Dubai

© Franck Bohbot

Franck Bohbot makes us discover a Dubai in transition. In this new project, he goes to observe this former small fishing town that has become the megalopolis of the United Arab Emirates. Gently, his gaze reveals each neighborhood to us, putting its inhabitants and travelers in the foreground in their elements mixing portraits, scenes of life, interiors, and architecture. The colors resonate as if a sandstorm had landed on the images.

For centuries, Dubai was a small seaside village, surrounded by desert. Later, in the 20th century, the city embarked on pearl harvesting, maritime trade, and shipbuilding. Today, the city is home to 3.3 million people. The Port of Dubai and its airport are among the most important traffic arteries in the world. About 16 million tourists come annually to spend their holidays there, attracted by its gigantic malls and luxury hotels. In these monumental spaces, people can do all kinds of extravagant activities, and luxury shopping. Ranging from snow skiing, eating all types of cuisine, ice skating, playing VR, or contemplating an underground aquarium.

But the artist in search of an obsession with authenticity decides to take the opposite view of the cliché and begins his documentation by strolling through the streets of Deira, Bur Dubai, and Al Karama, where you can see the old souks and the Dubai Creek. Many Iranian, Iraqi, Yemeni, Pakistani, Indian, Afghani, and other immigrants from poorer Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Central Asian countries call this area home.

His portraits, beautifully composed, taken with his Leica in the early morning and late afternoon using the natural light, give a timeless sense to the place. Dubai, a city full of contrasts, adored by some and hated by others, is in constant motion. Each neighborhood is far from the other. You have to take a car to get around, like in Los Angeles.

There is something for everyone, traditionalists, athletes, businessmen, family, jet setters, hipsters, tourists, looking for monuments, architecture enthusiasts. Kite beach resonates like a mix of South Beach and Venice beach, while Alquoz industrial district, tries to take its place as the "Hipster" district of the city, between its galleries, old cinema, vintage cars, and contemporary coffee shops. The Museum of The Future is visually impressive, its futuristic lobby immerses us in a setting, straight out of a science fiction film.

Bohbot takes the opportunity to observe the mixture of genres, the beauty of tradition and modernity. In this series, there is a real mix of scenes of life, color, and authenticity. Recreational spaces are everywhere for kids and adults to play somewhere. The Desert is where nostalgic memories are: full of light, lines, energy, and dreams.

Colors play a big part in his work, it was amazing for him to discover this place and create these pictures that showcase the interaction of humans and nature. In the end, what is the future of Dubai? They said that by 2040 Dubai would double in size, its green, and recreational spaces, everything going super fast. In this project, Franck Bohbot wanted also to stop time and focus on the people and their surroundings by showcasing life scenes of the habitants, workers, travelers, players, and dreamers in order to forget the extravagant and stay strickly authentic.

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