Young Saudi photographer Areej Adel is a scholarship student, majoring in fine art in the United States.
She has recently created a photo collection that aims to highlight the issues Saudi women face in the Kingdom. Her photographs reflect the reality of what Saudi women experience in their day-to-day lives. She named the collection “A Queen… but,” in reference to what some Saudi men name their women.
Her collection was warmly received among Saudis and many have took to sharing pictures from her collection on various social media platforms in an effort to promote her work.
One of the main objects in the photo shoot was a crown, which the artist placed on the head of an American colleague, who was posing as a model from the collection. The crown served to symbolically represent the status of a queen within the women, even though in reality the model is an average citizen.
Arab News spoke to the artist to discover more about her and learn about the project:
Did you study photography or you are a self-taught?
I became interested in photography as a hobby at a young age. So, originally, I taught myself how to use Photoshop and how to work with the camera.
However, after I came to the United States, I studied photography as within my major. The course helped me improve my skills more professionally.
How long have you been a photographer?
Including high school, I have been a photographer for more than eight years.
How would you describe your photography style?
I’m like any photographer. I like to be adventurous and try new techniques. However, I would describe my photography as artistic and surreal. It is a combination of realistic and imaginary images. My work often highlights various messages about human rights. Sometimes my message is ambiguous; leaving room for the interpretation of viewers.
What is your favorite camera lens?
I am a Canon person and I am currently using a 100-400mm and a 24-105mm lens in most of my photos.
How important is Photoshop in your final image?
Since my interest lies in surreal photography, Photoshop is an integral part of my work. After I take photographs, I use Photoshop to add finishing touches and complement my work.
What gives you ideas and inspires you to create imagery?
Everything around me inspires my work. Especially reading books, newspapers and listening to songs. It may seem unusual that the news inspires me, but when I read something in the news that emotionally affects me, I like to express it through my photographs.
How do you educate yourself to take better photos?
The most important thing for me is to stay away from copying other photographers’ ideas. To improve myself as a photographer, I don’t just focus on lighting andtechnique, but I strive to have a richly creative mind.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began your photography career?
I haven’t started a career yet, but when I came to study, my professors told me, “You don’t have to just photograph beauty. You also can photograph ugliness in a beautiful way.” I wish I would have understood that when I first began in this field.
You have created and photographed a collection that is famous among Saudis entitled “A Queen… but”, tell me about this collection.
As some may already know, many people describe Saudi women as “queens.” My series, “A Queen, but…” focuses on the problems that arise from the pretense of the title “queen.” This project is inspired by the stories I hear from people that I know and also by reading the news regarding Saudi women’s issues. The message I describe in the photos is about the different types of queens: some who don’t like their crowns, and others who are used to it. I shot the photos in July 2013 in the US.
How did the public receive the collection?
I received great acceptance when I first published the collection on the Internet. I found that a lot of women used the photographs as their personal profiles. They were unable to describe the problem in words, but by looking at my project, they said, “You just put your finger on the wound.” A lot of people on Twitter would end their posts with one of my project photos when mentioning women’s rights. The photograph “I Don’t Like the Back Seat” has received a lot of attention, which is good, but now some people think that my project is all about women not being able to drive. Although I highlight different problems in my work, they overlook the other problems I have highlighted and just focus on the driving issue.
Name a photographer that has inspired you the most?
The two artists who inspire me are Lalla Essaydi, a Moroccan artist, and Fida Al Hussan, a Saudi artist. Although my work is not similar to theirs, by looking at their work, my creativity is awakened.
What other projects are you working on now?
I’m working on a project that highlights racism. We are all the same, despite being from different places, having different religious background, doctrines, skin color, and economic status. I plan to approach the subject in a subtle and artistic manner.
Have you participated in any art exhibitions?
Yes, I held an opening for my show “A Queen, but…” on Aug. 26. It was the first of many exhibitions I hope to have in the near future.
What kind of photography are you most interested in?
I’m interested in artistic, black and white, and portrait photography.
When you are not taking photos, what are you doing?
When I’m not taking photos, I’m drawing. There lies my other passion.
What’s next for you?
After I graduate, I hope to continue what I have began. I’m looking to open my own photography and fine art exhibitions.
Email: [email protected]
