I am honored to present my artistic proposal for documenting the perfume shopkeepers of Jazan, using the visual language developed in my ongoing “Guardians” series.
These shopkeepers serve as custodians of urban temples—spaces rich in history and cultural significance. In an age of globalized retail, these shops represent the unique aromatic heritage of Jazan. Through my portraits, I aim to immortalize
their contributions to the perfume and incense trade, bridging past traditions
with present practices.
The project will feature seven large-scale portraits (2.4m x 1.6m), each depicting
a different perfume shopkeeper within their shop—illustrating them as the heart and soul of these aromatic spaces. These portraits will be a lasting homage to the Guardians of Jazan’s fragrant legacy.
In the style of my “Guardians” series, the portraits will place viewers in direct connection with the subjects and their environments. The composition will highlight the deep bond between the shopkeeper and their cultivated space.
By presenting these portraits in large format, accompanied by audio that
shares the stories of the “Guardians,” I aim to create an immersive experience
that enables viewers to fully engage with both the subjects and their spaces.
This approach emphasizes the dignity and craftsmanship of these “Guardians”
while evoking a sense of memory and presence, particularly as some shops
face closure due to modern pressures.
The exhibition will transform the museum into a gallery of memory and resilience, celebrating the ongoing cultural relevance of Jazan’s aromatic industry.
My seven “Guardians” will be showcased in Gallery 4: Perceiving Scents, adding a sensory layer to the visual experience and deepening the audience's connection to Jazan’s aromatic history.
EXHIBITIONS
2024
“Perfumes of the East”
The Saudi National Museum, Riyadh, KSA
2023
“Parfums d’Orient”
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Paris Photo 2023
Galerie Tanit, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2022
“How will it end?”
Villa Empain, Fondation Boghossian, Brussels, Belgium
2020
“Lebanon Then and Now”
Middle East Institute, Washington DC, US
2019
Third Bienniale of Photographers
of the Contemporary Arab World
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
“The Guardians” solo show
Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA
2018
“The Guardians” solo show presented by Galerie Tanit
The Alternative, Beirut, Lebanon
“Family Portraits”
M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum, Kaunas, Lithuania
“The Guardians”
Mark Hachem Gallery, Paris, France
2017
“An Honest Farewell”
Centre for Social Innovation, Toronto, Canada
“This City II”
Coldstream Fine Arts, Toronto, Canada
2016
“The Guardians”
Public installation, Paradigm Gallery + Studio, Philadelphia, USA
“The Guardians”
Toronto Nuit Blanche, Toronto, Canada
2014
“The Guardians”
Public installation, SDBSL, Montreal, Canada
“The Guardians”
Public installation across 100 cities, JCDecaux, France
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2024
Intermix : Art & Fashion Reimagined, Riyadh, KSA
2018
Artist residency in Tverai in association with the Kaunas Photo Festival, Lithuania
2016
Artist residency in Philadelphia, Paradigm Gallery + Studio, Philadelphia, USA
PRESS / INTERVIEW
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, Jan 2024
MIDDLE EAST EYE, Feb 2024
TELERAMA, May 2024
ARAB NEWS, May 2024
LE MONDE, Oct 2023
TV5 MONDE CULTURE, Oct 2023
ARAB NEWS, Sept 2023
FRANCE INFO, Oct 2023
OUEST FRANCE, Nov 2023
OMAN TV NEWS, Sept 2023
LES ECHOS, Oct 2023
VILLE DE PARIS, Sept 2023
L’EXPRESS, Sept 2023
ESSENTIAL HOMME, Sept 2023
LE PARISIEN, Sept 2023
LIBÉRATION, Sept 2023
AL ARABY TV, Sept 2023
ALIMENTATION GÉNÉRALE, Oct 2023
LE BONBON, Sept 2023
SINGULARS, Oct 2023
ZIG ZAG, Sept 2023
THE GUARDIAN, Sept 2014
CNN, Sept 2014
SLATE, Aug 2014
WIRED, June 2019
RTS, Nov 2019
ZEIT ONLINE, Feb 2020
CBC RADIO CANADA, Oct 2014
HUFF POST, May 2014
MONOCLE. June 2019
SPIEGEL ONLINE, Apr 2019
L’ORIENT LE JOUR, Nov 2014
L’ORIENT LE JOUR, Oct 2018
L’ORIENT LE JOUR, Oct 2019
L’ORIENT LE JOUR, July 2020
DAILY MAIL, Sept 2014
DAILY MAIL, Apr 2018
DAILY MAIL, Apr 2019
BUZZ FEED NEWS, Apr 2019
ART FOR BREAKFAST, Nov 2019
AMERICAN WAY, Sept 2019
WIRED JAPAN, Aug 2019
VSD, Sept 2014
TUOI TRE, Aug 2019
PARIS MATCH, Nov 2019
INSTITUT DU MONDE ARABE, June 2019
LES NUMÉRIQUES, Sept 2019
LE COMMERCE DU LEVANT, July 2020
THE ART NEWSPAPER, Sept 2020
PROJECT SPACES, May 2019
KATHIMERINI, Dec 2019
MIDDLE EAST EYE, Sept 2020
10 POINT 15, Apr 2015