PROFILE Images - Courtesy of artist. Writer - Emma Warburton, arts writer and researcher.
Hind Mezaina: Photo Diaries Archiving personal and collective memory Hind Mezaina, an artist based in Dubai, while she
The month includes images from both Dubai and
an upward momentum to its structure or design. A
is fundamentally a photographer, she also engages
Bologna, Italy tracing the artist’s travels. The result is
number of images in the August diary depict Dubai’s
with video and collage, while being an enthusiastic
a particularly beautiful series. The images are warm,
modern architecture, particularly buildings that are
proponent of the local and international art scene.
as if tinted in yellow. The degree of contrast is slightly
impressive in their vertical scale. The buildings Mezaina
Her interest in art and culture led her to create a
exaggerated, and the highlighted areas are subtly
chooses for this series have angular detaIling that is
blog four years ago that she named The Culturist.
over-exposed. The aesthetic could be described as
both ornate and understated at the same time. The
She actively maintains The Culturist to this day, and
sunbathed, dry and arid, and it accompanies the
scenes Mezaina captures appear engulfed in a pale
it can be considered an extension of her art practise.
summer scenes very effectively. The grainy quality
yellow haze. It invokes memories of what it feels like
adds a layer of nostalgia to the images, suggesting
to be in a city on a dangerously hot day. There’s an
There is a strong sense of conceptual and aesthetic
a time past. With this particular collection, Mezaina
eerie and ghost-like element to these pictures, in part
continuity in Mezaina’s photography work. She works
demonstrates a gift for framing and composition, as
due to their foggy quality and heightened by the fact
exclusively in analog film, and thus her photographs
well as a unique ability to beautify the banal.
that the images are totally devoid of people. This film
share a distinctly vintage and romanticized quality.
and camera combination lends itself well to conveying
From a general perspective her projects explore
For the July chapter, Mezaina again used the Contax
the concept of the desert, as it aesthetically imitates
themes of collective and personal memory, nostalgia,
T2 camera, but this time with Kodak Ektar 100 film.
the atmospheric traits of the landscape—dry, dusty,
the representation of Dubai and the UAE in the media,
The July diary includes photos from Bologna (July
hazy and hot.
and the relationship between landscape and personal
1), Karlovy Vary (July 2-7), Antwerp (July 8-13) and
identity. Mezaina observes, researches, collects and
Dubai (July 14-31) The images are vivid in colour and
Mezaina is an intuitive and versatile photographer,
preserves visual artefacts and memories, not disimilar
highly saturated. In contrast to the previous month’s
and her work says a lot about her. The word ‘diary’
to that of an archivist or archaeologist of sorts.
series, these photos are acutely focused and sharp,
suggests a personal, if not intimate reflection, and
due to the high level of contrast and the ultra fine
this project certainly lives up to those expectations by
Mezaina’s project Photo Diaries (2019) evolved from
grain of the film. Mezaina selects her subject matter
illuminating the artist’s aesthetic tastes, cultural interests,
an initial effort to make use of her neglected cameras
well for this series, choosing to capture architecture
and uninhibited artistic eye. Indeed, Photo Diaries is
and undeveloped film. Selecting a different camera
and indigenous plants that lend themselves to the
a visual autobiography—a record in pictures of an
and film for each monthly series, the artist has shot a
stark, hard-edged rendering that is achieved with
artist’s daily life. But there is also something universal
photo a day for every month of this year, until present.
this particular film. The entire series is cold in color,
about Mezaina’s photographs. They evoke a relatable
Photo Diaries is an autobiographical archive that is
as if tinted in pale blue or seafoam green. Combined
wistfulness and sentimentality in the viewer, and draw
both observational and personal. The images narrate
with a white-washed effect (a consequence of
personal memories to the surface. In a sense, Mezaina
the artist’s movements and daily experiences, while
over exposure), this produces an eerie quality that
does not only capture her own memories in pictures,
also functioning to capture and record details of the
complements the still, austere scenes.
but the memories of us all. And this, ultimately, makes
landscape that surrounds her.
for a very satisfying viewing experience. The month of August is the only month that Mezaina
For the month of June, Mezaina paired the Contax
shot entirely in portrait format. The artist effectively
Photo Diaries is an ongoing project. The entire series
T2 camera with Kodak ColorPlus 200 35mm film.
chooses subject matter that is elongated, or has
can be viewed on www.theculturist.com
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