Opening
of the Black and White Photographic Exhibition of Sheikh
Khaled Bin Hamad Bin Ahmad Al Thani: “Ishq al-Falaa, or
Wild Spaces Passion”,
2nd
of March, Salwa Hall, Sheraton Hotel
His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin
Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and Her Excellency Sheikha
Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of the Board of
Trustees of Qatar Museum Authority inaugurated the
exhibition. The entrance was decorated with a very refined
collection of white roses and exquisite exotic species that
brought a joyful atmosphere to the exhibition entrance.
In Last year Festival, Sheikh
Khaled Al Thani orchestrated a beautiful exhibition about
Camels’ Accessories. The passionate of authentic traditions
and heritage were curious to see this year issue of Sheikh
Khaled’s research and what he would present to the audience
of Doha Seventh Cultural Festival
Ishq al-Falaa or the personal
passion that Sheikh Khaled Al Thani has towards the open
spaces of the Sahara Desert was expressed through a research
that he did about Light in these wild spaces. The work was
done in black and white using a classic Leica manual camera.
As in the Camaieu
technique for colors and Chiaroscuro woodcuts, Sheikh
Khaled followed the infinite scales of black and white,
working with what the French would call Grisaille.
The result is a marvelous trip with the light in time and
space.
The Time Travel of the light
has been followed in the various hours of the day, from dawn
to sunset, and the hours of the night from the sunset to the
darkness of the night enlightened with moon rays or fire
camps in the desert.
The Space travel of the light
is easy to recognize, since the photos were exclusively
taken in the infinite space of the desert. But the space
travel is also through the expressive warm and humane faces
of typical Sahara inhabitants. The expressions of the faces,
the bodies, the hands that grind coffee seeds or serve the
Qatari coffee to the guests… as well as the postures of the
camels at their ease in their natural elements is just
unique.
The main travel seems anyhow an
inner travel through the soul of the light itself, in search
of beauty and expressions of eternity…
When you walk through the
exhibition, there’s an atmosphere, and although the unique
colors you’ll see are black and white and their scales,
there’s an extraordinary life and power all around. Well,
the lack of colors will make you appreciate even more the
exquisite colored roses at the entrance door.
The visit is surely a must. If
you’re a beauty searcher, You’ll enjoy it!
