LIVING IN THE AFTERLIFE

Installation Synopsis

SIKKA Art and Design Festival 2023

Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Dubai, UAE

Industrial spaces in the UAE carry a beauty I can’t explain, a complete functioning contrast to the city.

Mesmerized by people’s daily achievements to somehow create an equilibrium that thrives in these spaces, looking like beehives surrounded by hard working men and automotive graveyard shipping containers.

A glimpse of Sharjah Industrial Zone 3, seeking to capture an answer for my attraction.

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Men around piles of car engines with graffiti on wall; one man on bicycle.
Black and white image of a man cycling past a large stack of car bumpers and vehicle parts in a junkyard or auto repair shop.
Black and white image of an auto parts junkyard, with various car parts piled up high and a person working amidst the clutter.
Mechanic working on a car engine in a garage workshop
Black and white photo of two men in traditional attire standing in front of stacked tires.
Black and white image of a storage unit filled with stacked auto parts, including a van side panel, tires, and various car components.
Stack of used vehicle brake rotors and wheel hubs in a junkyard
Mechanic working on engine in garage
Two men stand in front of stacked car bumpers and grilles, assorted vehicle parts.

Images from the installation

The film photography installation took place at one of Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood’s old houses, in the center of Dubai’s old city along Dubai Creek.

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Dimly lit room with paintings on the walls and an open window.
Black and white fisheye photo of a room with a window, two artworks on the wall, and text on one artwork.
Black and white photo of a dimly lit room with framed pictures on the wall.
Black and white image of dimly lit art gallery with framed pictures on walls

Post-Installation

After SIKKA Art and Design Festival ended, in the middle of the night all images were placed at random places around Sharjah Industrial Area Zone 3, where they were first captured.

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Black and white photo of a picture hanging on a rough wall, showing a man working with machinery in a workshop.
Black and white image of a parked truck in an industrial area with a brick wall and bright light.
Black and white photograph of a shipping container with a poster of stacked cars attached to it.
Silhouette of a person riding a bicycle at night near shipping containers and a closed gate, with dim lighting from a streetlamp.
Black and white photo of an outdoor area with a brick wall, a dusty sofa, and a framed picture hanging on the wall.
Black and white photo of a parked car next to a brick wall with a street lamp overhead at night.