The last Doha Cultural Festival drew people from all corners of the world. But in such a heady mix of cultures, one exhibition stood out from all other, Ishq il-Fala. Translating as ‘Adoration of the Wilderness’, it was a photography exhibition by young Qatari artist Sheikh Khaled bin Hamad bin Ahmad Al Thani, that mirrored the innumerable tones of the desert - sometimes subtle, sometimes not.
Shot in Qatar’s deserts, the series covered Bedouin men and women’s lines of dress, accessories; the falconry techniques; landscapes; coffee bean roasting; hospitality and social formalities. The artist’s uncle, the Emir, H.R.R Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani even honoured the exhibition by a visit, “I felt deeply honoured by the attention and appreciation of His Highness. To me, he is a leader, uncle, and role model. I dedicated the first copy of the exhibition’s catalogue to His Highness.”
Sheikh Khaled was upbeat about the exhibition, having received invitations to show in other countries, such as Dubai, Kuwait, England and Germany. He defined the exhibition as a sincere attempt to dig up the ultimate allure of the desert, in his own soul and mind, “Ishq il-Fala is a study in photography, in which I tried to record my personal passion for the desert. My goal was to depict the day-to-day life there, and the distinct habits of the people in such a fascinating realm. I depicted human beings, animals, birds, trees, landscapes, social habits; this is where the delicacy dwells. I viewed them as both, a culture and a lifestyle.”
The Grey Glamour
“Though, digital cameras can render good pictures in black and white, I personally prefer classical cameras which, in my view, confer the glimpse of history on the piece. Even as a photographer, my intimacy goes deeper with the photos I capture, develop and print, manually… We did the developing and printing in Germany for world-class quality. Such a monochrome helped dig up the transparent and simple beauty of the desert and the desert life as it was ages ago... Established photographers, worldwide, have a deep appreciation of the monochrome, even though the contrast within is very difficult to construct and capture.’
Back to the Roots
Sheikh Khaled admitted that his photos draw much on his personal angle and taste. In his view, they are a keen endeavour to reflect and detect both the rich and poor facets. “The apparently poor and arid life of the desert, has its other face of love and lure. Desert lovers adore the sand, horses, falcons, beautiful women. This is brilliantly reflected in traditional Arabic poetry. I am a fan of all that. Yet, my attempt was to capture it as I saw them with my own eyes,” he says. “The desert has such inherent simplicity and delicacy, unknown to those who did not live there. We went so close to the roots and origins to come up with something intelligible to them. We had the possibility of hiring professional models for the diverse shots. However, we used indigenous people, who really lived in the wilderness and knew how things were there. They knew it from the inside.”
A Promising Headstart
The Ishq il-Fala exhibition, the young artist’s first exhibition, was held at the Sheraton Hotel as part of Doha Cultural Festival in 2008. The expo had been inaugurated by H.E. Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar Museums Authority.
“The time frame proved to be very short and tight, relative to the richness of the topic. We started in late November 2007 and wrapped up in February 2008. However, these three months broadened my curiosity, rather than satisfying it. We need to make a set of collections, each on a single aspect.”
Sheikh Khaled worked with a group of professionals from Qatar and abroad, who added their own touch to the photographs, “With my team, we were very selective and paid attention to the minutest details. I shot around 172 films, totalling 8,200 pictures. From this huge mass, only 126 photos were printed, and 52 works went on display. The photos were all taken in natural settings. Natural lighting adds prestige to the piece. And, because the theme had a historical dimension, we decided to develop and print the films manually. I dedicate my works to all those who gave me the opportunity. I would like to extend my thanks to HE Sheikh Mishal bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, President of the National Council for Culture, Art and Heritage (NCCAH), and the Council’s Secretary General, HE Mubarak Nasser Al Khalifa.”
