Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — The UAE is usually known as home to some of the most prominent architectural designs, which embody the concepts of modernity and future architecture from around the world, but it still embraces a number of buildings that remind of its past, which is part of the fabric of its urban landscape. .
In a unique exhibition held in the capital Abu Dhabi, which celebrates the cultural impact of air conditioning in the UAE over 50 years, Emirati photographer Hussain Al Mousawi offers a new perspective that highlights the diversity of the country’s urban architecture scene.
This series, which is colorful, highlights the architectural beauty of the buildings decorated with “split” system air conditioning units, as it is a key factor for the exterior of the building.
The window air-conditioning units protrude from the outside like boxes and add a nice geometric touch, due to the air vents and their subtle details.
Mousawi explained in an interview with CNN in Arabic that this series, which sheds light on a number of industrial facades in the country, is “a transitional work between documenting semi-temporary urban elements, such as building walls, and more permanent ones, such as residential and commercial buildings.”
Since his return to the UAE in 2013, Al Mousawi has sought to form his own concept of local urban identity by returning to the traditional landscape, before opening up to documenting contemporary architecture, he said.
The Emirati photographer believes that this project, which he completed between 2017 and 2016, contributed to his perception of the urban identity of the UAE.
Al-Moussawi indicated that his choice to document buildings with “split” units is due to his competence in documenting patterns, pointing out that the reason is purely visual, especially since its geometric shape, which contains circles and grid lines, constitutes an aesthetic character compared to “window air conditioners.”
With the launch of the project, Al-Moussawi found himself among industrial areas with a “raw” identity, and bright colors that are not usually seen in residential areas. Or graphics, compared to buildings with “smooth” facades, which many prefer to compromise their identity.
Al-Moussawi pointed out that all his photos are taken from a straight angle that erases all features of the “point of view”, which photographers usually employ to show the building in an unusual way, explaining that he seeks to document the facade that does not need any kind of optical deception to highlight its aesthetic features.
Al-Moussawi aims to monitor the architectural identity in the country by documenting all types of facades, both old and new.
The Emirati photographer explained that there is no unified architectural style in the country, but rather different styles that indicate the cultural pluralism that blended with the local identity.
By constructing a semi-comprehensive composition, Al-Musawi seeks to understand those different elements that shaped the Emirati architectural identity.
“It is a long-term and geographically vast project. When it is completed, I seek to add to our knowledge by presenting all these buildings in a template so that we can compare them with each other,” the Emirati photographer noted.
Although this series is considered a transitional work for Al-Moussawi, it received a positive echo among visitors to the “50 Years of Refrigeration” exhibition, as he received requests to acquire prints of these images.
2023-05-08 06:54:03
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