The Arab Street

The history of street photography is almost as old as photography itself, as the early 20th century witnessed the marriage of the lens with urban life. As the genre evolved over the decades, the “decisive moment” was defined by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who sought that a precise moment when shape and form come together for a fraction of a second and speak to the energy of the moment, making the ordinary somehow extraordinary. 

The ability to identify such moments is a skill not easily acquired, and although we now live in an era where thousands of photos are taken each second, few are worth seeing. The power of good street photography is its ability to bring our attention to each passing second, to document the shared human experience in a manner that holds our gaze. Despite the challenges presented by cultural and political sensitivities within the Middle East and North Africa, photographers are still capturing extraordinary moments throughout the Arab world, from Marrakech to Abu Dhabi. What better time than now to portray everyday life from a region too often misrepresented through imagery. 

In pursuit of the decisive moment, and with the gracious support of Fujifilm, Gulf Photo Plus is pleased to announce GPP Street Week from December 13th to 19th. To kick off the week of programming, our gallery doors will be open Wednesday, December 13th from 7 pm onward for the opening night of The Arab Street, a group exhibition of street photography focused on the Middle East and North Africa. Featured photographers include Ahmed Gaber, Fadi Boukaram, Hakim Boulouiz, Joey S. Reginaldo, Khalil Lamrabet, Laith Majali, Maciej Dakowicz, Ola Allouz, Roï Saade, Samah Alrajhi, Sami Al Tokhais, Silvia Razgova, Sreeranj Sreedhar, Yoriyas Yassine Alaoui Ismaili, and Zied Ben Romdhane. 

Supported by