Zanzibar © Josef Hoflehner

The Sultans of Silver

An exhibition of fine art black and white photographs,
inspired by the culture and heritage from the Gulf region,
featuring:

Khalid Bin Hamad Bin Ahmad Al-Thani (Qatar)
Sami Nabeel (Jordan), Joseph Hoflehner (Austria),
Omar Alzaabi (UAE), Nasser Alhameli (UAE)

You are cordially invited to join us for the opening on
February 7th, 7-10 pm

"Here is my Secret" by young Qatari photographer Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Bin Ahmad Al-Thani, is a portfolio of archival platinum prints, personally selected by renowned photo book publisher Gerhard Steidl. A few of these prints, privately owned and not for sale, will be on display during the exhibition, courtesy of the Sheikh.

Steidl also published a gorgeous book of the same work, the making of which can be glimpsed in the documentary movie "How to make a book with Steidl", a trailer of which is found here.Other Life © Omar Abdulrahman Al Zaabi

Omar Al Zaabi, a young Emirati photographer, is presented with Other Life, a body of work in which he explores a more existential, perhaps darker and rarely revealed side of life as experienced in his home country.
From Nocturnes © Sami Nabeel

Sami Nabeel was born in Jordan, but currently lives in London. He writes about Nocturnes, a new series strongly influenced by classical music:

"The forces of nature are much stronger than the forces deployed by us as individuals. We must understand not to fight these forces, but merge with them to achieve striking results. Having visited a location and made up my mind to photograph, I never look for a photograph. The photograph finds me and says 'I am here, take me', and I say 'yes, I can hear you'. When making my images, I do not allow what use they will have to cloud my mind. I believe that my art should be purposeless; it should not be diminished by serving other agendas. Nocturnes reflect my harmony with nature they are tranquil, expressive, lyrical and evocative."

Target View Point ,4 x 10 inch platinum palladium print © Nasser Alhameli

Nasser Al Hameli is one of the few large format photographers in the UAE. Out of his passion for alternative photography and his love for the photographic print, he has taught himself, among others with the aid of online resources, to make exquisite platinum palladium prints.


Zanzibar © Josef Hoflehner

Joseph Hoflehner is an international acclaimed photographer known for his black and white landscapes. He has extensively traveled in the Arab region, including Yemen, the Emirates and now Zanzibar, with its many traces as part of the Omani culture, to which it is connected through a shared history. The Empty Quarter is devoted to fine art photography, with an emphasis on works exploring the photographic dimensions of the Arab world. Within this framework, the gallery salutes the achievements of the world’s finest photographers, and aims to highlight the talent of photographers from the Middle East.

In addition to the regular exhibitions, the work of the gallery includes instigating long term projects, curating and organizing exhibitions in collaboration with international institutions and museums as well as publishing cutting edge photo books. Currently, the Empty Quarter is branching out both regionally and on an international level.

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