Sharjah opens the lens on Xposure show

Final preparations are underway for Sharjah's Xposure 2021 International Photography Festival, the annual event showcasing inspiring images by the world's top photographers.

A total of 1,558 photos will be on display at the Expo Centre Sharjah from February 10 to 13.

More than 50 photographers are flying in for the four-day festival, and their works will be exhibited across 54 indoor areas including 41 solo galleries.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council (SMC), announced that a special award for photojournalists will be launched at the event in recognition of their devotion to documenting health crises and conflicts, as well as natural and man-made disasters.

"We owe much to photojournalists who are relentless in their efforts to offer us a window into important changes taking place worldwide, and who allow us to relate to the varied experiences of people from different countries and cultures. Their work has been far more notable in the past year since the outbreak of COVID-19 has created unprecedented circumstances globally," Sheikh Sultan said.

With dozens of exhibitions, 21 public seminars and discussions, 14 workshops delivered by industry leaders, eight focus groups and 14 expert-led portfolio reviews, the festival will continue to be the the biggest annual platform for hands-on visual arts learning and training in the UAE and the region.

Underscoring the show's message, Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi noted, "Xposure brings us together this year to dive into exceptional visual storytelling by the world's best photographers. These stories will not be about the pandemic, but life; they will focus not on social distancing, but human interaction, celebrating nature, architecture, and the farthest places imaginable on Earth."

He also explained why this year's event has eight slogans, "We chose eight to emphasise all the messages the festival has imparted since its inception five years ago. These messages, which have shaped Xposure into one of the most successful photography events in the world, we choose to reiterate this year. Here at Xposure, We Love Photography We Host Experts We Support Talents...We Enlighten Minds We Believe in Colours We Celebrate Art We Come Together to make life inspiring, engaging and exciting."