“This image is “Sang”, a part of the “Red Zone” series by Jalal Sepehr. Jalal sets the stage for socio-cultural discussions in the Middle East with a recurring motif in his work, the Persian rug, an undeniable symbol of Iranian cultural heritage.”
The region’s longest-running international photography festival, GPP Photo Week 2018 is back for its 14th edition, kicking off on February 7 until 12 in Alserkal Avenue in Dubai. The annual photography event is a week-long festival dedicated to showcasing the work of both international and regional renowned and amateur photographers across a range of disciplines. This year’s theme, “Shift Your Focus”, intends to explore the rapidly changing world around us through a new lens.
Arguably the biggest photography day in Dubai’s creative calendar, Sony PhotoFriday will also be a part of the week-long event, occurring on February 9 at Alserkal Avenue’s multidisciplinary space, Concrete. Sony PhotoFriday will feature 12 unique 90-minute seminars, inspirational talks, and creative panels led by some of the most prominent regional and international photographers that include: Tanya Habjouqa, Tasneem Al-Sultan, Toufic Araman, Brian Smith, Maggie Steber, Sara Lando, Zack Arias, and RC Concepcion.
Here, Vogue Arabia speaks to Mohamed Somji of Gulf Photo Plus on what inspired him to launch GPP Photo Week, the qualities he looks for in photography talent, and what is in the pipeline for Gulf Photo Plus in 2018.
Tells us more about your involvement in Gulf Photo Plus.
“For me, the transition to photography came as a result of a decade of work in the corporate sphere, during which time I wondered what I was investing my life in and how I could make a difference in the world. Photography was my answer. Since I’ve taken the helm at GPP, my vision has been to equip and educate others in the local photography community by offering top-tier workshops, exhibitions, and resources to help people develop their skills. Photography has an incredible capacity to help people take control of their own narratives, and I want GPP to be a place where anyone can come and develop their creativity and technical skills. It’s been incredible to see the effects and continued growth of the community here.”
“From Osborne Macharia’s exhibition, “Black to the Future | Reimagining Now”. This is from his series “Magadi”, which introduces the viewer to three imagined women who were once female circumcisers. After they abandoned the practice, they established their own fashion empire built as a refuge for young girls who are escaping early marriage. Another series by Osborne, “Nyanye”, will also be part of the exhibition.”
Tell us about the event: From when it started to what it now offers.
“The vision of GPP Photo Week is the same as always – to equip and connect photographers from around the globe – but our approach has definitely evolved over the years! In the beginning, our focus was on flying in a few top photographers to teach photography workshops for a week. After a few years, we added PhotoFriday, where people could come attend 90-minute seminars and learn valuable technical and creative skills. Fast forward to GPP Photo Week 2018, and we have almost 20 exhibitions, 13 visiting photographers, 31 workshops and seminars, 12 Sony PhotoFriday sessions, 6 core exhibitions, photo walks, portfolio reviews, kids’ activities, special events, the ShootOut, a film screening, free Snap Sessions, and tons of photography activations. Last year we had to move out of our old venue because we just couldn’t fit all of our programming there anymore. This year we’ll be in Alserkal Avenue and utilizing their OMA-designed multidisciplinary space, Concrete.”
What do you look for in new photography talent?
“People who see the world beyond the end of their lens. Everyone’s got an iPhone or an Android, everyone’s got access to a camera – and while I really do believe that’s great…”
“The reality is that almost 2 billion photos are taken every single day!”
“We’re creating content faster than we can think about it. The danger for a lot of new photographers is that the focus has come to be on creating visually appealing images that will attract love on social media and garner lots of attention. That’s a problem because you can create a technically well-executed photograph or a visually compelling shot without stopping to really see what you’re photographing and why. When I’m looking for new photography talent, I’m not looking for people who take “nice” photos – I’m looking for people who take time to consider what it is they’re photographing and why and who are intentional in seeking to experience the work of other photographers, whether through exhibitions, photo books, or museums. Photographers who invest in understanding the practice of other artists and who take time to craft a photo instead of just filling up their Instagram feeds as fast as they can are photographers I want to meet.”
“GPP Photo Week is also hugely entertaining— the ShootOut, for example, is one of the highlights of the week where we pit three of the photographers against each other to shoot a photo in front of a live audience in real time within 20 minutes and the subject is a complete surprise. This photo is by Andrew Hetherington where the “subject” was a live goldfish.”
How important is it to have a creative community around an artist?
“Essential. People like to say that “you are what you eat”, but that goes for your creative practice as well. You are shaped by the people and the work you surround yourself with. If you’re only ever engaging with stale, repetitive visual content and ideas, you won’t challenge yourself. If you surround yourself with people who are creating their own work and are quick to encourage and challenge you in your own creative disciplines, you’ll be more likely to develop because you’ll be forced to stretch beyond what’s comfortable for you; that’s the best place to grow. As a side note, it’s a mistake is to think that only artists are creative.”
“Everyone is born with the capacity to create.”
“Just look at me! So while you do want to be engaging with other artists, don’t neglect to invest in community with like-minded people across all kinds of fields of work. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn.”
What is new for Gulf Photo Plus in 2018?
“In addition to all our new content for GPP Photo Week 2018, we’re gearing up for a full year here at GPP as we continue to release new photography workshops, plan our next community photo exhibition, organize our calendar of free events for the year, expand our camera loan programs, and diversify our printing services. If you can’t tell, we don’t really believe in taking a break around here – there’s too much to create!”
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