The Place I Call Home

‘Home’ is a theme that unites – it is relatable, something everyone has a feeling or opinion about. The word triggers thoughts of a place, a feeling, a memory, or an identity. When we live away, we take cultural experiences with us that create a sense of being ‘at home’ in a foreign place.

The Place I Call Home is a project that uses contemporary photography to explore the idea of ‘home’ related to the experiences of young people living in the Gulf and the UK at a time of rapid change and social mobility. The project comprises a photography exhibition and public outreach programme that will travel to six Gulf states and the UK this autumn.

After scoping visits to all six GCC countries, Ffotogallery’s Director David Drake has determined the vision and curatorial approach for the exhibition and has commissioned a number of artists to produce work responding to its themes. In different ways, the work of the selected artists is about sharing stories of culture and heritage, challenging stereotypes, exploring their identities, commonalities and differences.

The confirmed artists thus far are as follows:

Abi Green (with Sebastian Betancur-Montoya), Ben Soedira, Dilmuni Couple (Hussain Almosawi & Mariam Alarab), Eman Ali, Gillian Robertson, Josh Adam Jones, Mai Almoataz, Moath Alofi, Mohammed Al-Kouh, and Richard Allenby-Pratt.

The result of these commissions will culminate in one exhibition in each of the GCC countries (UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain), plus four exhibitions in the UK, to include Ffotogallery’s own venue in Cardiff, Wales. The collective work is mixed media, reflecting a diverse range of photographic practices and differing approaches to creative storytelling. Through the exhibition and it’s accompanying outreach programme, our aim is to encourage and inspire young people to pick up a camera and use photography as a tool to share their own stories and experiences.

The Place I Call Home will be the first formal exhibition at Ffotogallery’s new home in Cathays, taking place from October – December 2019 (exact dates to be confirmed).