When old meets new

A lecture on contemporary photography spins into an inspiring story of a young artist and her struggle to find her place in modern-day Dubai. Manal Ismail reports

Student photography came under scrutiny during a recent lecture titled "The History of Photography and Contemporary Photography in the Gulf Region" by Roberto Lopardo, chair of the Department of Visual Communication at the American University in Dubai.

Highlighting the artistic work of students, Lopardo discussed how modern photography fits into the spectrum of photography in the Gulf.

Describing Dubai as a melting pot of cultures, Lopardo said he is frustrated when he hears people saying there is nothing cultural in Dubai and that everything is imported.

Originally intending to stay in the country for two years, Lopardo ended up staying for five. "What keeps me here is the melting pot," he said, "where people come from all over the world, and the interaction and mixing of different cultures makes people very creative. I believe we are living in the right place at the right time. Students have a tremendous amount to add to the community."

Inspiration at its best

On the panel at the lecture was recent visual communications graduate and UAE national Reem Al Gaith. Reem said she draws inspiration from the ongoing changes in her country.

Using her creative and artistic abilities as well as her photographic talent, Reem channels her feelings about the UAE's development through photography. She beautifully blends the concepts of modern and old Dubai by portraying both the past and present city. When Reem presented samples of her work, the audience was instantly captivated.

"It's all about the set-up," she said. "I try to portray the contrast of the old and the new – there's a fine line between the two. There are new things that don't necessarily reflect the culture or regional values of the region."

In her images, Reem uses a frame to "define the line" between the two representations. Many of her photos portray the struggle of a young girl trying to find her place in the new Dubai. One of her works shows a girl, in a frame of her own home, opening the door to the new Dubai – a construction site with a radar on the road. Reem explained that the overall emotion she conveys in her photos is one of nostalgia.

"I leave it up to the viewer to decide what the photo is trying to say," she says. "But when I create it I put myself in the past and look at things from a different perspective."

Reem added that the frame in the picture symbolises a "barrier".

"I do try to get out of my past, but I still have this barrier separating me from the rest of my surroundings," she said.
However many of Dubai's modern structures, Reem said, resemble the architectural style of the old Dubai.

"The architectural style of Mercato is an example of the two cultures being exposed," she said. "A modern building where families can go shop and relax with the physical form of older buildings."

The Dubai potential

Describing Dubai as the "modern day Rome" in terms of its artistic potential, Lopardo said that student work is evidence of the city's continuous progress.

"Dubai is the 21st century centre for cultural advancement," he said. "Rather than looking outward for talent, the city is now looking inward. Through its photographs, Dubai is doing the defining rather than being defined."