Details

About the Book:

Through a series of photographs, Ahmed Mater charts the city’s origins to its more recent history over the last 5 years. It is a study of the site’s recent transformation ― Mecca, until recently, embodied a unique urban tapestry, layered with histories that are stitched together by an abundance of organically rooted communities and cultures. It is a place that accommodated not only sacred structures and sites but also huge fluctuations in population during Ramadan (up to 3 million visitors a year travel to Mecca for Eid and Hajj). More recently, these sites and communities have been eradicated and are being replaced with five-star-studded high rise developments, transforming it from an active metropolis to the world’s most exclusive, yet most visited religious tourist destination, reflective of an unprecedented experimentation with architecture and its possible impact on social stratification. 

About the Photographer:

Ahmed Mater, born in 1979, grew up in Saudi Arabia. He led a young artist collective, was a founding member of Al-Miftaha Arts Village in Abha, and went on to co-founded the non-profit entity, Edge of Arabia. His work was exhibited in numerous international institutions and forms part of public and private art collections.

Book Specifications:

Name: Desert of Pharan: Unofficial Histories Behind the Mass Expansion of Mecca

ISBN: 978-3037784853

Publisher: Lars Müller Publishers

Author: Ahmed Mater

Language: English

Price: AED 340

Dimensions: 7.8 x 2 x 11.4 inches

Cover: Paperback 

Pages: 632