In perspective: Saddles and Lens

Tariq Dajani's distinctive photographs of the Arabian horse depict the quieter, sombre mood of the animal
all photos© xpress/zarina Fernandes

With his first project in the region, Tariq Dajani has definitely captured the beauty and elegance of the Arabian horse.

Dajani's exhibition titled Asil, to be held at The Empty Quarter Art Photography Gallery, has already attracted a lot of attention in Dubai and has also received acclamation in Jordan and Stockholm.

“In Jordan, I was very lucky to have the royal patronage of Princess Alia Bint Al Hussain, a passionate horse lover. Now in Dubai, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, Wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will be the patron,'' Dajani said.

With an ability to portray a rare side and the elegance of the Arabian horse — an integral part of Arab culture — Dajani already has a number of fans in higher circles.

Educated in the UK, his art is currently owned by King Mohammad VI of Morocco, the Emperor of Japan, the Aga Khan and various members of the royal family in Dubai.

By combining his passion for horses and expertise in fine art photography, Dajani has created a unique collection of masterpieces.

“The reason I chose the Arabian horse as my subject is because I love the animal and wanted to portray something related to the Arab world.''

While asil means purity, nobility and authenticity in Arabic, his distinctive portraits depict a quieter, artistic side of the animal and its sombre mood. Some of his photographs are of Jordan's finest noble lineage horses, from show stallions and athletic endurance horses to those belonging to the royal family. “I am not interested in ‘horse-posing'. I want natural shots that reflect the horse's personality.''

According to Dajani, it is important that artists of the Arab descent cultivate their talents in their home country. “We have talents in our country. Rather than hiring an international photographer to capture our culture, I'd like the Arabs to capture it themselves, which is what I did in my exhibition. This exhibition is just about Arabian horses and I'm the only Arab photographer to do this.''

A focus on Arab culture

After years of working as a commercial photographer in London and Stockholm, Tariq decided to focus his attention on his home country and its culture. “I started photographing horses when I was living in Sweden. I brought a studio to the stables and shot them with backdrop and lighting.'' Tariq found Jordanians eager and willing to help him at every stage.

“People were extremely kind. A lot of them offered me their horses to photograph. Not just any horse, but expensive champion horses with blood lines that go back hundreds of years.''

Tariq wants to photograph other Arabic species. “I want to take pictures of the Arab hunting bird. I'd also like to do something like an art book on racing horses.''

Equine excellence, snapshot

Born in England, Jordanian photographer Tariq Dajani spent his early years in the middle east and Europe, gaining an understanding of different cultures.

He grew up with a strong interest in the arts, which led to his career in photography. He returned to the middle east in 2007, after working in London and Stockholm as a commercial photographer and an artist. Dajani has exhibited his works in Europe and the middle east and has won several prestigious international photographic awards