Shades of Dubai: 14 photos highlighting Dubai’s beauty

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) unveiled the Shades of Dubai exhibition at Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children in collaboration with Nikon Middle East and Dr Mukesh Batra, founder of the Dr. Batra Homeopathic Clinics, and supported by the Sikka Platform.

The exhibition, lasting until 15 September, is showcasing photos taken across the emirate by the selected artists from the Shades of Dubai open call, which launched earlier this year to give photographers an innovative platform that supports talent and elevates their skills in photography, a visual arts category and a key subsector in Dubai’s cultural and creative industries.

Dr Saeed Mubarak Bin Kharabsh, CEO of the Arts & Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, inaugurated the exhibition with 14 diverse images highlighting Dubai's marvels and natural beauty, capturing its key tourist, recreational, and natural attractions. Showcased photos include ones taken by Dr Mukesh Batra during his exploratory trips in the UAE, documenting Emirati heritage, cultural landmarks, and natural scenes.

The exhibition also includes 10 photographs by the five selected artists from the open call:

- Salem Sarhan Al Sawafi’s photo portrays Al Jaddaf resting on the banks of the Dubai Creek aesthetics and a solitary figure standing amidst the Hatta mountains.

- Sharafudheen Kadavath is presenting two of his photos, the first displaying how the Dubai Canal stretches like a sinuous ribbon of liquid silver through the heart of the city's modern landscape, and the second shedding light on Etihad Museum’s distinctive architecture that is reminiscent of an elegant manuscript unfurling beneath the golden sun.

- Goutam Mitra’s photo captures the juxtaposition of lush green against the arid landscape of the Al Qudra Lakes and Dubai's transformed desert habitat with a Cattle Egret standing as a living testament to nature’s remarkable adaptations.

- Abdullah Sameh Aly's first photo captures the collision of two worlds miles apart with the moon gliding across Burj Al Arab, while the second photo showcases Ain Dubai and how it harmonises with the serene waters of the Arabian Gulf as the sun bids farewell.

- Ralph Emerson De Peralta’s snapshots illuminate Burj Khalifa’s majestic stature in two ways: a panorama capturing the city in its quiet awakening and how it dominates the cityscape with its illuminated facade, resembling a beacon of modernity and featuring the iconic Dubai Mall and the Grand Dubai Fountain.

Kamla Al Olama, Project Manager at the Projects & Events Department at Dubai Culture, affirmed photography’s power as a storyteller and the role it plays in capturing collective memory and showcasing distinctive landmarks, saying: “The images in the exhibition embody the emotions and narratives photographers wish to convey about their connection to Dubai, a city that has become a magnet for global creatives. Their diverse experiences in capturing the emirate's distinct features and natural beauty transform the exhibition into a visual tapestry, telling their unique stories and memories of Dubai. At Dubai Culture, we are dedicated to offering photographers avenues to showcase their artistic visions, thus cementing Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.”

The open call for Shades of Dubai, launched in April, had attracted over 355 participants from all over the country, five of whom were selected to present a set of artistic shots expressing the open call’s theme.

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