptures, paintings, architecture.”



Although he wasn’t able to attend the exhibition, he said that the trip to Andalucía had fueled his passion for photography.



The Spanish curator of the exhibition, Javier Orcaray Velez, who was also with the photographers in Spain, explained that he had tried to showcase the group’s personal experience in Spain, and said that the Saudi photographers were hard workers and keen learners.



“Al-Balad has a rich history,” Velez said. “You can feel that the moment you walk in, and it is very sad to see some of the buildings situation. From my experience, art could bring new life to the neighborhood. I really hope the venue in Al-Balad will continue hosting art and cultural events.”



Velez said that during the trip to Spain the photographers had participated in a number of workshops with established photographers, and had the opportunity to visit historical sites like the Alhambra in Granada.



Crossway Foundation, a British nongovernment organization, and the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts in Jeddah have partnered with Art Jameel in the initiative. The exhibition runs till Oct. 8.