New light on Muharraq

Talented photographers with an interest in documentary photography are being invited to participate in a workshop conducted by award-winning photographer Camille Zakharia, writes Anasuya Kesavan.

The event, organised by the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research, aims to capture contemporary visions of Muharraq, a city once described as an archetypal Islamic town.

The output of the nine-day photo documentary workshop entitled Muharraq – A Fresh Perspective, will be showcased in an exhibition at the Bin Matar House in December to contrast with photographs by veteran photographer Abdulla Al Khan that go back 50 to 75 years and are considered as among the kingdom’s most significant picture archives.

Melissa Enders-Bhatia, organiser of the event and in-charge of art & exhibitions at the centre, said: “Being an institution that is inextricably linked to Muharraq and the preservation of Bahraini architecture, history and heritage, we look for projects and exhibitions that are meaningful within our context.

“Doing a photo documentary workshop centred on Muharraq is particularly exciting as it will bring contemporary visions of this archetypical Bahraini town right into our exhibition space.

“But above all, the workshop will allow us to encourage aspiring photographers in Bahrain to express their creativity by capturing their perceptions of what Muharraq is at the beginning of the 21st Century.

“Camille is a highly-achieved artist, so students will be able to benefit both from his solid teaching experience and his ability to inspire artistically.”

The aim of the workshop is to shed new light on Muharraq and reflect on the transformation of the urban landscape and its impact on people’s lives. Organisers said that participants will be encouraged to venture beyond the obvious interpretation of Muharraq as an Islamic town, as it was once known, and produce innovative projects that paint the true colour of the place in today’s modern age.

Zakharia has extensive workshop experience and has worked with Al Riwaq Art Space in Bahrain, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and many leading art institutions in this capacity.

He is a Canadian citizen, born in Lebanon and now lives in Gufool. He has enjoyed concentrating on documenting images of Bahrain’s urban landscape and has examined the influence of architecture on cultural heritage in previous works.

Interested applicants must email by September 29 five samples of recent works (jpg format 72 dpi, longer side not exceeding 20cm), to info@shaikhebrahimcenter.org with a brief statement on why they are interested in taking the workshop. A fee of BD100 will be charged for the workshop that is open for just 12 participants and will be held from mid-October to end-November.