In a photograph by Riyadh Al Malahi, one of three winners of the inaugural Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition, a caravan of camels walks in perfect assembly across flat sands. Behind the herd, the mountains of Al Wajh loom in silhouettes.
The camel humps, with their dips and rises, echo the rocky landscape. The image accentuates this resemblance with its parallel composition, transforming the dromedaries into a roving mountain range and visually resounding the relationship between the animals and their environment.
The photograph is one of several displayed at the Kingdom Photography Award exhibition at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah. The exhibition, which opened on Friday, features work by winners of the Kingdom Photography Professional Grant and Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition, as well as shortlisted photographers.
The grant winners were commissioned to create a professional photographic archive of Al Wajh.
They also joined a distinguished roster of judges who evaluated the final submissions for the Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition, which was open to early and mid-career photographers from Saudi Arabia.
Launched by the Visual Arts Commission of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture, the $106,000 award is the first annual photography competition of its kind to be held in the country. For its first year, the award is focusing on Al Wajh, an area along the coast of the Red Sea in the north-west of Saudi Arabia. The award comprises three categories: underwater, nature along the coast and urban environment.
The three winners of the Kingdom Photography Professional Grant each received cash prizes of $30,000 along with vouchers worth $5,000 for purchasing photography equipment. The three winners of the Kingdom Photography Discovery Competition receive $5,466 along with vouchers worth $5,333 for equipment.
The competition had 450 entries from across 14 countries before the judging panel shortlisted 17 photographers who took part in the photography expeditions to Al Wajh Governorate and the Red Sea coast.
“It is a very unique event,” says Moath Alofi, the Kingdom Photography Award judge and exhibition curator. “It breaks the usual thinking of what a photography competition can be. It was an explorative journey. The photographers learned from each other. They created an interesting dynamic. It was all about exploring new techniques and new destinations.
“We had the grants for the professionals and a prize for emerging names,” he says. “The grant winners went with the competition participants [on the expedition]. They also held workshops. It was all about building bridges.”
The exhibition opens with the underwater category. The section showcases works by Alex Dawson, a scuba diver and photographer who lives in Stockholm and who won the grant for underwater photography.
Dawson’s work is displayed alongside photographs by Osama Abusunnon, who won the the underwater section category prize. Abusunnon has been a diver since 2009. With more than 3,000 dives to his record, the Red Sea is his main focus. After diving for more than a decade, Abusunnon began taking photographs of the diversity of the coral and marine life as a resource for those interested in the environment of the Red Sea.
The photographs on display take viewers to the luminous and polychrome bedrock of the Red Sea, featuring colourful marine life as well as shipwrecks that have been swathed with barnacles. Sunlight splays from the overhead water surface in golden threads. Colourful schools of fish swarm boulders, sifting through the underwater vegetation.
The exhibition then emerges from the Red Sea to highlight the natural environment along the coast. Art photographer Andrea Alkalay, who lives in Buenos Aires, won the grant in the coastal photography category. Her work features triptych and diptych landscape photographs of the Ral Mountain region and documents the unusual geological rock formations of the area, drawing attention to their archaeological, anthropological and geological significance.
“Although the art of seeing is frequently used to describe photography, humans create perceptions and thus connections with the land through all our senses, not just sight,” Alkalay said. “To see these landscapes is to try to understand the mechanism that produces them, to decipher how they have evolved."
Al Malahi, meanwhile, was named the winner of the category’s Discovery Competition.
A pharmacist by trade, Al Malahi began his photographic practice in 2015, using his smartphone to capture images before moving on to more professional equipment. Landscape photography is his primary focus.
“The competition gives you a different perspective of what a coast can look like,” Alofi says. “There are mountains, a landscape different than the coastlines that generally come to mind.”
The exhibition’s final section showcases the urban environment of Al Wajh. Australian photographer Nyree Cox received the grant in this category, whereas Mohamed Lahi was chosen as the Discovery Competition winner.
The photographs in this category reveal the architectural beauty of Al Wajh. These include old buildings with magnificent wooden oriels, windows with wooden doors painted blue and minarets with unique pencil-tip tops.
One photograph that particularly catches the eye and which is one of the first in the section is by Lahi. It shows three barred windows with green wooden doors that have been weathered and chipped. Their wood grains are deep, and along with the grainy surface of the concrete and stone walls, give a dynamism and multi-textural feel to the photograph. The colours, too, are vivid and electric and, at first glance, make the photograph come across as an oil painting.
While the first year of the competition is focused on Al Wajh, Alofi says it is only the beginning, with each year exploring a new aspect of Saudi Arabia’s culture and natural environment.
“This is just the start,” he says. “Al Wajh means face, and the first year started by showing the face of this area in essence. That being said, that doesn’t mean the rest of the areas will not be covered. This is just the first step. The competition will be taken to a different level the next time it happens. It was an explorative initiative and it brought locals and internationals together, the established and the emerging together.”
Dina Amin, chief executive of the Visual Arts Commission, said: “The Kingdom Photography Award is a milestone in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving cultural landscape.
“We are excited to be hosting the inaugural exhibition at Hayy Jameel, showcasing works from the local and international talent who took part in this competition. We look forward to future editions of the Kingdom Photography Award and to welcoming new and additional participation from the incredible pool of talented photographers from Saudi Arabia and around the world.”
The Kingdom Photography Award exhibition runs at Hayy Jameel until Sunday
Scroll through the gallery below to see Hayy Cinema, also newly opened at Hayy Jameel
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
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Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
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Read more about the coronavirus
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
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