The Deputy General Manager of Katara Cultural Village, Ahmed Al Sayed, with British photographer Richard Bentley at the opening of Bentley’s “Desert Rose” exhibition at Katara on Sunday. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula.
DOHA: The stunning skyline of Doha and the architectural marvels of the city were captured in 34 images by British photographer, Richard Bentley, at the latest exhibition, which opened at Katara Cultural Village on Sunday.
This first-ever solo exhibition by Bentley got its title from the desert rose which inspired the soon-to-open National Museum of Qatar-one of the architectural wonders which caught the eye of the British lensman who has travelled to over 45 countries in his eight-year career as a photographer.
“The exhibition was based on the concept of the desert rose which is found in deserts here and is such inspiration for the new National Museum of Qatar which is one of the best I’ve seen in the world as I travelled and worked in 45 different countries,” Bentley told The Peninsula.
The photos were a product of early morning and late night ventures of Bentley and his wife around Doha to capture the sky and clouds over the city which he considers “golden moments” for the rarity cloud formations over the city.
One of the interesting photos on display is titled “Unbreakable” which is a homage to the unrivaled strength and resilience of the country amid the ongoing blockade which he said had not impacted his work but rather inspired it. “Unbreakable is a black-and-white photograph depicting storms coming over Qatar but Qatar standing firm and strong against anything thrown at it,” he said.
The beauty in the complexity of interiors and exteriors of the IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art and the stark simplicity of Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East gigantic monolith sculptures planted in the Qatari desert are among the subjects that figure prominently in the exhibition.
Bentley specialises in time-lapse photography, architectural photography, conceptual digital art and macro photography. In particular, he has brought his penchant for architectural photography in Doha where he is currently based. “The subject of architecture is very close to my heart since I first picked up the camera eight years ago and travelled and worked in around 45 countries. Here in Doha, the Museum of Islamic Art and the new National Museum of Qatar are my favourites,” he said.
The opening was attended by Ahmed Al Sayyed, Assistant General Manager of Katara, diplomats like Australian Ambassador, Axel Wabenhorst, art enthusiasts and local media.
Al Sayyed said that the exhibition displays a variety of unique artworks that reflect the beauty of Doha, pointing out that Katara seeks to attract more enthusiasts in this field to enrich the cultural scene in Qatar.
“Desert Rose” exhibition will remain open to the public at Katara Building 19 from 10am to 10pm until July 25.
