Gulf Photo Plus is pleased to announce the opening of Chemistry of Feeling, our 2021 Community Exhibition which celebrates analog photography. Opening on Monday, 12 July at 7pm at Gulf Photo Plus, the exhibition is the result of a global open call, which attracted nearly 800 submissions from over 50 countries across 5 continents.

With everything at a precarious standstill, the world, no longer anchored to the cog- and-wheel 24-hour cycle of work and commercial imperative, observed moments of quiet solitude interspersed with eruptions of global upheaval, whether mediated through screens, or experienced within the proximity of one’s own neighborhood. Photographers channeled this sense of precarity to explore analog’s creative potential in the digital age as a kind of nostrum to the future’s barreling uncertainties, and perhaps even to take comfort in its romanticized reputation as a nostalgic relic of a more ‘certain’ past. Finding connections between what has been a tough year on human relationships and photography, Chemistry of Feeling locates exquisite moments of heightened feeling, slowed pace, unravelling personal and political revolutions, and candescent personal storytelling in film format.

As the largest community exhibition to ever take place at GPP, the space is being used in its entirety to accommodate almost 100 images from around the world. Submissions were received from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malaysia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

‘Narrowing the photo submissions was a very meticulous and slow process as our open call committee went through a blind selection process with two cycles of thorough consideration for what had been submitted to us by so many talented and promising photographers based internationally,’ said Mohamed Somji, Director of Gulf Photo Plus. ‘Though the show will feature the work of well-known photographers in the region, for many, this will be their first time displaying work in an exhibition. We are also looking forward to showcasing work by the kids from Sirkhane Darkroom, who’s film photography will also be exhibited as part of our special collaboration with the NGO.’

Aiming to diversify representation of analog photography in the region, Gulf Photo Plus is realizing the exhibition in partnership with the regional analog communities, The Darkroom Cairo and Darkroom Amman, who will be taking part in Chemistry of Feeling, as well as Sirkhane Darkroom, whose mission is to provide refugee children residing in Turkey more cultural opportunities, and access to creative and visual education in photography.

The photographers in this exhibition are Huda Abdulmughni, Jandri Angelo Aguilor, Maryam al-Khasawneh, Mohammed Alkouh, Nasser Alzayani, Razan Alzayani, Aqib Anwar, Dima Assad, Alex Atack, Jed Bacason, Stefan Bendik, Sama Beydoun, Hasan Ibrahim Belal, Mariela Bobba, Zubiya Burney, Andrew Chris David, Kirsten Sands Decker, Aline Deschamps, Martha Diaz-Adam, Alexander Milan Durie, Aliah ElSewedy, Timothy Fadek, Manu Ferneini, Lamya Gargash, Gabriel Gauffre, Abdulrahman Haitham, Mohammed Hammad, Raz Hansrod, Abdullah Zeyn Hassan, Lina Hawash,

Yasmina Hilal, Amina Kadous, Joanna Kahi, Ahmed Khaled, Lina Khalid, Jamila Ayman Khalifa, Nadine Khalife, Jana Khoury, M’hammed Kilito, Benjamin Kirby, Camilia Kobaissy, Niki Kohandel, Nadine Al Koudsi, Stefanie Kulisch, Kirsty Larmour, Nanni Licitra, Sherif Magdy, Aref Massalha, Ali Mohamed, Marwan Mowaffak, Michaela Nagyidaiová, Sara Naim, Tsele Nthane, Khalid Odeh, Tamara Saade, Celine Salibi, Camille Segura, Yassine Sellame, Kristina Sergeeva, Karim Shaaban, Sumeja Tulic, Mira Varg, and children of Sirkhane Darkroom.

Additionally, there are a number of exciting Arabic language talks to be announced following the opening of the exhibition, which the general Arabic-speaking public can join.

We are also continuing to support analog photographers through educational programs and other resources. Analog lovers can attend the GPP Shooting & Developing workshop, where they can learn how to shoot and affordably develop black and white film, taking place on Friday, 30 July. GPP’s community also has access to the UAE’s largest selection of film, as well as high quality scanning and developing services with both local and international film labs.

Free entry. Learn more here.