GPP Photo Week Returns To Dubai

Now in its 13th edition, the event brings a wealth of photography exhibitions, talks, workshops and film screenings to Alserkal Avenue

Dubai’s annual GPP Photo Week, returning from 10-17 February for its 13th edition, holds the crown as the Gulf’s first and longest-running photography festival and has been instrumental in promoting the medium in the region. It’s the brainchild of Gulf Photo Plus, a photography centre in Alserkal Avenue that organises workshops and community events throughout the year to nurture photography in the region.

Over the eight days of GPP Photo Week, Alserkal Avenue will play host to numerous photography exhibitions alongside a programme of seminars, free workshops, tours, film screenings. There will also be a special edition of Slidefest, GPP’s bi-annual evening where photographers, both amateur and professional, present and explain their personal projects.

The main exhibition and theme of this year’s Photo Week is Take The Shot. Central is a showcase of the Sony World Photography Awards’ winning, shortlisted and commended images, featuring photographers from around the world exploring different issues. One, Natalie Nacacche, combines photography, writing and film to tell the story of Syrian women longing for their home country. Another, the war photographer Franco Pagetti, turns from reportage to shooting a campaign for Dolce & Gabbana. Anastasia Taylor-Lind, Thomas Dworzack, Ammar Al Attar and Davide Monteleone are among the other participants.

Alongside this is a show of works in progress titled Humanæ by Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass. In this open-ended project, Dass is attempting to present a chromatic range of skin tones, photographing people of different race, age and gender and matching the background to their skin colour.

Other exhibitions in Alserkal Avenue include Custot Dubai’s exhibition, Inherit the Dust, of monumental black and white works by Nick Brandt and Silver Cloud by Michael Sailstorfer at Carbon 12.

Encouraging learning and increased dialogue around photography is a growing programme of talks, workshops and other events throughout the week. They include a talk, titled A Personal Distance, from the award-winning documentary photographer Davide Monteleone, during which he would talk about his career and inspirations, and from the portrait photographer Sara Lando. And for those looking to get hands on and learn how to use their camera, there’s a series of seven Sony Snap Sessions, free 90 minute introductory photography workshops on genres from food to fashion.

GPP   Photo   Week   2017 runs from 10-17 February at Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. For more information and   to   book for events, visit Gulfphotoplus.com/gpp 

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