Aidan Sullivan sends us his text and photographs on the Xposure Festival from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
“There is a new photo festival launched this year in Sharjah called Xposure. »
Or?
“Sharjah”
Or?
This is a conversation I had with my dear friend Tom Stoddart in 2016. I went there with Tom and Sir Don McCullin for the inaugural festival, the brainchild of its creative director Simon Newton.
We were very impressed; it exceeded our expectations.
The amount of effort and detail put into the exhibits and event space was tremendous, their hospitality was next level, and most importantly, the respect they showed the photographers was unmatched.
Simon, curator and creative director of Xposure, personally examines every detail of the selected photographs, emphasizing the importance placed on presenting the photographers’ work in the best possible way. This hands-on approach reflects his passion for the craft and his dedication to honoring the artistic vision of each participant.
And that’s how it started.
So, where is Sharjah and why are we having a Photo Festival?
Sharjah is the third most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It has established itself as the de facto cultural center of the UAE and the festival is part of their impressive programme.
There are cultural differences, of course, but the UAE is considered one of the most liberal Arab nations and every effort is made to make all visitors and participants feel comfortable.
The festival has considerable financial resources and this shows that, thanks to photographers from all over the world, the printing, construction and technology associated with the production of the events add up. So far there have been around 1,200 individual exhibitions.
Alongside the exhibitions, they run a free, comprehensive awards program with a prize pool value of over $60,000 across multiple genres. Photographers of all ages, backgrounds and experiences are eligible and this year they added a category for filmmakers.
As one would expect, there are portfolio reviews, focus groups, seminars, workshops and an intimidating and remarkably low-key trade show.
Kathy Moran hosts the Conservation Summit which attracts photographers like James Balog and other leading industry experts and enthusiasts to discuss the importance of conservation efforts in photography. Topics include the role of photography in raising awareness of environmental issues, the use of photography in wildlife conservation, and the impact of photography on the natural world.
Until 2024 and its 8th edition, the festival has grown exponentially, but has lost none of its original approach and commitment to excellence, demonstrated by its meticulous attention to detail. This has earned them a formidable and envious reputation among some of our community’s most revered icons.
His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi is our official guest. When it all started in 2016, he was the head of the Sharjah Media Office, he is now the deputy ruler of the Emirate. He is there almost every day and takes time to meet the photographers and hear about their work as he and his entourage wander the 28,000 square foot exhibition space. In short, he’s a really nice guy, approachable and as a passionate amateur photographer, genuinely interested.
Invitations are extended to photographers of all genres, from photojournalism to fashion and everything in between, offering them the opportunity to bring their work to the UAE.
The long list of those who attended and received exhibitions reads like a “Who’s Who” of legends, from the aforementioned Sir Don to James Nachtwey, Steve McCurry, Dan Winters, Paula Bronstein, Neil Leifer, Stephen Wilkes, Greg Gorman and Nicole . Tung – who gave a fantastic speech this year. David Hume Kennerly and Pete Souza made a superb duo on stage as they told their stories of life in the inner circle of the White House, and this year I had the privilege of interviewing the famous and much loved JP Laffont .
Beyond this reputation for extraordinary attention to detail in the printing, framing and general layout of the exhibits, they have managed to create something quite unique. A true sense of camaraderie and community that has contributed to its status as one of the industry’s premier festivals.
Those of us who braved and pushed through the pandemic to attend in 2021 were all put together in a bubble to keep us safe, and that’s when the real bonding began.
Young aspiring photographers, many of whom had their very first exhibition, spent time with many of their heroes. Giles Duley gave the keynote address that year, and his incredible story resonated through the auditorium. There was total silence as the audience tried to understand the audacity of this man who, after losing three limbs to a landmine in Afghanistan, stood before them. and not only told his story of survival, but also showed them what true challenge and determination looks like.
A year later, a packed room fell silent again as Jim Nachtwey took the stage and delivered a powerful speech titled A Perspective on Visual Journalism in the Age of Social Media and Alternative Facts that was as eloquent as it was disturbing.
Jim is known for his incredibly powerful images and attention to detail. To be honest, we were all a little skeptical when Simon said he would be there, but he came. His exhibition was outstanding and Simon and his team had managed to meet all of Jim’s standards.
Jim clearly enjoyed the whole event and stayed while we all took some free time for a desert and east coast excursion from Sharjah.
Then it was Steve McCurry’s work and his life story that excited the crowd. Once again, I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve on stage and a deep dive into the research allowed me to trace his career from his beginnings as a black and white photographer in Afghanistan. the war there that put it on the map. Steve called Xposure “one of the biggest events in the world.”
No secrets, I receive compensation for my work as a consultant and as an MC interviewing photographers on stage, alongside my dear friends and colleagues Kira Pollock and Lars Boering.
The 2025 schedule is already coming together, and it will be somewhat epic as we see Sir Don McCullin and Jim Nachtwey headlining together.
We hope to see you there!
Aidan Sullivan
Xposure International Photography & Film Festival
Expo Center Sharjah
Al Taawun St.
Al Khan – Sharjah – United Arab Emirates
https://xposure.net/
